On beef production is a major contributor suckler cows. The long-term development of the number of livestock in the Czech Republic shows that the number of suckler cows is increasing and partly compensates for the decline in the number of dairy cows. Between 1996 and 2017, the number of suckler cows increased by 177 thousand (from 39 to 216 thousand), while the number of dairy cows decreased by 342 thousand and 48%. Whereas between 1990 and 2016 the area of permanent grassland increased by 170 thousand hectares and 20%, the number of livestock units has decreased by 1 333 and 56%. In connection with the announcement of the preliminary balance of agricultural foreign trade for 2017 in the first half of February 2018, the media reported, besides, increasing meat imports to the Czech Republic. This statement also applies to trade in beef. Suckler cows breed in all EU countries. Out of a total of 12.3 million cows, 76% of cows were in five countries, France, Spain, Great Britain, Ireland and Germany. More than half of beef production accounts for five countries (France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain), the Czech Republic accounted for 0.9% and 4.9% for beef production in EU-28 and EU-13. In the Czech Republic, the consumption of beef per capita was 8.5 kg in 2016, which is 7.0 kg and 45% less than on average in the EU-28. In EU-28, the consumption of beef was 15.5 kg per capita in 2016.