Technologies that affect the weaning rate in beef cattle production systems

Abstract

We investigated the differences between weaning rates and technologies adopted by farmers in cow-calf production systems in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Interviews were carried out with 73 farmers about 48 technologies that could affect reproductive performance. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis using a non-hierarchical cluster method. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Three distinct clusters of farmers were created (R (2) = 0.90), named as low (LWR), intermediate (IWR), and high (HWR) weaning rate, with 100, 91, and 96 % of the farmers identified within their respective groups and average weaning rates of 59, 72, and 83 %, respectively. IWR and HWR farmers used more improved natural pasture, fixed-time artificial insemination, selection for birth weight, and proteinated salt compared to LWR. HWR farmers used more stocking rate control, and IWR farmers used more ultrasound to evaluate reproductive performance compared to the LWR group. IWR and HWR adopted more technologies related to nutrition and reproductive aspects of the herd in comparison to LWR. We concluded that farmers with higher technology use on farm had higher weaning rates which could be used to benefit less efficient farmers.

Factors affecting adoption of economic management practices in beef cattle production in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil

“…Weaning rates lower than 70% indicate that the farm has management problems that affect the profitability of the business (Canellas et al, 2010;. It has been shown that beef cattle farmers in RS with low performance are less effective in reproductive management, zootechnic control, and economic management practices (Marques et al, 2015;Dill et al, 2015).…”

Modelling beef cattle production systems from the Pampas in Brazil to assess intensification options

“…Therefore, the best intervention results are achieved when using technologies that combine the increase in stocking rate with an improvement in herd production indicators. In animal production, these technologies may be related to feeding, health, genetic, husbandry or management aspects (Dill et al, 2015b). Reproductive efficiency is one of the most important components for the productivity of cow-calf systems (Trenkle and Willham, 1977).…”

“…The technologies used to increase animal performance and the production output of the system should be evaluated to determine the effects of intensification (Lampert et al, 2012;Dill et al, 2015b). Economic simulation models have been used to analyze the interactions and impact of the use of resources on animal production indicators (Beretta et al, 2002;Villalba et al, 2010;Parsons et al, 2011;Nasca et al, 2015).…”

A proposal for the evaluation of the bioeconomic efficiency of beef cattle production systems

“…Several studies in literature demonstrate that bioeconomically efficient systems apply technically suitable pasture management practices (Marques et al, 2011;Dill et al, 2015). In addition, as farmers in the IEL cluster do not calculate financial indicators, technologies such as nitrogen fertilization are not properly applied.…”