3.3. Cattle production
In the October 2009 interviews, 90% and 97% of best-bet households, respectively, believed the cattle growth rate and condition of their cattle had improved in response to the improved feed and cattle management practices. Some 60% of households attributed sale price gains at least in part to improved animal condition and quality. However there was considerable uncertainty about the impact of cattle improvement strategies on price due to the confounding influence of general increases in market demand and prices since the commencement of the study. Similarly, average farm cattle holdings and sales have not changed significantly since the study commenced, attributed primarily to cattle holdings typically fluctuating substantially for a range of reasons often unconnected with forage supply, cattle condition or price. It is not unusual for all or most of a household’s cattle to be sold in order to generate cash for a one-off significant expense (e.g. wedding, house construction) and it may take many years to rebuild stock numbers back to previous levels. Nevertheless there are case-specific examples of where these indices have increased significantly.