Benchmarking beef production systems across the world for improved production and resource use efficiency

The projected increase in global demand for animal-source food raises the question to what extent livestock production can be increased from the current levels. The aim of this research is to benchmark actual beef production against potential (i.e. the theoretical maximum) and feed-limited beef production. Potential beef production is defined by cattle breed and climate. Feed-limited production is affected, in addition, by feed quality and quantity. Differences between actual and potential or feed-limited production are named yield gaps, indicating the scope to increase production. Potential and feed-limited production were simulated with the model LiGAPS-Beef (Livestock simulator for Generic Analysis of Agricultural Production Systems) for different systems across the world. Assessing land use for feed production enabled to quantify production at crop-livestock systems level. Predictions by LiGAPS for average daily gains of cattle were in reasonable agreement with measured ones (R2-adj. = 0.47; root mean square error = 150 g day-1, 18.2% of mean measured values), and large deviations were explained by health issues not simulated. Potential and feed quality limited production for Charolais cattle in France was 72 and 46 g beef kg-1 DM feed, for Hereford cattle in Uruguay 64 and 40 g beef kg-1 DM feed, for Brahman × Shorthorn cattle in Australia 66 and 43 g beef kg-1 DM feed. Yield gaps in an extensive and intensive system with Charolais cattle in France were 79% and 72% at crop-livestock systems level. Beef and human digestible protein production per hectare were calculated for various crop-livestock systems. The benchmarking method applied is effective to assess the scope for increasing beef production and feed conversion efficiency, and for decreasing land use for feed crops. Yield gap analysis enables to identify constraining bio-physical factors for beef production and provides options to improve farm management.