THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTION IN

Kie-Jun Na Livestock Experiment Station Rural Development Administration Republic of Korea

ABSTRACT

The Korean national economy has grown very rapidly since 1970. The consumption of livestock products such as meat, milk and eggs in 1992 was two to four times greater than in 1970. Most Korean are Korean Native Cattle, the Hanwoo. Most farms raise very small numbers, and meat productivity is quite low compared with that of foreign beef breeds. The facilities, and roughage production for raising Korean native cattle are not highly developed. Therefore, the production costs of Korean beef enterprises are higher than in more advanced countries. Important aims in Korean beef production are to increase productivity, improve beef quality, and reduce production costs through the development and extension of improved technol- ogy, better feed management and facilities, improved marketing systems, and greater utilization of livestock manure.

INTRODUCTION Until the mid 1970s, Korea was completely self-sufficient in beef. However, as a result of The Korean economy has grown very fast increased beef consumption in 1983, 49.4 thousand since 1970, which has brought about a change in the mt of beef were imported from foreign countries. In Korean life-style. Since 1970, consumption of live- 1984, beef prices and beef consumption fell sharply stock products such as meat has increased by 4.6 and so the importation of beef decreased, but the times, and of eggs by 2.3 times. The per capita level of self-self-sufficiency in beef still declined consumption of rice in 1992 was 17% lower than in from 100% in 1975 to 44% in 1992 (Table 3). Beef 1970 (Table 1). consumption per capita was 2.0 kg in 1975, com- Most Korean beef cattle are the traditional pared to 5.2 kg in 1992, and was about 20-24% of brown Korean Native Cattle, the Hanwoo. In 1975, total meat consumption. the number of cattle raised was 1.56 million head, but The total number of cattle slaughtered in- this fell in 1985. In 1993, Korean farmers raised 2.26 creased from 0.53 million head in 1980 to 1 million million head of Korean native cattle. head in 1987 (Table 4). Thereafter, the number of The number of farms on which these cattle slaughtered cattle fell sharply. Today, it is fairly were raised fell from 1.27 million in 1975 to 0.57 stable at 0.54 million head. In 1987, 75% to 80% of million in 1993 (Table 2). The average number of the slaughtered beef cattle were Korean native cattle, Korean cattle per household increased from 1.2 head and 16-17% Holstein Friesians, but from 1990- in 1975 to 3.9 in 1993. The number of farms which 1992, only 56-64% were Korean native cattle while raised more than 3-9 head per household also in- Holsteins had increased to 34-42%. creased, from 2% in 1975 to 43% in 1993.

Keywords: beef cattle, carcass quality, Charolais, daily weight gain, Korean native cattle, progeny testing

1 Table 1. Trend of livestock products consumed per capita in Korea

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Korea (1992).

Table 2. No. of Korean native cattle raised, and herd size

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Korea 1975-93 ( ): Korean native cow

Table 3. Production and consumption of beef in Korea

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Korea 1975-93

2 Table 4. No. of head slaughtered and body weight of Korean native cattle

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery 1992

Table 5. Changes in body weight of Korean native cattle with age

Source: Reports on the trends in Korea native cattle improvement (National Livestock Cooperative Federation), 1974- 1992

Table 6. Growth performance of selected bulls (1975­1990)

Source: Alpine Experiment Station 3 Table 7. Daily milk yield of cows per lactation

Source: Annual Research Report of Alpine Experiment Station, 1985

BEEF PRODUCTION IN KOREA About 89.5% of Korean native cattle are artificially inseminated with semen of selected bulls (Table 8). Historical Background The Korean Animal Improvement Associa- tion was established in 1969, mainly for registration, Korean native cattle originated from and by 1992 nearly 380,000 Korean cattle had been crossbreds of Bos indicus and Bos primigenius. registered (Table 9). They migrated to the Korean peninsular through the Since Korean cattle have been raised for northern part of China and Manchuria in about 2000 centuries as a working animal, their growth perfor- BC. Traditionally, Koreans raised these cattle only mance is inferior compared to other breeds. From for draft purposes. Korean native cattle are rela- 1909 to 1919 they were crossed with Simmental. tively small compared to foreign beef breeds, weigh- The body weight of crossbreeds at 18 months was ing 23-25 kg at birth. The bodyweight of bulls fed 257 kg, 22% more than that of Korean cattle (Table under farm conditions in 1992 was 178.9 kg at 6 10). From 1955 to 1965, Korean cattle were crossed months and 477.1 kg at 18 months (Table 5). Fe- with beef breeds such as Angus, Hereford, and males were 144.2 kg at 6 months and 308.7 kg at 18 Brown Swiss to improve the body weight. From months. Bulls selected according to performance 1971 to 1975, crosses of Korean cattle and Angus or tests weigh 10% more than the average population Charolais were crossed with Holstein, which re- (Table 6). sulted in an improvement of both body weight and The average milk yield of the cows was 680 dressing percentage. (Table 11). kg per lactation. This is quite low compared with Since 1978, Korean cattle have been foreign beef breeds, and is not even enough to suckle crossed with Charolais bulls to make a new the calves (Table 7). composite breed which is 5/8 Charolais and 3/8 Korean cattle. The breeding system and CURRENT TRENDS IN BEEF PRODUCTION the consequent improvement of the breeds are shown in Table 12 and Table 13. Breeding System for Korean Native Cattle Feeding and Management of Korean Native Cattle The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) controls the breeding system for Growing period improving the productivity of Korean native cattle. Since the early 1960s, there has been a program for As described above, since the milk produc- improvement through purebreeding and crossbreed- tion of Korean cattle is very low, sucking calves are ing. In the purebreeding system, superior bulls are usually fed a supplement (called a calf starter) con- selected by means of performance tests, and the taining 15.7% of digestible crude protein (DCP) and semen from them is given to farmers. Performance 76.6% of total digestible nutrients (TDN), to pro- tests are carried out in national and provincial breed- mote development of the rumen and better growth. ing centers (Fig. 1). The proven sires are selected Calves given a calf starter and hay during their 90 from among the young bulls through progeny tests days sucking period were 19% heavier than calves based on the meat productivity and quality (Fig. 2). given only hay during the same period. 4 Fig. 1. System of performance tests for candidate bulls

Fig. 2. System of progeny tests for proven sires KNC: Korea native cattle 5 Table 8. Rate of breeding by artificial insemination

Source: Ministry of Forestry and Fisheries 1992

Table 9. No. of registered Korean native cattle

Source: Korean Animal Improvement Association 1992

Table 10. Growth performance of crossbred bulls under a conventional feeding system

Table 11. Growth performance of crossbred bulls during the growing­fattening period

Source: Livestock Experiment Station 1974-83 6 Table 12. System for crossbreds

Table 13. Body weight of Charolais crossbreeds raised on farm

Source: Livestock Experiment Station 1993

Fattening period KNC was about 550 kg. Rice straw is a common crop residue, and The nutritional level of Korean cattle during is often fed to Korean native cattle as roughage, but the growing-fattening period is very important, not it is low in nutrients. Treating it with NH3 improves only for growth but also for reproduction. During the quality of the straw, and has a marked effect on this period, the cattle are fed only roughage, hay, cattle weight gain during the fattening period (Table grass and silage until they are 18 months old, and 16). then fed concentrates for 5.5 months. However, in The pattern of beef consumption in Korea order to market the animals at a heavier weight and is changing, from an emphasis on beef quantity to an earlier age, weaned calves are usually fed one on beef quality. Beef quality needs to be concentrates containing 12% of DCP and 71% TDN evaluated according to the carcass grade. Korea has for four months after weaning. For the next 11 now developed a beef grading system and has been months, young cattle are fed concentrates containing using it in large cities since 1992. There are three 7.4% DCP and 63.9% TDN. When this feeding grades, based on the level of marbling, the color of system is used, animals are ready for market sooner, the meat and fat, tenderness, and maturity. Results and their ADG and feed efficiency is improved of experiments on extending the fattening period (Table 14). showed that the carcass grade improves with an During the fattening period, as the body increase in the fattening period (Table 17). Steers weight increases, the feed intake and nutrient also produce better quality beef (Table 18). requirements, including CP and TDN, increase while A restricted feeding regime for steers the ADG decreases (Table 15). Experimental improved the feed/gain ratio and produced better results showed that the optimal marketing weight of quality beef than feeding them ad libitum (Table 19). 7 FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR BEEF PRODUCTION new technology for improving beef productivity and quality, and reducing the production costs, when Improved Productivity and Reduced production is on such a small scale. The government Production Costs projects that the number of Korean cattle raised will increase from 2,019,000 head in 1992 to 2,537,000 Most farmers raise very small numbers of head in 2001, but the average number of Korean Korean cattle. The average number of cattle per cattle per household is estimated to increase from 3.5 household is only 4.0, while 78% of beef cattle farms head to 12.6 head and large-scale farms will also raise only five head. It is very difficult to introduce increase from 4,000 to 20,000. At the same time, the

Table 14. Comparison of feed efficiency of two methods of fattening bulls

Source: Livestock Experiment Station 1974

Table 15. Feed efficiency of Korea bulls during the growing­fattening period

Source: Livestock Experiment Station 1985 8 number of farms raising Korean cattle is expected to management, for example by raising the optimal fall from 585,000 to around 200,000. number of animals, improving reproductive efficiency, The productivity of Korean cattle will be and using better facilities and machinery. Korean improved using new techniques such as multiple farms are very weak with regard to roughage ovulation and embryo transfer, and selection will be production, and raise their beef cattle mainly on based on more scientific procedures. concentrates. This makes beef production costly, Management Techniques and in any case, too much grain and other concentrates are not suited to beef cattle physiology. It is very important to reduce the production Older farmers do not usually want to adopt cost of Korean beef production by improved new techniques to improve cattle production. The

Table 16. Effect of rice straw treated with NH3 on Korean cattle when fed during the fattening period

Source: Livestock Experiment Station, 1984

Table 17. Changes in carcass quality according to body weight of slaughtered cattle

Source: Livestock Experiment Station 1992 9 Table 18. Comparison of carcass quality of bulls and steers

Source: Livestock Experiment Station 1992

Table 19. Carcass quality of cattle fed ad libitum compared to those with restricted feed intake

Source: Livestock Experiment Station, 1992

10 Korean government plans to establish groups of REFERENCES young farmers who want to carry out beef production in rural areas. Marketing will also have to be Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Statistics. improved. The livestock marketing system is not 1970-1992. Ministry of Agriculture, For- well developed, and the government has so far failed estry and Fishery. to control the price, demand, and supply of livestock Annual Research Report. 1960-1992. Live- products. stock Experiment Station, Korea Annual Research Report. 1980-1992. Alpine Conserving the Environment by Better Experiment Station, Korea. Utilization of Livestock Manure Annual Report. 1992. Korean Animal Im- provement Association. Korea. Livestock manure pollutes the environment. Guideline for Korean Livestock Development It is necessary to establish facilities to compost the Projects. 1993. Ministry of Agriculture, manure, to stabilize it and make it pleasant to handle. Forestry and Fishery, Korea. It can then be used as a soil amendment and nutrient Short and Long-Term Research Plan. 1993. source for crops. Livestock Experiment Station, Korea. Trends in Korean Native Cattle Improvement. Some Successful Beef Enterprises 1992. National Livestock Cooperative Federation, Korea. Some Korean farmers have organized them- selves to produce high quality beef, using techniques developed by research institutes. By forming groups to buy feedstuffs and other inputs they reduce pro- duction costs, because they can purchase them at a lower price. In some places, they have opened their own shops to sell the beef they produce, thus reducing marketing margins, and getting more control over prices. They obtain higher profits than farmers who follow the conventional practice of selling live beef cattle to merchants who send them to the slaughter- house. Some farmers sell their beef direct to large supermarkets.

DISCUSSION

Dr. Wang pointed out that if a farmer has only a small herd of cattle, it is difficult for him to improve his stock. He asked Dr. Na if there were any plans to set up a breeding farm to produce Korean native cattle and extend animals to farmers. Dr. Na replied that there are already 200 special farming areas in Korea which keep Korean native cattle for breeding purposes, and function in much the same way as a breeding farm (Note: A farming area is made up of a number of neighbouring farms, sharing the same speciality.) There are also 200 special farms for breeding Korean native cattle, each with a herd of around 400 head.

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