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Beef

Overview

Georgia-raised cattle descend from stock in Europe, Africa and South America. Breeds including Angus, Charolais and Simmental are the cornerstone of the multimillion-dollar Georgia beef industry.

Economic Impact of Beef in Georgia

Georgia cattlemen own approximately 1.3 million head of cattle. 2008 cash receipts totaled more than $291 million, making cattle the state's sixth largest commodity.

Because cattle are raised in all 159 counties of Georgia, the beef industry has a large impact on the state's economy (estimated at more than $2 billion). In Georgia there are almost 18,000 producers of beef cattle.

Selling Cattle

Cattle are usually sold through county or area livestock markets. Each animal is typically sold individually on a per-pound basis. Most yearlings are shipped to the Midwest, where they are raised to finish weights.

A 1,000-pound market steer yields approximately 425 pounds of beef. Of the carcass, 99 percent is either used as meat or recovered as byproducts, both edible and inedible. Byproducts are used to make a wide variety of goods including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and clothing.

Georgia Cattlemen's Association

With more than 6,000 members, the Georgia Cattlemen's Association, based in Macon, is the largest single-commodity producer group in Georgia and the sixth-largest state cattlemen's organization in the United States. The average Georgia Cattlemen's Association member owns 123 head of cattle and owns or leases an average of 447 acres of land.

Publications

Commercial and Professional Publications

To see other publications, go to the CAES Publications site or the FACS Publications listing.

News

For the latest news about Extension, visit Georgia FACES. News you can use about Georgia family, agricultural, consumer and enviromental sciences.

Websites

UGA-affiliated sites

  • Impact Statements: Beef
    Descriptions of Extension efforts to improve knowledge and practices related to beef.
  • Southeast Cattle Advisor
    Disseminates science-based marketing and production risk management information to Southeastern cattle producers, county agents, allied industry members, livestock market managers, ag lenders, veterinarians and consultants.
  • UGA Beef Programs
    Features information about the Georgia Beef Challenge, Georgia Bull Test Programs, and the Georgia HERD Programs.
  • UGA Beef Team
    Provides instructional, research and extension programming in the areas of food animal production, equine/companion animal management, and animal and medicinal biotechnology that addresses critical issues, such as cost of production, profitability, human and animal health, environmental stewardship, bioethics, and animal well-being.

External sites

  • Beef.org
    Provides results of current beef and cattle research, as well as food safety information and links to other key industry websites. Produced by National Cattlemen's Beef Association for consumers, the industry, media professionals, and cattle producers.
  • Georgia Beef
    Home page of Georgia's Beef Industry featuring links to The Georgia Beef Board, Georgia Cattlemen's Association, Georgia Cattlewomen's Association, and Georgia Junior Cattlemen's Association.
  • USDA Livestock & Grain Market News Portal
    Feeder and replacement auction reports for the state of Georgia.

Training

Cooperative Extension offers training within local communities on a wide array of topics. To see if there are training events in your area, please visit our calendar.

  • Southeast Georgia Beef Cattle Short Course
    Offers producers in the Southeastern region of the state an opportunity to interact with university specialists and industry professionals about issues facing the beef industry.