The central aim of the InnoNauta Tiedotus project is to acquire the latest information from home and abroad and to distribute it to those concerned. This publication summarises the main results of four literature reviews on beef production. The first study describes the structural development of beef production and changes in the supply of beef. The study also highlights the economic development of beef production farms in recent years. In addition, the study looks at the economic status of Finnish farms compared to beef cattle farms of competing countries and to the average of the European Union. Beef production farms have undergone considerable structural development during Finnish membership in the EU. A great number of small farms have given up production while production has concentrated on larger and larger farms. As a result of this structural development the average arable area and number of heads on beef production farms have grown as the fields and animals have concentrated on fewer and fewer farms. The production costs of Finnish beef are not competitive internationally. However, weak profitability is a concern also in many other member countries besides Finland. The second literature review aimed at gathering information on the physiology of thermoregulation of young calves and on the effects of outdoor housing on their health, performance and welfare. The ability of the calf to withstand low temperatures increases as its insulation (fur coat, subcutaneous layer of fat) improves and its heat production increases. The lower critical temperature for a newborn calf is (+9) (+13) °C and for a three-week old calf +8 °C. The cold tolerance of calves can be improved e.g. through highly nutritious feed, ample straw-bedding and a draft-free and dry environment. Calves have grown more slowly, equally well or even better in cold than warm conditions. Housing in outdoor conditions has increased the feed intake of calves or has had no effect on it. Housing in outdoor hutches has often reduced the tendency of the calves to have respiratory diseases or diarrhoea compared to traditional indoor housing, but also contradictory research results have been obtained on the subject. The purpose of the third literature review was to chart the possibilities of influencing the fat build of beef cattle. Based on the literature, fat build also increases with acceleration of live weight gain and an increased supply of energy. The increase of carcass weight also increases the fat content of the carcasses thereby reducing the proportion of beef and bone. Heifers put on fat earlier than steers who put on fat earlier than bulls. Breeds of heavy adult weight (such as Charolais, Simmental and Limousin) grow more quickly and put on fat more slowly than medium-size breeds (Aberdeen angus, Hereford, Highland cattle). Lowering of the energy content of feed reduces the fat build in the carcass but also tends to slow down the growth of the animals thereby increasing the raising time. The effects of protein supplementation on carcass composition are usually slight. The use of various roughages and concentrates had no effect on fat build of the carcass in the study, provided the energy intake of the animals had remained on the same level between the different feed groups. Increased exercise has been found to reduce fat build in beef cattle. As a result of exercise the animals burn more energy and develop more muscular tissue and less adipose tissue. The selection of beef cattle based on residual feed intake may be one of the means of producing leaner carcasses in the future. The fourth review aimed at presenting research results on the variation, heritability and other such factors of feed efficiency for beef cattle. Traditionally, feed efficiency has been determined through feed conversion. Feed conversion does not incorporate individual differences in the required amounts of energy for maintenance and gain. Residual feed intake is one possibility for measuring the feed economy of animals of beef breeds. Residual feed intake is the difference between the actual feed intake of the animal and its estimated feed intake compared to the achieved gain. Due to the calculation method the size of the animal or its raising conditions have no effect on residual feed intake. Residual feed intake helps identify the animals who eat less but have equal performance properties. Residual feed intake has mediocre heritability. During the finishing period the dry matter intake of the animals has been on average 12% less and the feed conversion ratio 9-15% more efficient on animals of low residual feed intake than on animals of high residual feed intake. The amount of dung and emissions of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium can be reduced by 15 17 % by selecting animals of low residual feed intake. In Australian and North-American studies methane production has been 25 30 % lower on animals of low residual feed intake than on animals of high residual feed intake. Also the carcasses of animals of low residual feed intake have been slightly leaner. Beef cows of low residual feed intake have calved 5-6 days later than cows of high residual feed intake.