STUDIES ON BEEF CATTLE FOR PROCESSING IN ROMANIA.

In our country in recent years we can see a decrease in cattle from 2330 thousand heads in 2018, to 1914 thousand heads in 2020, a decrease due to, among others, the faulty organization of breeders in order to capitalize on the production obtained and a structure low size of cattle farms. In 2020, the number of cattle slaughtered in industrial units (slaughterhouses) decreased compared to the previous year by 15.6%, beef production decreased from 196,000 tons in 2018 to 170,000 tons in 2020, even if the yield at slaughter has increased. Thus, there is an increase in the average body weight of cattle from 433 kg/head to 450 kg/head, this is due to advanced, cost-effective breeding technologies and optimal animal nutrition. All this influences, of course, the quality of the meat, which will be superior and will have a high yield for processing. Meat consumption in Romania is 7 kg per capita per year, the demand for beef increases significantly in Romania, being a large deficit of high quality animal protein, the Romanian unfortunately preferring pork and chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]