2002, Volume 10, Paper 2

ISSN: 1883-5675

The US Cattle Cycle and its Influence on the Australian Beef Industry

Garry Griffith – NSW Agriculture Beef Industry Centre, Armidale, Beef Quality CRC &University of New England.
Andrew Alford – University of New England & Beef Quality CRC

Abstract

Although there is some disagreement about the fine detail (see for example the report on Outlook 2002 in The Land, 7 March 2002, p.12), the signposts for the Australian beef industry appear to be pointing mainly in the “positive” direction in the short term. How long will this situation last and what can cattle producers, feedlot operators and meat processors do to protect themselves against the inevitable turnaround towards the “negative” direction? In this paper, one of the critical factors influencing the longer-term future of the beef market, the United States (US) cattle cycle, is described and its impacts on Australia are evaluated.

Download full document here