TheBeefSite Newsletter - 16 November 2011

TheBeefSite Weekly Newsletter

Wednesday 16th November 2011

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Will Global Beef Prices Remain High?

High feed prices, adverse weather, disease outbreaks and declining herd numbers have kept meat prices at record levels this year.

But will prices remain high over the next few years?

In the US, the long drought has pushed more cattle to market early and limited investment in breeding herds. In Brazil, production is being held back due a lack of quality animals, slow exports and competition in domestic markets by cheaper meat alternatives.

In Argentina and Uruguay cattle numbers are at the lowest in a decade, Uruguay has also increased live cattle exports, reducing slaughter numbers.

In the EU, a reduction in support for beef farmers has seen herd numbers fall. Herds are also being rebuilt in Paraguay, China, Japan and Pakistan, all of which have either suffered disease outbreaks or natural disasters.

However, in India, which is now the fifth largest beef producing country, supplies of cattle for slaughter have increased, thanks in part to the growing dairy industry.

Similarly in Australia, years of herd rebuilding are likely to see an increase in output. Government support and favourable credit packages in Kazakhstan are encouraging growth.

Undoubtedly beef supplies will be tight in coming years, keeping prices high. Whilst supply plays a role in controlling price, will these high prices discourage demand?

At what point will consumers move to cheaper meat alternatives - and what is the beef industry doing to prevent consumers from making this change?

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 5 new features this week:

Ireland Looks To Germany For Beef Export Opportunities
Ireland is the fourth largest exporter of beef worldwide and is now looking to Germany to increase its market share, said Justin McCarthy, Editor for the Irish Farmers Journal at the Eblex Annual Conference 2011. Charlotte Johnston, TheCattleSite editor, reports.

Bid To Ban Export Refunds For Live Cattle
Eurogroup for Animals is calling on the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States to eliminate all subsidies for the export of live animals to third countries with immediate effect.

FAO Food Outlook: Meat And Meat Products
High feed prices, adverse weather, disease outbreaks and livestock herd rebuilding have kept meat prices at record levels in 2011, according to FAO's Food Outlook 2011.

Feed Outlook - November 2011
US feed grain production estimates have been lowered for 2011/12, according to Tom Capehart and Edward Allen in the latest report from the USDA Economic Research Service.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates - November 2011
While beef and broiler production forecasts for 2011 are lowered, pork and turkey production are increased, according to the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for November.

Company News

Animax Announces New Appointments
UK - Animax, an animal health company which is doubling production in response to sales growth, has announced two new appointments.

Global Beef Cattle Industry News