NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
June 8, 2000
The quantity of meat produced per breeding female in livestock herds has been increasing steadily during the last 30 years. This increased production of beef, pork, lamb and mutton in the United States is due to a number of factors, says an agricultural economist at North Dakota State University.
"One contributing factor that is common to all species of livestock is genetic improvement," says Dwight Aakre, extension farm management specialist at NDSU. "This has led to more vigorous offspring, resulting in less overall death loss, larger litter sizes in hogs and more multiple births in sheep."
In 1970, estimated beef production per cow was 465 pounds. Today that production is up to 620 pounds per cow, Aakre says, an amount representing about a 1.1-percent annual increase.
Pork production per breeding sow has nearly doubled during the 30-year period, growing from about 1,600 pounds of pork per sow in 1970 to more than 3,000 pounds per sow today. Aakre says this gain represents a 3-percent annual increase.
Lamb and mutton production per ewe has increased nearly 1.5 percent per year since 1970, when production was about 39 pounds per ewe. Today per ewe production is about 56 pounds, Aakre says.
Besides advances in genetics, management practices play an important role in production gains. Intensive management results in less death loss, increased fertility rates and overall improved animal performance, Aakre says. Likewise, increased slaughter weights are a contributing factor to enhanced productivity. The heavier slaughter weights are the result of producers' using larger breeds in combination with genetic improvements that permit more growth without putting on excess fat.
"Individual producers cannot afford to fall behind the trend in increased productivity in the herd or flock," Aakre says. "This is no different than with crop production. Profitability and competitiveness are primarily impacted by yield, price and cost of production. This is a competitive industry, and operators with long-term success recognize the importance of all three factors."
The prices received by farmers for most commodities have been relatively flat, on average, since the inflationary jump that occurred during the 1972-1974 period. While prices have fluctuated considerably during the past quarter-century, the average for the last five years is not much different than the average for the last 20 years, Aakre says.
"Most cash production costs have inflated during the past 25 years, so it is this rising trend yield that has kept producers in business," Aakre concludes.
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Source: Dwight Aakre (701) 231-7378
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136