Feed Use and Feed Conversion Ratios for Livestock in the Member Countries of the European Community

摘要

Existence of a common policy on agriculture and a common external tariff suggests a much greater degree of homogeneity in feed use and conversion ratios among member EC countries than is the case. No systematic analysis of livestock production and feeding has been undertaken at the community level. The available national data on feed use vary considerably in quality and detail of their presentation. Information on feed conversion ratios is also quite variable, both between countries and types of livestock. As far as future feed use is concerned, the cyclical nature of hog and poultry markets, in which the system of common support prices plays relatively little direct part, will continue to affect year-to-year demand for compound feeds. Since the prices of milk and beef are subject to direct market support, long run supply of these products and consequently feed demand will be influenced to a much greater extent by decisions taken by the Community's Council of Agricultural Ministers. Absolute improvements in feed conversion ratios for intensively reared stock are, baring an unforeseen technical or genetic breakthrough, unlikely to equal those achieved over the past decade.