Tamaulipas is rethinking how it sells its cattle. A $44.5M project would keep more of the business at home

Tamaulipas is bringing together government, its flagship university and the livestock industry in a $44.5 million effort to change what happens to the state’s cattle before they reach market.

Instead of relying primarily on the sale of live cattle, the proposed project would create a more complete meat supply chain within Tamaulipas — encompassing cattle finishing, slaughter, refrigeration, cutting and deboning, packaging and ultimately marketing meat under a homegrown brand: Carne Tam.

The 810 million-peso project is being promoted by the Tamaulipas Regional Livestock Union, the state government and the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, with participation from cattle producers.

The university would contribute its federally inspected slaughterhouse along with research, training and technical and financial studies. Producers would supply and finish cattle, while Agroindustrias de Tamaulipas is being considered for a role in marketing the finished meat.