Beef market specifications as they affect the producer

J.P. Bremner

South Otago Freezing Co., Balclutha

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Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1974, 34: 241-246

(1) Most beef marketing authorities agree that prices are unusually high at present because of the gap between supply and demand. For the future, the guide should be the general trend of prices over the past ten years.

(2) While analogues (or substitutes) are not expected to make substantial quantitative inroads into the manufacturing beef trade, their availability must have some effect on holding price levels for manufacturing beef.

(3) To continue to compete successfully in world markets it is necessary to exploit the natural advantages New Zealand enjoys for beef production and to improve these by a more careful selection of suitable breeds and by progeny testing programmes.

(4) New Zealand cattle are generally regarded as only average yielders by world standards. Too much cost both at the processing and producing end is involved with fat, and lean meat yield must therefore be increased.

(5) Increasingly in the future greater margins between heavy and lightweight beasts within grades can be expected. Emphasis should be towards a heavier carcass.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;