Meeting Climate Change Targets – necessary adjustments and challenges for Brazilian beef industry
2017
dos Santos, M. C. | Aguiar, L. K. | Bansback, R. J. | Revell, B. J. | de Zen, S.
Brazil is an important player in the global beef market exporting throughout the world. The Brazilian livestock sector contributes to about 3% of the national GDP, and it has the potential for further increasing its beef exports; only about 1/5 of its beef production currently goes for export – at the same time domestic beef consumption has been rising. It has various competitive advantages compared to other major exporters but it has faced questions in recent years on the adverse impact of the beef industry has on the environment – particularly in relation to GHG emissions. Historically, the main challenge has come from criticism that the increased land needed for higher beef production levels has caused greater deforestation. However, this is no longer the case as Brazil is increasing its production by improvements in productivity rather than devoting more land to cattle farming. This paper shows the contribution that improvements in stocking rates, calving intervals and increasing of the age of slaughter are making to improvements in the productivity of beef production without causing such damaging GHG emission impacts.
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