Beef Exports Research Articles

Methane Emissions and the Use of Desmanthus in Beef Cattle Production in Northern Australia.

Simple SummaryAn in-depth review of Australia’s tropical beef cattle production system is presented with emphasis on the use of Desmanthus, a tropical legume, as a nutritional supplementation strategy for the abatement and mitigation of methane emissions. It also identifies current knowledge gaps in in vivo methane emissions research.The Australian beef industry is a major contributor to the economy with an estimated annual revenue generation of over seven billion dollars. The tropical state of Queensland accounted for 48% of Australian beef and veal production in 2018. As the third biggest beef exporter in the world, Australia supplies 3% of the world’s beef exports and its agricultural sector accounts for an estimated 13.2% of its total greenhouse gas emissions. About 71% of total agricultural emissions are in the form of methane and nitrous oxide. In this review, an overview of the carbon footprint of the beef cattle production system in northern Australia is presented, with emphasis on the mitigation of greenhouse gases. The review also focuses on the tropical legume, Desmanthus, one of the more promising nutritional supplements for methane abatement and improvement of animal growth performance. Among the review’s findings is the need to select environmentally well-adapted and vigorous tropical legumes containing tannins that can persistently survive under the harsh northern Australian conditions for driving animal performance, improving meat quality and reducing methane emissions. The paper argues that the use of appropriate legumes such as Desmanthus, is a natural and preferred alternative to the use of chemicals for the abatement of methane emanating from tropical beef cattle production systems. It also highlights current gaps in knowledge and new research opportunities for in vivo studies on the impact of Desmanthus on methane emissions of supplemented tropical beef cattle.

Competitiveness of Indonesian beef trading in Asean

This research was aimed to analyze Indonesian beef trading competitive position and specialization in ASEAN countries. This research was conducted in Indonesia with nine other ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) as the comparison. The research used secondary data of beef export and import values, and export commodities from Indonesia and nine other ASEAN countries in 2013 to 2017. Beef competitive position was measured by using Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) method, while the development of beef commodity in international trading was measured by using Trading Specialization Index (TSI) method. RCA calculation result in 2013-2017 showed the lowest comparative advantage of Indonesian beef trading in ASEAN (RCA = 0.000). TSI calculation result in 2013-2017 showed that Indonesian beef trading commodity was in introduction stage in international trading (TSI=-1.000).

A dynamic analysis of the impacts of export taxes: The case of Argentinean soy and beef markets

AbstractArgentina plays an important role in the global soy market as one of the world's leading exporters of soy products. In an effort to shift its agricultural sector's focus to value‐added exports and to raise revenue, Argentina's government has maintained a regime of differential export taxes on soy products. In addition to soy products, Argentina is a major producer, consumer and exporter of beef. However, over the last decade it has relinquished much of its world market share as its beef exports have fallen because the government has periodically imposed a ban on exports of beef along with maintaining an export tax. As the soy and livestock sectors are inextricably linked, owing to both industries’ intensive land use and the utilisation of soymeal as a feed supplement for cattle, trade policies in one sector have pronounced cross‐sectoral impacts. This study develops a theoretical model of these different sectors and trade policies, incorporating the dynamic decisions of cattle stock management. The model is calibrated to real‐world data on the Argentinean economy, and the impacts of trade liberalisation are quantified. Key results show modelling the various intersectoral linkages and the dynamic implications of cattle stock is essential for obtaining accurate estimates.

Leguminosas forrageiras na produção animal no Brasil

Intensive farming practices have been causing alterations in the characteristics and quality of the soil, arising the need to adopt sustainable management techniques. Brazil is the largest exporter of beef in the world, but due to inadequate management practices, around 50% of these areas are degraded. Forage legumes have gained prominence as a sustainable alternative for animal feeding, not only because they present high nutritional value, but also because of their ability to establish symbiotic and associative relationships with nitrogen - fixing bacteria and plant growth promoters, which can partially or totally supply nitrogen demanded by the crops. Techniques of coinoculation with symbiotic and associative bacteria are considered as a key component in the recovery processes of degraded pastures because they provide a greater accumulation of biomass. The objective of this work was to present techniques to recover degraded pastures involving the use of forage legumes and the association with nitrogen - fixing bacteria in order to increase pasture productivity, making the system sustainable.

Competition Barriers to Paraguayan Beef Exports: An Economic Review

Paraguay's beef industry has suffered sustained damage in credibility directly related to meat quality and process hygiene standards over the past two decades. These factors alone, however, are not the primary cause of persistent price discounting in export markets. Paraguay's direct competitors have suffered similar export restrictions related to quality control but have since recovered to capture their original market share. We find that both a perceived and an actual absence of quality controls over beef production, coupled with the lack of an industry body representing Paraguay's beef sector, are the major impediments to growth in the export market. The lack of sustained support and marketing of export-quality beef has led to persistent price discounting, despite quality improvements across the supply chain. The capacity to gain international market share remains diminished due to the disaggregated approach in which Paraguayan beef is marketed to foreign buyers. An industry-wide effort to coordinate food safety and quality activities, as well as maintaining certification programmes, market intelligence, export promotion and research and development could offer some degree of competitive advantage to Paraguay's producers. While the idea of a central industry body has clear advantages, of greater value would be establishing meat quality standards that address the deficiencies in consumption-level responsiveness to meat quality. The establishment of an industry body would need to overcome the hurdles associated with related transaction costs across the alliance.

Identification of Suitable Animal Welfare Assessment Measures for Extensive Beef Systems in New Zealand

Farm animal welfare assessment protocols use different measures depending on production systems and the purpose of the assessment. There is no standardized validated animal welfare protocol for the assessment of beef cattle farms in New Zealand, despite the importance of beef exports to the country. The aim of this study was therefore to identify welfare measures that would be suitable for an animal welfare assessment protocol for use in extensive pasture-based cow–calf beef cattle systems in New Zealand. The proposed animal welfare assessment measures were selected from the Welfare Quality protocol and the rangeland-based UC Davis Cow–Calf Health and Handling assessment protocol. Measures that were deemed impractical and/or unsuitable were excluded from the protocol. After testing the applicability of selected measures at one farm, additional measures that were deemed to be practical to undertake in New Zealand were identified and incorporated into the protocol. The intention was to identify animal welfare indicators that were assessable in the yard during a single farm visit, a questionnaire guided interview, and a farm resource assessment visit that evaluated cattle health and management. Further testing of the 50 measures that were identified as being appropriate will be undertaken on commercial beef farms to develop a practicable welfare protocol for extensive pasture-based beef systems.

Modified time-temperature combinations reduce beef carcass contamination but will this benefit be seen thoughout the food chain?

The overall value of Irelands beef exports is worth approximately €2.5bn which is an annual increase of 5 % in 2017. However, the beef industry faces many challenges to export products to distant markets including a short shelf life and other economic losses that are mainly caused by microbial contamination. One of the simplest approaches to limit this contamination on the surfaces of beef carcasses is to use alternative carcass chill regimes. Carcasses underwent an industry standard chill process (10 °C for 10 h followed by 0 °C for 38 h) and were compared with carcasses that underwent a more rapidly chilled process (0 °C for 5 h and −2 °C for 3 h). Bacterial concentrations (mesophilic and psychrophilic total viable counts, total Enterobacteriaceae counts, Lactic Acid Bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, Clostridium spp.), physiochemical (pH, temperature, water activity (aw)) and organoleptic (colour, odour, texture) changes were monitored throughout the entire beef food chain (carcass → primal → retail steak) until end of shelf life. Rapidly chilled carcasses had significantly (P<0.05) less bacterial surface contamination compared to conventionally chilled carcasses. There was also significantly (P<0.05) less evaporative loss on carcasses and primals which will have a positive economic impact on the beef industry. This longitudinal study is one of the largest trials ever performed on beef shelf life extension.

A ESTRATÉGIA ESPACIAL DE INTERNACIONALIZAÇÃO DE EMPRESAS BRASILEIRAS DO SETOR FRIGORÍFICO: OS CASOS DA JBS E DA MINERVA

A internacionalização de empresas brasileiras é um fenômeno recente e que chama atenção pelo aceleradoprocesso de abertura de unidades de produção no exterior. Ao averiguar barreiras comerciais que afetam asexportações brasileiras de carne bovina, constatou-se que as medidas restritivas existentes no comérciointernacional de carne impulsionaram a dispersão geográfica de empresas brasileiras para fora do territórionacional, com o intuito de aumentarem as suas participações no mercado mundial. A partir do estudo de casodas multinacionais JBS e Minerva, verificou-se que a abertura de filiais em territórios estrangeiros é umaestratégia espacial adotada pelas empresas, uma vez que a localização das unidades de produção visa acessarmercados-alvo internos e externos. Ao dispor de uma ampla plataforma de produção e comercialização,estrategicamente posicionada, as multinacionais brasileiras da carne estabeleceram uma integração diretacom os principais mercados globais e alavancaram suas receitas operacionais.Palavras-chave: Internacionalização. Barreiras comerciais. Estratégia espacial.

Las empresas frigoríficas en Argentina: estrategias empresariales y cambios en el sector industrial (1882-1930)

Argentina dominó el mercado mundial de carnes desde inicios del siglo XX, y los frigoríficos representaron una de las principales industrias radicadas en Argentina. Este artículo se propone revisitar un tema clásico dentro de la historiografía económica argentina desde una nueva perspectiva, al enfocarse en los actores empresariales e insertar este análisis en un proceso de cambio de la industria de la carne a escala global. La investigación propone una periodización distinta e ilustra las importantes transformaciones (en términos de actores, estrategias y perfiles productivos) que vivió la industria de la carne desde fines del siglo XIX hasta finales de los años veinte. Se analiza también cómo el sector se destacó por una temprana y fuerte concentración y por la competencia oligopólica entre las principales empresas, caracterizada por largos periodos de cooperación y breves enfrentamientos por las cuotas de exportación.

Many roads from pasture to plate: a commodity chain approach to China’s beef trade, 1732–1931

AbstractThe advent of refrigerated transport made fresh beef a global commodity, linking South American and Australian producers to hungry consumers in Europe and North America. With vast supplies of cattle, and growing markets in Japan, Russia, and beyond, China was the last great frontier of this global transformation. Rather than a single export trade, China’s beef industry was a complex and multidirectional network of producers, processors, and consumers, its many production chains each facing distinct commercial, logistic, and political challenges. This article examines three such chains, the Qing-era caravan trade that drove live sheep and cattle to Beijing, the Harbin meat-packing industry that grew up around the Russian China Eastern Railway, and Japanese-dominated export of beef from Qingdao. A cross-section of these issues shows how the industry as a whole adapted to the new pressures and opportunities of globalization, as well as those presented by technology, foreign investment, imperialism, and war.

Modernism and Latin America: Transnational Networks of Literary Exchange by Patricia Novillo-Corvalán

Reviewed by: Modernism and Latin America: Transnational Networks of Literary Exchange by Patricia Novillo-Corvalán Vanessa Marie Fernández (bio) MODERNISM AND LATIN AMERICA: TRANSNATIONAL NETWORKS OF LITERARY EXCHANGE, by Patricia Novillo-Corvalán. New York: Routledge Publishers, 2018. 190 pp. $140.00 cloth, $54.95 ebook. Patricia Novillo-Corvalán's Modernism and Latin America: Transnational Networks of Literary Exchange adds to the increasing scholarship that seeks to re-articulate Anglo-Modernism by pointing to its connections with other cultural networks. In five loosely connected chapters, Novillo-Corvalán examines Latin America as an overlooked modernist geography. Each chapter explores a unique avenue in which Latin America's impact on modernism has been overlooked. Novillo-Corvalán's exhaustive research offers new readings of canonical modernist texts such as Virginia Woolf's The Voyage Out, D. H. Lawrence's The Plumed Serpent, and Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano alongside new perspectives on Latin American writings by the Argentine Jorge Luis Borges and Chileans Pablo Neruda and Roberto Bolaño.1 On the one hand, her work explores Latin America's influence on canonical Anglo-Modernist writers such as Argentina's importance for Woolf and Mexico's impact on Lawrence and Lowry. On the other, Novillo-Corvalán studies Latin America's relationship with Anglo-Modernism by offering examples such as Borges's and Bolaño's appreciation of a Joycean aesthetic and its presence in their work. A line of inquiry that permeates Novillo-Corvalán's study is attention to empire's role in shaping modernism. Exploring anti-imperialism in Woolf and Neruda in her first two chapters, for instance, offers two perspectives on the topic, the former from an insider, and the latter from an outsider. In chapter 1, "Empire and Commerce in Latin America: Historicising Woolf's The Voyage Out," she points out "that Virginia Woolf puts the complex issue of Great Britain's neocolonial domination in Latin America squarely on the cultural agenda of The Voyage Out" (10). Novillo-Corvalán's analysis in this chapter is an admittedly "intertwined reading" of Woolf's novel because it relies heavily on notes taken by the novelist two years after The Voyage Out was published (21). An engrossing read nevertheless, this first chapter offers an interesting discussion of topics such as Argentina's beef export industry, the country's relationship with Britain, and the novel's critique of British economic imperialism. Novillo-Corvalán [End Page 199] makes it plain that "the prevailing view that [Woolf's] knowledge of the continent was vague, deficient, and, at its worst, non-existent" is false (23). Questioning empire's role in modernist scholarship, NovilloCorvalán's second chapter, "Anti-imperialist Commitments: Mapping Neruda's Transnational Modernist Networks," offers Neruda as an example that "challenges the notion that aesthetic innovation is the product of the West" (51). She bases her argument on the Nobel Laureate's non-Eurocentric "complex émigré status" as a diplomat assigned to South Asia and Buenos Aires (51). In Novillo-Corvalán's estimation, having bypassed "a long-standing Latin American tradition" that required "the pilgrimage to Paris" as a rite of passage for an "aesthetic journey of initiation," "Neruda 'decentres' modernism by underscoring the aesthetic production of alternative cultural centres such as Colombo and Buenos Aires" (51, 52). Juxtaposing Neruda's perspective with Leonard Woolf's "reluctant insider" opposition to British imperialism in Ceylon, this chapter further underscores Neruda's own anti-imperialist position as a "self-conscious outsider" (59). While Novillo-Corvalán's appraisal of Virginia Woolf's and Neruda's negotiation of modernism and empire is thought-provoking, her most engaging examination of the topic surfaces in chapter 3, "The Cultural Politics of World Literature: Beckett, Paz, and UNESCO." This section provides a captivating account of the publication of UNESCO's An Anthology of Mexican Poetry, edited and translated by two Nobel Laureates, the Mexican poet Octavio Paz and the Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, respectively.2 Foregrounding UNESCO's narrow, imperialistic attitude towards Latin America, this chapter first delves into Paz's initial misgivings about the project and the contentious episodes surrounding the "Mexicanness" of the anthology that ensued with his...

Harvest Method Influences Color Stability of Longissimus Lumborum Steaks from Bos indicus Cattle

Brazil is a major beef exporter to countries where religious slaughter without stunning is mandatory. Fresh beef color influences consumers’ purchase decisions, and harvest method influences beef quality attributes, such as color, water holding capacity, pH, and lipid oxidation. Beef color is a breed-specific trait, and the excitable temperament of Bos indicus cattle can affect fresh meat color. Nonetheless, the effects of harvest method on color and oxidative stabilities of beef from Bos indicus cattle have not been investigated yet. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the impact of harvest method on color and oxidative stabilities of longissimus lumborum (LL) steaks from Bos indicus beef cattle. The LL muscles (24 h post-mortem) were obtained from 12 Nellore bull carcasses, harvested by either captive bolt stunning (CBP; n = 6) or without stunning (NST; n = 6). The muscles were fabricated into 2.54-cm steaks, aerobically packaged, and stored for 9 d at 4°C in darkness. Myoglobin concentration was analyzed on d 0, whereas pH, instrumental color, lipid oxidation, and water holding capacity were evaluated on d 0, 3, 6, and 9. While CBP and NST steaks exhibited similar (P > 0.05) myoglobin concentration (4.84 mg/g in CBP; 4.84 mg/g in NST), CBP steaks exhibited greater (P < 0.05) surface redness and color stability than their NST counterparts throughout the storage. On the other hand, NST steaks exhibited greater (P < 0.05) pH, yellowness, and water holding capacity than CBP steaks. Overall, the lightness and lipid oxidation were greater (P < 0.05) in NST steaks than their CBP counterparts. These results indicated that harvest method influences surface discoloration and oxidative stability of fresh LL steaks from Bos indicus cattle.

PROMOTION STRATEGI PT. MERIAL AGRO

This study aims to determine the Indonesian government's policies in the field of cattle import and Australian government policies in the field of cattle exports. In addition, this study also aims to see how the prospects for Australia Indonesia cooperation in the field of beef export and import. The research method used in this study is a descriptive analytic method. Data collection techniques are collected from primary and secondary data. Primary data is processed from the results of observations and interviews conducted by the author of several informants. Secondary data is processed from books, journals, written reports, magazines, and other documents which are analyzed qualitatively. The results of this study indicate that the country-based policy of Indonesia influences the selection of Australia as the main importing country of origin and the 2014 meat selfsufficiency plan influences the decline in Indonesia's chicken import quota. The policy of the Australian government's export of cattle to Indonesia in 2011 affected the economic conditions of Australia, especially in the field of chicken exports. In addition, this policy also affects the bilateral relations between Australia and Indonesia, especially cooperation in the field of animal welfare. The opportunity for Australia-Indonesia cooperation in the field of beef import and export is still wide open. First, because Indonesia adheres to a country-based system and geographically the distance between the two countries is very close. Keywords: Export, Import, Policy, Indonesia, Australia,chicken.

The role of distance on international commerce: the impact on Sino-Brazilian beef trade

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify Brazilian and Chinese cultural, managerial and negotiation factors that can influence the beef trade between the two countries.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a matrix based on reliable secondary sources was established created upon indicators of economic, financial, policy, administrative, cultural, demographic, knowledge, global connectedness and geographic distance between the two countries. This was combined with primary data from interviews conducted with two key stakeholders of the supply chain, namely, the Brazilian agricultural attaché to China, and the director of Apex-Brasil. The results were analysed in a qualitative descriptive manner.FindingsCultural and political distances between Brazil and China are the most profound origins of challenges in negotiations on both the private and public level.Research limitations/implicationsThe interviews were limited in number and to the Brazilian portion of agents involved in the beef trade (diplomats and APEX representative). The low number of interviews might be a limiting factor of the investigation. However, the interviewees’ key position in the supply chain and data triangulation with secondary sources equilibrates the results’ trustworthiness.Social implicationsChina and Brazil are becoming important players in the international market. Brazil has become a leader in the production and export of agricultural commodities. Brazil is the first producer or the second exporter of coffee, soybean, ethanol, poultry, sugar and beef. In 2009, China became Brazil’s top partner in trade (Xi, 2016). In 2015, Brazil exported $35.6bn to and imported $30.7bn from China. In the foreseeable future China will continue to be the most dynamic economy worldwide. This trade dynamic can be a source of opportunities for Chinese and Brazilian enterprises.Originality/valueInformation collected and conclusions drawn from the research are unique in scientific and management literature related to this specific topic, and can be of great value for stakeholders, traders and diplomats in the Sino-Brazilian trade.

Isolation of pathogenic Leptospira strains from naturally infected cattle in Uruguay reveals high serovar diversity, and uncovers a relevant risk for human leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis with worldwide distribution. The causative agents are spirochete bacteria of the Leptospira genus, displaying huge diversity of serovars, the identity of which is critical for effective diagnosis and vaccination purposes. Among many other mammalian species, Leptospira infects cattle, eliciting acute signs in calves, and chronic disease in adult animals often leading to abortions. In South America, and including in Uruguay, beef and dairy export are leading sources of national income. Despite the importance of bovine health, food safety, and bovine-related dissemination of leptospirosis to humans, extremely limited information is available as to the identity of Leptospira species and serovars infecting cattle in Uruguay and the South American subcontinent. Here we report a multicentric 3-year study resulting in the isolation and detailed characterization of 40 strains of Leptospira spp. obtained from infected cattle. Combined serologic and molecular typing identified these isolates as L. interrogans serogroup Pomona serovar Kennewicki (20 strains), L. interrogans serogroup Canicola serovar Canicola (1 strain), L. borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo (10 strains) and L. noguchii (9 strains). The latter showed remarkable phenotypic and genetic variability, belonging to 6 distinct serogroups, including 3 that did not react with a large panel of reference serogrouping antisera. Approximately 20% of cattle sampled in the field were found to be shedding pathogenic Leptospira in their urine, uncovering a threat for public health that is being largely neglected. The two L. interrogans serovars that we isolated from cattle displayed identical genetic signatures to those of human isolates that had previously been obtained from leptospirosis patients. This report of local Leptospira strains shall improve diagnostic tools and the understanding of leptospirosis epidemiology in South America. These strains could also be used as new components within bacterin vaccines to protect against the pathogenic Leptospira strains that are actually circulating, a direct measure to reduce the risk of human leptospirosis.

Canada's beef exports: Border effects and prospects for market access

AbstractThis paper examines the magnitudes of border effects on Canada's beef exports, and assesses the prospects for market access. The empirical analysis relies on a gravity model derived from a supply‐based framework, and implements different econometric methodologies. It covers the conventional measurement of border effects that is determined relative to the intranational trade baseline. Also, it sets alternative baselines to estimate the wedge between the border effects on beef exports of Canada and those of other countries. The estimated parameters are used to carry out different scenarios to examine the tariff‐related and nontariff border effects, and to evaluate the impacts of trade preferences for Canada's bilateral beef exports. The results reveal significant trade impediments facing Canada's bilateral beef exports to many large markets (e.g., EU‐15, Japan, Republic of Korea, China, and Russia), and they often indicate that the effects of tariff reductions become considerably larger when coupled with reductions in nontariff impediments. Also, they underscore the significance of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)’s preferential market access for Canada's beef exports. The export opportunities for the Canadian beef industry that are generated through lower trade barriers would, however, decrease when trade barriers facing other beef‐exporting countries are reduced.

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

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.

Application of the multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach in the identification of Carbon Footprint reduction actions in the Brazilian beef production chain

Abstract Global awareness regarding the effects of Climate Change has led to a more restrictive society and demanding concerned with Greenhouse Gas Emissions associated with consumption. In this context, the livestock sector is seen as a major contributor to various impacts, as it is implemented throughout different climatic zones, with high variations in production and food systems, which, in turn, present direct impacts on productivity and environmental externalities. In this context, the aim of this study was to rank possible improvement actions that allow the reduction of the Carbon Footprint originated from Brazilian beef exports considering multiple criteria, from the identification of the impact profile associated with the final product. Thus, the Carbon Footprint was first estimated considering the production phase, in the Brazilian Central-West, and beef processing and transport until its delivery at three main final export destinations: Rotterdam, Shanghai and St. Petersburg. Subsequently, multicriteria decision-making methods were applied in order to quantify and rank possible improvement actions, with the joint application of the Fuzzy Set Theory and the TOPSIS method. Finally, the criteria are presented in the form of a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) matrix for each evaluated alternative. The animal production stage represented the main impacts of Climate Change on the product system (over 96% for all export destinations) due to the digestive fermentation of the animals, leading to methane emissions. The option to implement improvement actions for the evaluated productive arrangement, the use of protein-energetic supplementation and pasture fertilization-rotation in the animal production phase, alongside the replacement of road transport units by more modern vehicles in the industrial phase, were identified as alternatives that decrease the impact potential and facilitate the animal production phase. In this sense, the results point to possible improvements that, in addition to presenting low restrictions for implementation, can significantly reduce the beef Carbon Footprint. Improving Brazilian efficiency in terms of Carbon Footprint in this production chain can, in addition to provide a strategic differential concerning production and commercialization, contribute to reduce environmental impacts resulting from the sector at a global level. However, it is necessary to search for measures that facilitate the implementation of these actions, mainly at the rural producer level, considering both technical aspects and the qualification, training, consulting and financial aspects, such as credit and subsidies, improving the environmental performance of this arrangement with a view to balancing it with the other dimensions.

Assessing competitive position of Uruguay’s beef sector

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an economic evaluation of Uruguay’s beef industry competitiveness to quantify the effects of public policies (taxes, subsidies, social charges) on the various links constituting the beef export chain and estimate the impact of transfers of resources between the beef industry and other sectors of the economy.Design/methodology/approachThe Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) techniques were employed to quantify the effects of public policies on the competitiveness of Uruguay’s beef industry. A series of PAM coefficients were calculated to assess the competitiveness of the beef export chain in 2010 and 2013 with comparison between the two years to make policy recommendations.FindingsBeef sector returns captured by private agents decreased from 30 percent in 2010 to 10 percent in 2013. Competitiveness of the beef export chain deteriorated between 2010 and 2013 due primarily to higher prices paid for live cattle by the beef slaughtering, manufacturing, and packing sector. Uruguay’s beef industry transfers resources to the larger economy via social security payments and is penalized as a result of high capital costs.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough three different sources of resource transfers were identified, more effort is needed to improve the precision of estimations.Originality/valueThe competitiveness of export chains is critical to the economic and social wellbeing of small-economy countries. They must be efficient producing for the international markets at the time they constitute pillars of the whole economy.

Current situation and future prospects for global beef production: overview of special issue.

The demand for beef as a protein source is increasing worldwide, although in most countries beef accounts for considerably less than half of total meat consumption. Beef also provides a highly desirable eating experience in developed countries and, increasingly, in developing countries. The sustainability of beef production has different meanings in the various geographical and socio-economic regions of the world. Natural resources including land mass and uses, rainfall and access to livestock feed, and the robustness of the economy are major determinants of the perception of beef sustainability. In this overview of the 2016 International Symposium on “Future Beef in Asia” and this subsequent Special Edition of the Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences on “Current Situation and Future Prospects for Global Beef Production”, the contributions have been grouped into the following categories: Countries in Southeast Asia; Europe; and Countries producing highly marbled beef for export and/or domestic consumption. They also include reference to Special Topics including marbled beef production, and use of “omics” technologies to enhance beef quality assurance. Among these broad categories, notable differences exist across countries in the production and marketing of beef. These reflect differences in factors including natural resource availability and climate, population size, traditional culture and degree of economic development including industrial and technological developments. We trust that the International Symposium and this Special Edition on Current Situation and Future Prospects for Global Beef Production, the contents of which that are briefly summarized in this paper, will serve as a valuable resource for the livestock industries, researchers and students with an interest in enhancing the prospects for sustainable, efficient beef production that satisfies the growing size and complexity of consumer demands and markets for beef.