Attended the ASA Conference in Tullow, Co Carlow last week. The blueprint for the industry proposed a 20% increase in beef output over the next 10 years. At the present time the number of individuals getting out of beef production far outweighs the number entering the business. Margins are tight and too many farmers are eating into their single farm payments. This does not make economic sense long term. How come there is an econmic forecast for 2020? This is based on on population growth for 2020 with cosequent increase in demand for beef and dairy products. It was proposed by one of the speakers that the system promoted should entail usage of grass production systems. Another speaker proposed a 120 day finishing period indoors with a concentrate input to give a uniform carcase at the end of the feeding period.
In my opinion, the latter speaker was correct in that the variation in meat cuts is the last thing that the industry needs.
Dr Dan Ryan @ www.cows365.com