Cattle
Beef production is the most important agricultural activity in Uruguay, using more than 83% of the country´s productive land, with almost 12.0 million heads of livestock, according to the FAO. Annual slaughter is greater than 2.0 million heads, which represents an extraction rate of approximately 17%. Furthermore, Uruguay has one of the highest annual per capita consumptions of beef in the world, according to the USDA.
Uruguayan beef exports increased a compound annual growth rate of 11.3% between 2001 and 2010, compared with 6.7% and 9.5% in Argentina and Brazil, respectively, according to the USDA. Several factors have enabled Uruguay to become a major player in the global beef trade, including access to key export markets, above average sanitary conditions, and the ability to react quickly to consumer demand. Also, Uruguay has implemented a traceability system to its cattle which is unique in South America and is expected to result in Uruguay becoming the first country in the world to have 100% of its cattle herd individually identified. We beleive that this will be a key factor in differentiating Uruguayan beef in the international market and will allow Uruguayan beef to reach higher price levels.
UAG Operations:
Since fiscal year 2009, we have been producing beef products from our cattle. Our first Braford calf, from embryos imported from Australia, was born at our Casco Patricio property in September 2010 and we have since bred our first generation of high genetic value Brafords.

