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RESUMO -Foram utilizadas 19.565 lactações vitalícias de vacas da raça Holandesa para avaliar o impacto dos motivos de descarte sobre a rentabilidade vitalícia de vacas leiteiras, mais especificamente sobre a receita líquida vitalícia (RLV), eficiência vitalícia (EF), receita do leite menos o custo de alimentação (RLMA) e receita líquida por dia de vida produtiva (RLD). A taxa geral de descarte foi igual a 31,39%, valor que pode ser considerado alto e estaria diretamente relacionado com a vida produtiva curta encontrada para estes rebanhos, 25,57 meses. A principal causa de descarte foi problema reprodutivo (21,57%), seguido por injúrias e outras causas (21,17%) e baixa produção (17,20%). Os descartes involuntários foram a grande maioria, representando 75% do total. As diferentes medidas econômicas estudadas sofreram impacto significativo do motivo de descarte, em que as vacas removidas por venda para fins leiteiros foram as mais rentáveis ao produtor.Palavras-chave: bovinos de leite, rentabilidade, receita líquida, vida produtiva Effect of Culling Reasons on Lifetime Profitability Measures of Dairy Cows in KentuckyABSTRACT -The aims of this research were to evaluate the effect of culling reasons on lifetime economic measures of dairy cows especially, Lifetime Net Income (LNI), Lifetime efficiency (LE), Income Over Feed Costs (IOFC) and Lifetime income per day of productive life (LIPL) using 19,565 lifetime records from Holstein cows. Culling rate was calculated dividing the number of culled animals, yearly, by the number of all animals present in each year. Data on reasons for disposal were used to calculate the culling rate distribution, dividing the number of animals in each class of culling reason by the total number of animals. The estimated culling rate was 31.39%. This value was high and could be a result from the short productive life of cows, 25.57 months. The main reasons for disposal were reproductive problems (21.57%), injuries and other causes (21.17%), and low production (17.20%). Involuntary culling was responsible for the majority of culling, representing 75% of total. All traits were significantly affected by culling reason. Cows culled for dairy purposes were more profitable to producers.Key Words: dairy cattle, productive life, profitability, net income 1 Parte da Tese de Doutorado no programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia, FCAV -UNESP, do primeiro autor, financiada pelo CNPq. 2 Professora do CREUPI -Espírito Santo do Pinhal -SP. E.mail: anamaria@capritec.com.br 3 Consultora da CAPRITEC. 4 Animal Sciences Department -College of Agriculture -University of Kentucky. 5 Bolsista do CNPq. 6 Professora da FCAV -UNESP -Jaboticabal -SP. E.mail: saquei@fcav.unesp.br IntroduçãoO objetivo primário da maior parte dos produtores de leite deveria ser maximizar os lucros, ou seja, tornar a atividade economicamente eficiente e lucrativa. Portanto, estabelecer claramente os fatores de receita e de custo importantes para a atividade é essencial.Se, por um lado, rápida reposição de animais no rebanho reduz o in...

This study was aimed at defining profitability measures designed for prediction of breeding values (EBV) in dairy cows. Performance and economic data recorded in herds enrolled in the DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) program in Kentucky, USA, were used to evaluate economic functions which included the following profitability measures: lifetime net income (LNI), efficiency (EF), milk income over feed costs (IOFC), net income per day of productive life (NIPL), net income at the end of the first lactation (NI1), and milk income over feed costs at the end of the first lactation (IOFC1). The estimated averages for LNI, EF, IOFC, NIPL, NI1 and IOFC1 were respectively US$ 532.13, 1.04, US$ 3038.19, US$ -0.16, US$ -69.34 and US$ 1293.77. The heritability estimates for these traits ranged from 0.06 to 0.09. The EBV and Spearman correlation estimates were positive, ranging from moderate to high values, suggesting a direct linear relationship among the profitability measures. LNI was the best profitability measure and genetic correlation estimates between LNI and economic measures recorded in first lactation (NI1 and IOFC1) were moderate (<0.56). NI1 was the most efficient profitability measure, but it would be easier to record data to calculate IOFC1. Overall, results do not suggest any economic function measured in the first lactation as a selection criteria for LNI. The profitability measures were affected by the short productive life of the animals in the herds. Selection based on different profitability measures would not result in similar ranking of sires.

Synchronized estrus can be induced by different hormonal protocols including prostaglandin, progestagens, and gonadotrophins. Equine chorionic gonadotrophin is a FSH-like hormone produced by pregnant mares that can evoke antibody formation in goats. Thus, if possible, restriction of its use should be considered. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility to omit the administration of eCG to induce estrus in Anglo- Nubian goats during the transition season. This study was done in February of 2009 in Espírito Santo do Pinhal/SP (22°57′S latitude and 46°58′W longitude), Brazil. The local breeding season extends from March to June. A total of 10 nulliparous and 10 pluriparous Anglo-Nubian goats were equally assigned into 2 treatments with (T1) or without (T2) 200 IU eCG (Novormon 5000®, Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health, São Paulo, Brazil) i.m. administration 24 h before sponge removal. All goats received (Day 0) intravaginal sponges (60 mg of MAP; Progespon®, Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health) and 50 mg d-cloprostenol (Ciosin®, Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health) i.m. Estrous behavior and transrectal ultrasonography (5-MHz transducer; Aloka SSD 500®, Tokyo, Japan) were performed at 12-h intervals (0600 and 1800h) until 96 h after sponge removal. Statistical analysis was performed using all tests at the 95% confidence interval with a SAEG® program (Funarbe, Viçosa, Brazil). Estrous response was 100% (10/10) for T1 and 70% (7/10) for T2 (P > 0.05). All animals that were detected in estrus ovulated, and none of the 3 that did not show estrus ovulated. The interval from sponge removal to estrous onset (h) was 36.0 ± 9.8 (T1) and 34.8 ± 10.5 (T2), whereas its duration (h) was 27.4 ± 14.5 (T1) and 32.6 ± 12.7 (P > 0.05). The interval from sponge removal to ovulation (h) was 67.0 ± 8.0 (T1) and 73.9 ± 6.4 (T2). Also, the interval from estrous onset to ovulation (h) was 25.2 ± 8.85 (T1) and 30.9 ± 6.4 (T2). No difference (P > 0.05) was observed in the number of ovulations for T1 (1.2 ± 0.4) and T2 (1.4 ± 0.5). The diameter of the ovulatory follicle (mm) was similar (P > 0.05) for T1 (6.7 ± 0.6) andT2 (6.5 ± 0.6) (P > 0.05). Further studies should be done to consider if the use of eCG is necessary in the transition season for Anglo-Nubian goats. Financial support: Embrapa Goats and Sheep; Capritec; CNPq; Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health; Fapemig.