Anyone who works in the beef industry should always be looking towards the future, and while the industry continues to remain strong, there are certainly steps that could be taken to make it even more successful in the future. Recently, winners of the Farmers Weekly’ Beef Farmer of the Year Award outlined some key improvements that could be made to the industry as whole in order to futureproof it.
One of the most important issues these finalists addressed was integration. Several experts on the industry have echoed the sentiment that so many facets of the industry itself are disconnected from each other. By better integrating each step of along the way from the cow to the table, analysts and experts believe that the entire industry will be more successful. Their main concern is that the beef farmers are producing is a very different than the end market, so farmers need to be more concerned about market specifications while raising cattle.
Another key way to make the industry stronger according to these experts is by benchmarking performance. Many farmers today do not take the time to record and keep track of performance indicators, which prevent them from improving the product in the future. Without keeping track of performance, there is no way to tell if there is an increase or decrease in quality.
Finally, experts agree that one of the main ways the industry can advance is by getting rid of bovine viral diarrhea, otherwise known as BVD. While it may be easier said than done, most people don’t believe it’s impossible. The eradication of this virus would improve heard health, and eventually lead to increased profits.
These are just a few of the many things the beef industry can focus on in order to improve and advance into the future, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated with more news and updates.
