摘要：The level of aggregation of reported data has limited the proper accounting of liveanimals in most, if not all, livestock models, making the consistency of their underlyingbiologics suspect. We develop an econometric methodology to decompose a wide rangeof aggregate data. This method is applied to estimate a disaggregated average cattleslaughter weight for calves, cows, and other cattle from total beef production data in theEuropean Union. The estimated model gave acceptable statistical properties andestimated slaughter weights that closely correspond to reported sample-based slaughterweights across all cattle categories. The model has a good fit, no serial correlation, andhighly significant coefficients with consistent signs. Standard validation statistics suggestthat the model is able to track well both the mean and variability of the actual averagecattle slaughter weight. Furthermore, other decompositions using the same methodologywere successful in other countries–New Zealand, and Mexico; other sectors–sheep; andother aggregate data–dairy and beef calving rates.
