ABSTRACT
The Central government has taken a major interest in the development of the cattle and beef industry. This chapter reports the 'Straw for Beef' program, health and inspection regulations, and service areas such as breeding, veterinary care and extension, all demonstrate the indirect influence of the Central government on regional distribution and are reported in this chapter. It describes the various ways that local governments have exerted their influence. Similarly, because manure is rarely transported across regions, it needs to be produced on-farm to be fully utilized. As with Straw for Beef program, Central government has sought a wide dispersion of these breed stations, and all of the major cattle and beef producing provinces have at least one approved breed station. For historical and institutional reasons, Simmental, Limousin and Charolais cattle are emphasised in the national breeding program. The structure and characteristics of the Chinese cattle and beef industry suggest that industry development ideally should be differentiated across local regions.
