U.S. dairy product exports aren't the only international market that is performing well. For the second time in three years, U.S. exports of bred dairy heifers passed the 60,000 threshold even though this year's totals are through the first 11 months. Since 2000, only 2011's 73,642 exported heifers represent a higher total for the U.S.
What is different about 2013 is that the group of importing countries is much more balanced than 2011. Through this past November, 61,812 heifers were exported with Russia accounting for 23,413; Mexico, 20,648; and Turkey, 11,828, according to USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. Looking back to 2011, Turkey accounted for 68 percent of America's exported heifers for a grand total of 49,964 head.
Going back to the 2013 sales totals - after Russia, Mexico and Turkey - other key import markets include: Canada, 2,248 dairy heifers and cows; Egypt, 1,386 heifers; and Jordan, 1,138 replacements. Through November, no other countries have purchased more than 200 head.
Two other major export years included 2012 and 2010.
In 2012, just over 43,000 head were exported with Russia and Turkey purchasing 72 percent of the exported breeding stock. One year earlier, those same two countries also imported nearly 35,000 head or 93 percent of the dairy females that left our shores.
From 2000 to 2009, no single year crossed the 16,500-head benchmark on international sales.
