LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION BOOK

Livestock Products

 Foods

The main products of livestock are meat, milk and eggs including their derivatives. The use of national prices is only one method of valuing them and of making them comparable to other foods and products. Table 3.2 shows a selection of different value addition approaches. For comparison the resulting value ratio of livestock product to grain is shown for each approach.

Each valuation method has its particular use and its particular constraints. Domestic prices are an expression of a country's aggregate demand and supply situation; given the market imperfections and the importance of subsistence production they often re­flect a statistician’s hunch more than objective data. The application of a world market price is useful for the valuation of export production and import substitution. The method is used by FAO in

Its study 'Agriculture: Toward 2000' (AT 2000 1979) as a consistent price basis for long-term projections of self-sufficiency ratios; price differences between countries resulting from their

Internal supply and demand structure are neglected. The calorific value of livestock foods is important where they are the main

Subsistence basis; this often implies a luxury consumption of

3.2.2 Manure

The value of livestock droppings for soil fertility is recognized by

Most tropical farmers and livestock holders. In addition manure is

Used for fuel and as a building material. Valuation will here concentrate on the yield-increasing effect as a proxy for the value in

all uses although it is realized that manure plays a crucial role as

fuel in many areas. If the alternative of manure application to

fields exists it must be concluded that the farmers rate the fuel

value of dung ever higher than its fertilizer value.

The agronomic value of manure lies in its contents of organic

matter and of nutrients.