Current situation and future trends for beef production in the United States of America — A review

Abstract

USA beef production is characterized by a diversity of climates, environmental conditions, animal phenotypes, management systems, and a multiplicity of nutritional inputs. The USA beef herd consists of more than 80 breeds of cattle and crosses thereof, and the industry is divided into distinct, but ofttimes overlapping sectors, including seedstock production, cow-calf production, stocker/backgrounding, and feedlot. Exception for male dairy calves, production is predominantly pastoral-based, with young stock spending relatively brief portions of their life in feedlots. The beef industry is very technology driven, utilizing reproductive management strategies, genetic improvement technologies, exogenous growth promoting compounds, vaccines, antibiotics, and feed processing strategies, focusing on improvements in efficiency and cost of production. Young steers and heifers are grain-based diets fed for an average of 5 months, mostly in feedlots of 1,000 head capacity or more, and typically are slaughtered at 15 to 28 months of age to produce tender, well-marbled beef. Per capita beef consumption is nearly 26 kg annually, over half of which is consumed in the form of ground products. Beef exports, which are increasingly important, consist primarily of high value cuts and variety meats, depending on destination. In recent years, adverse climatic conditions (i.e., draught), a shrinking agricultural workforce, emergence of food-borne pathogens, concerns over development of antimicrobial resistance, animal welfare/well-being, environmental impact, consumer perceptions of healthfulness of beef, consumer perceptions of food animal production practices, and alternative uses of traditional feed grains have become increasingly important with respect to their impact on both beef production and demand for beef products. Similarly, changing consumer demographics and globalization of beef markets have dictated changes in the types of products demanded by consumers of USA beef, both domestically and abroad. The industry is highly adaptive, however, and responds quickly to evolving economic signals.

Strategic Grazing in Beef-Pastures for Improved Soil Health and Reduced Runoff-Nitrate-A Step towards Sustainability

“…This area provides numerous ecosystem services and is an important contributor to the national GDP (gross domestic product). The Southeast region has approximately 11.6 million ha grazing lands [9] and is home to 20% of the national beef-cattle herd [10]. Moreover, between 2005 and 2015, almost 4000 ha of row-crop land was converted to intensive grazing farms in Georgia [11].…”

“…Moreover, between 2005 and 2015, almost 4000 ha of row-crop land was converted to intensive grazing farms in Georgia [11]. Cow-calf production in pastures is common in this region due to climatic suitability and forage availability [12], however, most of the beef-pastures are in fragmented marginal land that is vulnerable to erosion and usually not suitable for row-crop production [10]. Thus, there is a need for more studies to better understand these livestock systems in an effort to create grazing management systems that are more sustainable and suitable for these ecoregions.…”

Environmental sustainability assessment of the manufacturing process of a biological active pharmaceutical ingredient

“…For the extensive livestock production system (ELPS), data from pasturing farms in Brazil was taken whilst for the semi‐intensive livestock production system (SLPS) data from German farms specialized in fattening young bulls raised indoors was used. In the case of the intensive livestock production system (ILPS), an example from the United States was taken considering a vertical integrated feedlot system where calves are first fed on grassland and later finished in feedlots with high energy diets . These livestock production systems are representative of the currents practices in Europe and the Americas, where the countries with the highest exportation of animal blood components for medical purposes in the world are found…”

“…In the case of the intensive livestock production system (ILPS), an example from the United States was taken considering a vertical integrated feedlot system where calves are first fed on grassland and later finished in feedlots with high energy diets. [26][27][28] These livestock production systems are representative of the currents practices in Europe and the Americas, where the countries with the highest exportation of animal blood components for medical purposes in the world are found. 29 Below a summary of the background level data sources (due to confidentially, a detailed list cannot be disclosed):…”

Historical Trends in New Mexico Forage Crop Production in Relation to Climate, Energy, and Rangelands

“…It is known that the demand for forage crops to feed rangeland livestock is usually high during the winter and early spring period (3-5 months) [38]. Forage crops are also considered as the main feed for backgrounding operations and fattening animals in feedlots [39]. This demand becomes even higher during droughts.…”