USA → China
Export Horses and Livestock from the USA to China
Horses and breeding stock into mainland China, with agents on the ground at the receiving end.
- Arrives
- PVG
- Departs
- LAX / DFW
- Flight time
- ~13 hours nonstop from the West Coast
- Plan ahead
- 90–150 days
Shanghai Pudong
Or whichever US gateway suits the animals
China is the lane where the honest answer to “can you ship this?” depends on the date you ask. Species eligibility moves with protocol negotiations and disease status, so the first thing we do is check current status — not quote a price. A quote against a closed protocol is worthless.
What matters at the receiving end is customs presentation, quarantine handoff and local coordination — the difference between animals clearing smoothly and animals sitting. We work with agents in China who handle exactly that.
Regulatory
What a China export requires
These are the constraints that shape the timeline. The binding requirements are whatever China has in force on your day of export — we confirm the current position as the first step of every feasibility review.
Protocol status before anything else
Chinese import eligibility is species-specific and negotiated bilaterally. We confirm whether your species and origin state are currently eligible and what the protocol requires. This check is free and usually takes a day or two.
Permits and registered facilities
Chinese protocols commonly require the importer to hold a permit and, for breeding livestock, that origin premises and the isolation facility are registered and approved. This is the longest part to assemble.
Extended isolation and testing
Isolation periods for China are typically longer than elsewhere in the region, with a broader test panel run by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and the certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS before departure.
Post-arrival quarantine
China operates designated post-arrival quarantine facilities, and the importer generally has to have booked capacity before the animals leave the United States. We sequence that with our Beijing representation.
Official source
USDA APHIS publishes the International Regulations for Animal Exports (IRegs) — the U.S. government’s understanding of China's current import requirements.
By species
What we handle into China
Horses
Racing, breeding and competition horses moved door to door — barn in the United States to barn in Asia-Pacific.
Breeding Livestock
Cattle, swine, sheep, goats and poultry genetics moved as single consignments or as a recurring program.
Exotic & Zoo Animals
Zoo collections, wildlife parks and private exotic consignments — including CITES-listed species — moved with the permitting handled.
FAQ
Exporting to China: common questions
How much does it cost to export a horse to China?
A single horse typically starts around $13,000 to $25,000 for the same core work as any other lane — air freight, isolation, testing, USDA fees and a groom — but China's longer isolation period and broader test panel usually push the total toward the higher end of that range, or above it for breeding livestock requiring registered origin premises. We won't quote a number until protocol status is confirmed, since a price against a closed lane is meaningless.
Can you export horses from the USA to China?
Horses are the most established U.S.–China live-animal lane and we handle them regularly. As with everything into China, we confirm current protocol status for your specific movement before quoting.
Can you export breeding cattle or swine to China?
It depends on current protocol status and whether the origin premises and isolation facility are registered and approved. This is the longest-lead work we do — allow 90 to 150 days and start with the protocol check.
Why does China take longer than Japan or Korea?
Eligibility has to be confirmed against a protocol that changes, breeding livestock often requires registered origin premises and isolation facilities, and post-arrival quarantine capacity generally has to be booked before departure. None of that can be compressed by paying more.
Do you have people on the ground in China?
We work with agents in China who handle the destination side — customs presentation, quarantine coordination and the handoff to the importer. We stay involved through arrival rather than handing off at the airport.
What if the protocol for my species is closed?
We will tell you, and quickly. Where a lane is genuinely closed we can often suggest a viable alternative in the region, or flag what would have to change for it to reopen.
Other lanes
More Asia-Pacific destinations
Hong Kong
Export Horses from the USA to Hong Kong
Japan
Export Horses from the USA to Japan
South Korea
Export Horses & Livestock from the USA to South Korea
Moving animals to China?
Send us the species, the number of animals, the origin and your target date. We confirm whether the protocol is currently open and come back with a written feasibility review at no charge.