Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVI, Issue 1
Written by Felicia ȚENU, Andreea ȘERBAN, Raluca Elena DONOSĂ, Ciprian ALECU, Vasile MACIUC
The global beef industry has been growing steadily in recent years due to the fact that the largest beef exporters and importers in beef producing countries continue to invest financially in the global market. Beef, one of the most important products in the world livestock market, is often recognized as a premium source of protein in the human diet, therefore it is widely consumed in most countries around the world. In 2020, at the national level, the number of cattle slaughtered in industrial units (slaughterhouses) decreased by 15.6% compared to the previous year. Also, the beef production decreased from 196,000 tons in 2017 to 173,000 tons in 2020, even though the slaughter yield has increased. There are about 1 billion beef cattle worldwide, and compared to poultry and pigs, beef cattle have the lowest feed-to-meat conversion efficiency. Strategies to improve beef cattle performance emphasize operational and reproductive management, host genetics, functional efficiency of the rumen and respiratory microbiome, and forage structure and composition. There have also to consider the herd health and immunity and the need for beef cattle to thrive in a changing environment.
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