Is beef very cheap in the United States? Why?

American beef is much cheaper than domestic beef, but it is not the legendary 10 yuan per pound. There is a big price gap between different breeds of cattle, grades, and parts. In the second half of 2018, 1 pound (0.9 pounds) of beef mince in American supermarkets was US$1.69, and the price of a whole box was US$2.62, which is equivalent to RMB 18 yuan.

The price of ordinary beef is US$3.99 per pound, equivalent to RMB 28, and the price of refined steak is about US$10 (RMB 68). There are three reasons why beef in the United States is cheap. Geographic environment

In the late 18th century, the U.S. federal government launched the Western Development. (Before this, the United States was mainly based on pork because there was not enough land to raise cattle.) The 60 million head of the prairie North American bison are hunted on a large scale.

The first reason: bison are undomesticated animals and are difficult to raise in captivity.

The second reason: to make room for the livestock industry.

The third reason: to provide cheap beef for the growing population of the United States.

In just ten years, there were less than 500 bison left. The federal government immediately launched a policy to lease wasteland to residents in the east at $1.25 per acre, and to recruit white immigrants to the west. As long as they paid 20% of the land in advance, each person could occupy up to 640 acres (equivalent to 3,884 acres of land).

It was eventually discovered that the prairie was more suitable for raising cattle than pigs. Cattle can convert grass that has no food value to people into meat, milk and other products. With the endless pasture, it is free and good feed. So calves were moved from the south to the prairie, and large-scale breeding began.

The high-profit and high-return industry has attracted countless farmers to join. In just five years, the number of cattle breeding has increased from zero to nine million, establishing the United States as a major animal husbandry country. The overall production chain

The history of cattle raising in the United States has not been smooth sailing. At the end of the 18th century, the supply of pasture was no longer available. Coupled with several years of severe climate change, up to 50% of cattle died of starvation or freezing. above.

Although many farmers went bankrupt, the surviving herders did not give up.

Until the early 19th century, industrialization developed rapidly in the United States, and the output of natural agricultural products increased rapidly, solving the problem of forage shortage and once again promoting the development of animal husbandry. Various industrial chains are interlocked, and the economy is rising rapidly.

In the 21st century, animal husbandry technology has reached its peak, and feeding methods have become more efficient. Mainly feeding mixed feed, the raw materials include corn, sorghum, wheat, vitamins, antibiotics, hormone preparations, and even clenbuterol (it is legal in the United States, provided that the usage amount is regulated).

Beef cattle in the breeding farm eat mixed feed continuously throughout the day. Their food troughs are always full, no matter how much they eat. In half a year, they will be ready for slaughter. Labor efficiency

The raw materials for cattle feed, corn, wheat and so on, are affordable because the output is amazing and two people can manage 7,000 acres of farmland without much labor. Their hands are only responsible for Operate machine operations. In addition, raising cattle also does not require much labor, as well as the factors mentioned earlier. In fact, the cost is reduced in many aspects, and the price of beef is certainly cheap.

Today, the United States ranks first in beef production in the world. But the export prices are different. For example, the price of exports to China has increased several times. However, beef in the local area is as cheap as cabbage to them, and the annual income of an average American family is about $50,000.