ABSTRACT
Given a topic as broad as indicated by the title above, it seems logical to attempt a working definition of bioeconomic simulation as a starting point. Bioeconomic simulation is, to the authors, a mathematical description of an agricultural production system. The model derived is likely to be an empirical paradigm rather than be strictly obtained from a theoretical basis. The rationale behind such a choice is that the bioeconomic model is to be used as a management decision making tool rather than as a research model. As a result, there is generally greater concern for the quality of outputs than for the quality of the theory by which those outputs are calculated. Such concern for accuracy is necessary if the model is to be of any practical use to the beef producer, but the failure to appropriately apply theory often renders these models inadequate when dealing with production systems which differ greatly in climate, animal breed or body type, feedstuffs, and marketing situations.
