Seasonal Demand for Beef, Pork, and Broilers

Changes in the nature of the demand for meat in the postwar years, as contrasted with prewar, is of particular interest and concern to the livestock industry. Most statistical studies of demand that have been made used annual time series data. However, differences in demand within the span of a year also appear to exist. In the study reported in this paper, quarterly data for beef, pork, and broilers were examined. An important difference in the nature of demand for pork between summer and winter was identified. While demand in winter approximates unit elasticity, that in summer is rruuch, more inelastic. In contrast, demand for broilers is stronger in summer than in winter. No significant difference in seasonal demand for beef was located. The author acknowledges with appreciation the many suggestions and help given him by Anthony S. Rojko, Arthur A. Harlow, and Hyman Weingarten, of AMS, in carrying out this analysis and in preparing the manuscript.