Author
|
Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2001 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Future beef production will involve application of technologies in all links of the production, feeding, processing, and marketing chain and the cow-calf producer will continue to be a foundation player in the beef industry. Fifty percent of the beef animals produced in the United States come from cow-calf operations with less than 100 animals, but producer application of even basic technology is at a low level in these operations. This is unfortunate since these producers are missing financial advantages offered by technology adoption and are potentially going to suffer if they continue to produce cattle that do not meet consumer-dictated industry standards. As the beef industry moves to a consumer-driven industry this means that getting producers with less than 100 animals to adopt technology in management, breeding, reproduction, nutrition, and ethical and environmentally sustainable beef production must be considered a critical goal of individuals involved in research, extension, and the veterinary profession. Future beef production will be based on "committee" decisions with committee members representing animals, people (social), and the environment. This change will reduce the independence of decision making by individual operators throughout the system and may lead to various forms of vertical integration. Large feeders, processors, and marketing companies will dictate what products they will accept and will be willing to pay premium prices for. Producers that respond to these dictates will reap the benefits, but those ignoring them will suffer financially. Technical Abstract: Advances in the disciplines of reproduction, nutrition, genetics, plant science, product quality, and equipment have been adopted by the beef industry and have resulted in improved quantity and quality of the product available to the consumer. The fact that the United States consumer is spending only 11% of their total income on purchase of food is testimony of success of this technology adoption. The consumer is the ultimate benefactor of adoption of technology in production, processing, and marketing of beef and all agricultural products. This fact must be considered as a strong argument for public funding for agricultural research. But the extent of technology adoption across the beef industry is relatively low and must increase if United States producers are to remain competitive nationally and internationally. Future production will involve major input from animal, people, and environmental representatives and will result in reduced independence of producers at all links of the production chain. Animal scientists must be prepared to shoulder increased responsibility to assure that the voice of animal agriculture is heard and remains a strong economic force. |
