Changes in Hanwoo breeding structure

Abstract

This paper investigated the changes in Hanwoo breeding farms and herds according to their farm size and farm types based on traceability data in the Hanwoo industry. The major results are summarized as follows. First, the notion that small sized farms are breeding farms and middle or large sized farms are fattening farms is wrong. The results show that middle or large farms are not only fattening cattle but also breeding female cattle. Based on cattle data for over 6 months and under the criteria of a female cow ratio of 10 and 90% using the 2/4 quarter of 2018, the results show that the ratio of fattening only farms is 5.7%, that of breeding only farms is 59.0%, and that of fattening and breeding farms is 36.1%. The ratios of fattening, breeding, and both are 13.3, 13.5, and 73.2%, respectively, for a farm size with over 100 cattle. Second, this study found that the ratio of breeding farms over total farms has been increasing continuously over the last 5 years. This trend is apparent in the middle or large sized farms. However, the birth rate of cows is relatively lower in the middle and large sized farms than in the small sized farms. Hence, we can infer that the demand for a detection system for standing estrus in female cattle will increase. Additionally, the government should prepare relevant policies to stabilize the managerial conditions of middle or large sized farms.