Cattle production in the Latin American region, scope and limitations

Abstract

The Latin American and Caribbean Region (LAC) represents an area equivalent to 15% of the planet's habitable surface and is home to only 9% of the world's population. The region contains 26% of the world's cattle stock from which 33% of the meat consumed in the world is produced. The region also contributes 15% of the cow's milk produced worldwide. Of the undeveloped regions of the planet, LAC is undoubtedly the most livestock region in the world both in terms of its livestock stock and the production of meat and milk that is generated in it. Regarding meat consumption, although there are great differences between countries and regions, the per capita consumption of the Region is estimated at 26.6 kg inhabitant/year, which is substantially higher than the world average of 9.9 kg/inhabitant/year widening the difference when it is compared with the rest of the undeveloped regions of the planet, Africa that consumes 5.6 kg/person/year and Asia 4.1 kg/person/year. The same analysis is valid for milk consumption, which in LAC reaches 112 liters / person / year while the world average would be less than 89 liters and those of Africa and Asia in 36 and 41 liters respectively. In terms of international trade, LAC exports 31% of the meats that are traded internationally, while it imports only 16%. This confirms the aforementioned about the fact that it constitutes an important livestock region with productive parameters higher than the world average but far from those obtained by developed countries. Given the great agroecological differences that still exist within the region, it is not possible to speak of livestock productivity in a generic way for all of Latin America.