SIMULATED IMPACT OF A REGIONAL SHIFT IN FED CATTLE PRODUCTION ON THE LOCATION OF FED CATTLE SLAUGHTER

During the past decade fed cattle slaughter has relocated to states situated in the southwest plains. Concern has developed that the economic depletion of groundwater used for irrigating feeding activity could result in reduced levels of cattle feeding in that region. A reduction in cattle feeding activity could result in slaughtering plant closures and a relocation in slaughter activity to other regions. A mixed integer programming model was developed to simulate the possible effect of a declining cattle feeding industry in the southwest plains on the location of the fed cattle slaughtering and processing industry. Solution of the model indicated that the primary readjustment to lower levels of cattle feeding in the southwest plains would be in terms of plant and aggregate area volume, not plant location readjustment