Australia - cattle herd to grow

Meat and Livestock Australia has revised its forecast on growth in the cattle herd for 2021 upwards to 25.9m, a 5% increase on 2020, which was a 25-year low.

USA - increase in milk prices

The USDA is forecasting a substantial lift in US milk prices for the second quarter of 2021, up from $16/cwt (30.2c/l) to $17.40/cwt (33c/l) for Class III milk.

China - delayed growth in pig herd

The foreign agricultural service of USDA is forecasting a delay in the recovery of the Chinese pig herd until at least mid-2021, as multiple outbreaks of African swine fever were reported in many provinces.

Argentina - green Mondays

Argentina’s environment ministry has launched a campaign to “replace animal proteins with vegetable proteins, to add a daily contribution to climate action” on Mondays, which provoked a sharp response from meat producers.