Within the next ten years the prominence of hormone growth promotant use in cattle is set to decline.
The lot feeding sector and northern cattle markets rely heavily on HGP’s to improve the return they require from each animal to remain sustainable.
However, in an increasingly organic focused market, even the producers within these market sectors believe the use of HGP’s will in time be phased out completely.
Due to my background in lotfeeding, I advocate heavily for the continued use of growth promotants.
The primary focus of the Australian beef market is to produce vast quantities of beef at a consistent quality.
This is indicative of the ongoing significance of HGP’s as a tool in feeding cattle.
This is a consumer world however, and with the flavour of the month being HGP free, I believe the benefits of HGP’s will no longer outweigh the demand for untreated beef.
Soon I believe the higher prices offered for HGP free cattle will surpass the added dollars producers receive from those extra kilos gained from the treatments.
The primary focus of the Australian beef market is to produce vast quantities of beef at a consistent quality.
Consumers are far more willing to pay higher prices for meat which has organic certification or in the American market, is GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) approved, an American animal welfare standard.
These premiums can increase margins to upwards of a dollar.
Nevertheless, in terms of feeding the growing world population, hormonal growth promotants remain a highly important part of producing sufficient meat to meet the increasing global need.
As the population rises I believe beef producers will be faced with the decision of increasing production levels to meet demand or going HGP free to chase premiums.