Breeding objectives for pigs in Kenya. II: economic values incorporating risks in different smallholder production systems

Abstract

This study estimated economic values for production traits (dressing percentage (DP), %; live weight for growers (LWg), kg; live weight for sows (LWs), kg) and functional traits (feed intake for growers (FEEDg), feed intake for sow (FEEDs), preweaning survival rate (PrSR), %; postweaning survival (PoSR), %; sow survival rate (SoSR), %, total number of piglets born (TNB) and farrowing interval (FI), days) under different smallholder pig production systems in Kenya. Economic values were estimated considering two production circumstances: fixed-herd and fixed-feed. Under the fixed-herd scenario, economic values were estimated assuming a situation where the herd cannot be increased due to other constraints apart from feed resources. The fixed-feed input scenario assumed that the herd size is restricted by limitation of feed resources available. In addition to the tradition profit model, a risk-rated bio-economic model was used to derive risk-rated economic values. This model accounted for imperfect knowledge concerning risk attitude of farmers and variance of input and output prices. Positive economic values obtained for traits DP, LWg, LWs, PoSR, PrSR, SoSR and TNB indicate that targeting them in improvement would positively impact profitability in pig breeding programmes. Under the fixed-feed basis, the risk-rated economic values for DP, LWg, LWs and SoSR were similar to those obtained under the fixed-herd situation. Accounting for risks in the EVs did not yield errors greater than ±50 % in all the production systems and basis of evaluation meaning there would be relatively little effect on the real genetic gain of a selection index. Therefore, both traditional and risk-rated models can be satisfactorily used to predict profitability in pig breeding programmes.

Including protein yield and mastitis resistance in dairy cattle breeding goal optimizes response to selection

“…This study used a data simulation approach to derive an economic value for PY in dairy cattle. Simulation models have been used to predict economic values for traits in the breeding goals for meat sheep (Kosgey et al, 2003), dairy cattle , beef cattle (Rewe et al, 2006) and pigs (Mbuthia et al, 2015) that are produced in the tropics. The model expressed profit through grouping terms by class of cattle and calculated revenue and costs per cow per year.…”

Effects of treating Prosopis juliflora pods with multienzyme, with and without bacterial cultures on in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), fermentation kinetics, and performance of growing pigs

“…They face the challenge of the high cost of conventional feed and often resort to the use of locally available feed resources. A survey in Kenya reported that only 30% of pig farmers use commercial feeds while the remaining included some form of alternative feed material in their feeding regime (Mbuthia et al 2014). Mature prosopis pods from Prosopis juli ora tree is such an alternative feed ingredient in Kenya (Kingori et al 2011).…”