Socio-economic investigation of beef cattle breeding enterprises in Kirşehir province

As part of the evaluation of beef cattle activities in Kırşehir province, a survey was conducted among 87 producers involved in beef cattle production in general. After the survey was completed, the information obtained was separated by farm size groups and cross-tabulated. In this way, the socio-economic structures of the cattle farms operating in Kırşehir province and the basic dynamics in the production process were revealed. The study analysed the demographic characteristics of producers, farm structures, production techniques, economic sustainability, marketing problems and public support approaches. According to the research results, 63.22% of participants are between 41 and 60 years old, 59.77% have completed secondary school. 66.67% of the households have 4-6 people and 49.43% stated that their monthly income is between 500,000 and 1,500,000 TL. 91.95% of producers have no non-agricultural income and 98.85% have not received any training in livestock farming. Stable fattening is favoured by 98.85%, 78.16% of producers buy their animals from the market and 93.10% of producers sell them in slaughterhouses. 98.85% of producers feed their animals for 5-7 months, 50.57% of initial fattening weights are between 151-250 kg, and 71.26% of final fattening weights are between 401-500 kg. 89.65% of producers use 6-10kg of roughage per day and 59.77% use 5-6kg of factory feed. Although the use of additives is 100 %, the proportion of those who do not analyse feed is 85.06 %. The energy and protein balance is taken into account by 51.72 % when compiling the ration. The proportion of farms that do not employ a vet is 90.80 % and the proportion of farms that vaccinate is 98.85 %. The proportion of farms that do not produce silage is 63.22 %, and the proportion of those that find the interest rates on loans high is 87.36 %. 75.86% of producers use well water for water supply and 48.19% favour hybrid breeds when it comes to the producer's animal species. 97.70 % of producers have problems with marketing, 49.08 % consider prices to be insufficient and 81.61 % do not consider animal husbandry to be profitable. Although 100 of producers make use of state support, 94.25 % consider this to be insufficient. The proportion of employees is 63.22% and the proportion of those who do not keep accounts is 67.82%. As a result, producers are faced with numerous economic and structural problems and there is a considerable need for improvements in the livestock sector.