Ruminant productivity varies considerably within each
system, but in grazing and mixed systems overall
productivity is lower in developing countries than in
developed ones: in grazing systems, for example,
worldwide beef production per head averages
36 kg/head/year, but the average for developing countries
is only 29 kg/head/year. In the mixed rainfed system, the
difference between developed and developing regions is
even more marked. By far the largest variation in intensity
of production is found within this system, which is the
largest producer of ruminant products. Even though the
developing regions host the vast majority of the mixed
rainfed ruminant population, they account for less than
half of the system’s production worldwide. In fact beef
productivity in these regions averages 26 kg/head, as
opposed to 46 kg/head at world level, and their milk
production represents only 22% of the world total. Across
all systems, developing regions account for half of the
world’s beef production, some 70% of mutton production
and about 40% of milk production.