INTRODUCTION
The Beef Cattle Industry is worth 3.576 billion dollars to Australia's economy.

HISTORY
Cattle were first brought to Australia in the First Fleet in 1788. Five cows and two bulls of the Indian Zebu were purchased at Cape Town. These cattle were not to be eaten but to be used for transporting goods and breeding. The cattle soon strayed and were found about seven years later in a herd of about sixty. By 1820, there were about 54 000 cattle in Australia, the largest herds owned by John Macarthur and Reverend Samuel Marsden. By 1840 there were 371 699 cattle.
The gold rushes in the 1850's created a strong demand for meat with all the new miners. Because of the demand for beef, drovers moved their cattle from Sydney to as far as the Kimberleys in Western Australia. When droving, the cattle sometimes had to swim as far as 80 metres in fast flowing water. Nowadays, the cattle are transported by semi-trailers.
GROWING
When the cattle are in their prime, they are taken to abattoirs where they are slaughtered. The hides are removed and tanned into leather (a by-product). The carcasses are taken to butchers, sliced into different cuts and sold to the consumer.
Modern equipment such as motor bikes and helicopters are used as well as horses to move then cattle from paddock to paddock and while droving. These pictures also show the very different conditions beef cattle can be raised in.

EXPORT
Australia produces 1.7 million tonnes of beef each year of which about 62% is exported. U.S.A, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are the major markets. In 1996, 723 000 head of live cattle were exported. Indonesia and the Philippines were the two largest markets. Beef is exported in these boxes.

BY-PRODUCTS
Waste from the Beef and Cattle Industries are used in manufacturing of medicine, soap and glue as well as leather products from the hides.

CONCLUSION
Without Australia's Beef Industry, Australia would not be such a lucky country. As long as there are meat eaters, the Beef Industry will carry on.

    Types of Beef Cattle-
    (A) Hereford
    (B) Shorthorn
    (C) Bradford Bull
    (D) Brahman
    (E) Murray Grey Bull


Map Courtesy Department Primary Industries

Click below to go to the next Project.

Wheat by Caitlin

Cotton by Sarah J.

Beef Cattle by Nash

Wool by Alyce

Sugar Cane by Dean

Dairy Cattle by Daniel T.

Timber by Daniel N.

Poultry by Katherine

Pigs by Daniel C.

Peanuts by Geoffrey

Angora Goats by Prue

 Main Page


Created by Glenda Crew