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With per capita lamb and mutton consumption fairly stable,
imports have offset the decline in domestic production.
Lamb and mutton imports, which currently account for
nearly half of U.S. consumption, are mainly from Australia
(about 68-70 percent) and New Zealand (about 30-32 percent).
In addition to importing meat products, the United
States also trades live animals with its North American
trading
partners. Historically, live imports have come primarily from Canada, but have declined considerable since 2003. Live
exports go primarily to Mexico. The United States has
a greater demand for lamb than for mutton and thus
imports Canadian lambs. Mexico has a greater demand
for mutton
and thus imports U.S. culled ewes (older, less productive
females).
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