dcllarb have be~;r ;;J:crt cr research a r.<.1 develcpnu::·r-.t durir.q the past t\iC; dE:.>cades, tl:e prc~uctivity :: nl'exes -tlle curcass \!eiqht and <.iu:::ssir:::; rat,~s -_ell ·.:ell L<..:lcv expectutic.r.s. Il; lS'fJl, tile aver<H::t.. carcass \leiqh;_ cf cattl~.;; ir. ld::cicc. v:as less tl1c1 L 47, 55 and 6:. per cer.'.::. cf ·.:.1:csE.· cf Ncrth l'J:1cri~..:a, ··iesterr Europe ard L;,tin Ameri:::a resFec:.ivcly. Ir· tln:.- s<.~rr.e year, it js estir:;att;;•l: that tne a·v'eracc c&rcass ci a:..c,ut G8 pt:r cer.t c:i tb:.! cdttle \Jeiqhec les: thar, !Sf' J~ilcc;ran;.s, tli<d cf 2f~ per cent Let'v;eeL lE·O and 200 kii oa:::-ans ;, !;(~ tl.<.::t cf crly 4 per cert mere tl1aL 200 kilcqrams. It shcuJ:.:. i.e rctE:d tlut aLu.:t G per cer:t cf-tiu.:,) animals slau~htered durir.q lSGl \:ere ir-.rcrte,:. 60. The tiressir.c; rat~::s are belc\' tLe \ crld <~veraqe, ar<~ it takes about. eic:ht years tc. i:att.er: c<..tUe fer the slauC'l:ter-hcu~e. Studies in i·.frica ha\·.~ sl1c.:r. that tl:vse var.LaL•les a.ce capalJlc cf siqnificar,t improvemcrt., <.r_c st.rc:tJficatic.n cf li\'estccl\. ac­ tivities is l•elievec tc l·e ar:.crc; t.J1e sclt.:ticu;. f!c\.ever, the strat.ificaticn pc.licy has ret. bee~ successft.:lly i~pleu~r~e~. 61. The ar.ir;.al prcteir, irt<.i>e c[ Africars is ar;,ci:Q th...: lc\lest. ir: the wc..rla, <.J.Ui yet. a:::.out ]:~, lf. ar.u 33 per cerct cf vc.1lu cattle, s·neejJ ar.c. qc.::tts respective!::,• are tc.• l1''-" fcui<i in Africa. Over ti:e J.>ericcl 1977-1'.:b0, t1:e ye;..rly uver<"ae Cfrsmrnticl' c£ r::eat ir. Africa 'w·:as 5,017,0(•(• tcr.r:es. '.i.'he ave;:-aq<:: c;rn¥tb r<~te ir· ccrcsux::p­ tior: was about 4.8 per ccrt, cuq;;:,n,~u •dtl1 pcpulaticr. crc\;t.h. of 3 per ceLt a yeur. ''i'J·1e sb<:,re c:. ir:" c.rte(j r.:eat aver<H.;ec... S.5 per cent, ar.<.l the: pe:r CCIJ·it.a ccr•sur~ptic:. of lE~ss t11a1J 13 kiloqr<:~F.s '.Ia s ia r be 1 C\1 the \'.'C.·r 1 ,; a v·e ra qe. Cattle Sheep Gc.a t& Asses liorsel:;; l:a.rr.e l s Piqs Chicr.t:: r:s T<1ble IV .h.l? 