Estimation of the economic values for the important traits of Zel Sheep in the intensive production system using a bio-economic model

Estimates of economic values for important traits of two indigenous Ethiopian sheep breeds

Economic value (EV), sensitivity of EV and relative economic importance of milk yield (MY), age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI) and herd life (HL) traits were estimated for smallholder dairy cattle production in the central part of Ethiopia. The data on biological and economic parameters were collected using household interview and group discussions methods participating 238 farmers who had crossbred dairy cattle. Bio-economic model was used to calculate EV, sensitivity of EV and relative importance of EV. Cost of animal feed takes the highest share which accounted 81.35% of the total expenditure. The overall average profit per farmer expressed in Ethiopia currency (ETB, 1 US-$ = 39.55696 ETB) was 72,458.10 ± 5068 per year. Profitability of crossbred dairy cattle significantly varied (P < 0.05) between zones. Economic value estimated for MY, AFC, CI and HL in ETB were 13.38/kg, -16.19/day, -33.58/day and 79.55/day. The associated EV per additive standard deviation were 6083.62, -1311.59, -1271.05 and 117.73 ETB for MY, AFC, CI and HL, respectively. Analysis of sensitivity to scenario change (± 20%) showed that milk price had positive association with profit and EV, whereas feed price has inversely influenced both profit and EV. The profit obtained by farmers was altered by ± 29.08% and ± 12.31% as milk price and feed price fluctuated by ± 20%, respectively. Similarly, the EV of MY was changed by ± 20% with change in milk price and ± 7% with feed price. Scenario change in feed price (± 20%) has also caused ± 13.63% change on EV for AFC and ± 17.58% for CI. It can be noted that profit and EV of the traits were less sensitive to the change in price of milk, feed and labor. In general, the results of EV and profitability were encouraging for dairy farmers and the estimates can be used as an input for development of breeding program in the study area.

Estimates of economic values for traits of Arabic sheep in village system

The breeding objectives of Central Highland goats rearing under a low-input production system were defined through a participatory proportional piling method and bio-economic model. Additionally, the economic values and relative economic value of the breeding objective traits were derived. A participatory proportional piling method was used to estimate the relative weights of farmers attached to a list of goat traits identified, and the relative weights were statistically evaluated using a generalized multinomial logit model analysis. A bio-economic model was used to compute the economic values of the identified traits. The most important traits for selection of does according to farmer's preference were body size, coat colour, post-weaning growth rate and weaning rate with a relative weight (odds ratio) of 1.58, 1.38, 1.37 and 1.13, respectively. Goats with dark red followed by light red coat colour were the most preferred (p < 0.001) by goat keepers compared with white-coloured goats. Farmers were more likely (p < 0.001) to allocate higher scores for does-bearing twins than for single and triplet-bearing does. Using the bio-economic model (economic value and relative economic value), post-weaning growth rate, weaning rate, and six-month weight (body size) were identified as the most important traits and if the mean of these traits is changed by one genetic standard deviation, the change in profit will range from 2.06 to 3.03 $ doe-1 year-1 . Therefore, the most important traits for the selection of Central Highland goats according to the economic-based method were post-weaning weight gain, weaning rate and body size (six-month weight). Besides, coat colour was the second preferred trait by goat keepers next to body size. Thus, this aesthetical trait should be included in the designed breeding programme besides economically important quantitative traits. The combination of the participatory proportional piling method and bio-economic model would give better insights to explore the trait preferences of farmers and enhance profitability. The economic values of traits estimated in this study can be used for the construction of selection indices for Central Highland goats.

Defining smallholders’ sheep breeding objectives using farmers trait preferences versus bio-economic modelling

Heterosis retained in different generations of <i>inter se</i> mating between D’man and Sardi sheep

Identification of breeding objectives using a bioeconomic model for a beef cattle production system in Uruguay

Context In developing countries, the production of livestock can be improved by establishing a functional breeding program that involves communities in planning and implementation. Production objectives, farmers’ preferences for traits, and the economic value of the traits need to be studied and documented in designing a functional breeding program. Aim This study aims to identify production objectives, determine the preferred traits of smallholder farmers, and estimate the economic values of important traits for Abergelle goats in Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods An own-flock ranking exercise was used to identify the trait preferences of smallholder farmers. A bio-economic model was employed to estimate the economic values of important traits of Abergelle goats. Key results Abergelle goats were mainly kept for income generation followed by milk production. Appearance (size), color, libido, pedigree, and growth were the most important breeding-buck attributes, whereas milk yield, mothering ability (kid survival and growth), pedigree, coat color, kidding interval, and twinning were the important attributes for breeding does. Positive economic values of €0.25, €0.12, €0.45, €0.68, €0.17 and €2.00 per genetic standard deviation were obtained for 6-month weight, mature weight, daily milk yield, liter size, kidding interval, and pre-weaning kid survival per average doe place and year respectively. However, a negative economic value of −€0.017 per genetic standard deviation was achieved for 3–6-month average daily gain (ADG) per doe per year. Conclusions In this study, the most economically significant traits with positive economic values were pre-weaning survival, litter size, daily milk yield, 6-month weight, mature weight, and kidding interval. Implication Including these traits in the breeding goals can increase the profitability of the flock and improve the livelihood of Abergelle goat keepers.

Well-defined breeding objectives form the basis of sound genetic improvement programmes. Breeding objectives for Holstein cattle in South Africa were developed in the current study. Economic values were calculated for those economically relevant traits that had adequate bio-economic data, namely milk volume, fat yield, protein yield, liveweight, longevity, calving interval and somatic cell score (SCS). A bio-economic herd model for pasture-based and concentrate-fed systems in South Africa was used to calculate economic values by determining changes in profit arising from an independent unit increase in each trait. Alternative payment systems were used from four major milk buyers in South Africa. Relative economic values, standardized to the value of protein yield, were used to compare the relative importance of traits. Protein yield and longevity consistently had positive economic values and the converse was true for liveweight and calving interval. Economic value for volume was positive or negative, depending on whether the payment system rewarded or ignored volume. Sensitivity analysis showed that economic values were reasonably robust against fluctuations in the cost of feed and price of beef; with the exception of fat yield, whose value became negative when feed price exceeded ZAR 3.50. Generally, protein yield was the most important trait, although volume, longevity and SCS were more important in some situations. Calving interval was the least important trait, its value ranging from 4% to 22% of protein yield, although the model may have underestimated its value. Further work should focus on facilitating the wide adoption of these breeding objectives by industry.Keywords: Butterfat yield, economic value, liveweight, longevity, milk yield, protein yield, relative economic value, somatic cell score

Economic values for traits in breeding objectives for sheep in the tropics: impact of tangible and intangible benefits

A bioeconomic computer model was constructed to simulate biological and economic inputs and outputs for life cycle swine production. Parameters and relationships used in model were developed and verified by comparison with experimental results in the literature. The bioeconomic model was constructed by several modules such as growth and development, pregnancy, lactation, and replacement gilt etc. The result is: (1) the bioeconomic computer model was efficient way to describe pig production system and research factors' effect and their interactions. (2) Traits in the model were: oestrus traits; mature weight and feed requirements of sows; longevity of sows; litter size; growth rate and daily feed intake of young pigs and fatteners; mortality rate of pigs. (3) Sow longevity is 2.12 years and yearly culling rate is 47.20%. Yearly farrowing sow is 2.08 and total numbers of farrowings per gilt is 4.62. (4) Average litter size total born is 11.23, litter size born alive is 10.40, litter size weaned is 8.80.

A sound breeding objective is the basis for genetic improvement in overall economic merit of farm animals. Begait goat is one of the identified breeds in Ethiopia, which is a multipurpose breed as it serves as source of cash income and source of food (meat and milk). Despite its importance, no formal breeding objectives exist for Begait goat. The objective of the present study was to identify breeding objectives for the breed through two approaches: using own-flock ranking experiment and developing deterministic bio-economic models as a preliminary step towards designing sustainable breeding programs for the breed. In the own-flock ranking experiment, a total of 45 households were visited at their homesteads and were asked to select, with reasons, the first best, second best, third best, and the most inferior does from their own flock. Age, previous reproduction, and production information of the identified animals were inquired; live body weight and some linear body measurements were taken. The bio-economic model included performance traits (weights, daily weight gain, kidding interval, litter size, milk yield, kid mortality, pregnancy, and replacement rates) and economic (revenue and costs) parameters. It was observed that there was close agreement between the farmers’ ranking and bio-economic model results. In general, the results of the present study indicated that Begait goat owners could improve performance of their goats and profitability of their farms by selecting for 6-month weight, litter size, pre-weaning kid survival rate, and milk yield.

Determination of economic values for some important traits in Moghani sheep

BackgroundIn breeding programs for aquaculture species, breeding goal traits are often weighted based on the desired gains but economic gain would be higher if economic values were used instead. The objectives of this study were: (1) to develop a bio-economic model to derive economic values for aquaculture species, (2) to apply the model to determine the economic importance and economic values of traits in a case-study on gilthead seabream, and (3) to validate the model by comparison with a profit equation for a simplified production system.MethodsA bio-economic model was developed to simulate a grow-out farm for gilthead seabream, and then used to simulate gross margin at the current levels of the traits and after one genetic standard deviation change in each trait with the other traits remaining unchanged. Economic values were derived for the traits included in the breeding goal: thermal growth coefficient (TGC), thermal feed intake coefficient (TFC), mortality rate (M), and standard deviation of harvest weight (sigma_{HW}). For a simplified production system, improvement in TGC was assumed to affect harvest weight instead of growing period. Using the bio-economic model and a profit equation, economic values were derived for harvest weight, cumulative feed intake at harvest, and overall survival.ResultsChanges in gross margin showed that the order of economic importance of the traits was: TGC, TFC, M, and sigma_{HW}. Economic values in € (kg production)−1 (trait unit)−1 were: 0.40 for TGC, −0.45 for TFC, −7.7 for M, and −0.0011 to −0.0010 for sigma_{HW}. For the simplified production system, similar economic values were obtained with the bio-economic model and the profit equation. The advantage of the profit equation is its simplicity, while that of the bio-economic model is that it can be applied to any aquaculture species, because it can include any limiting factor and/or environmental condition that affects production.ConclusionsWe confirmed the validity of the bio-economic model. TGC is the most important trait to improve, followed by TFC and M, and the effect of sigma_{HW} on gross margin is small.

Estimation of economic values is essential to decide the monetary importance of traits to be incorporated in breeding programs. The present study was conducted to estimate the relative economic value of first lactation traits, viz. 305-day milk yield (305DMY), average daily milk yield (ADMY), calving to first insemination interval (CFI), days open (DO), pregnancy rate (PR) and longevity (LNG) in Sahiwal cattle. Data spanning over duration of 29 years pertaining to production, reproduction and longevity of Sahiwal cattle kept at ICAR-NDRI herd were utilized. Averages of first lactation traits, viz. 305DMY, ADMY, CFI, DO, PR and LNG were obtained as 1822.59 kg, 6.62 kg/day, 85.56 days, 150.48 days, 38.00% and 2711.95 days, respectively with lactation length of 303.02 days in Sahiwal cattle. Expenses involved for different groups of animals for five years (2012-2016) were considered for appraising relative economic values of above-mentioned performance traits. Major expenses considered were per day cost of feeding, treatment, labour and artificial insemination for each animal. Cost of production of one kg milk was calculated as ` 23.68 which was the economic value of 305DMY and ADMY. The per unit expenses for traits CFI, DO, PR and LNG were ` 156.79, 156.79, 86.65, and 141.21, respectively in Sahiwal cattle. Relative economic values were estimated as 1, 1, -6.62, -6.62, 3.66 and 5.96 for 305DMY, ADMY, CFI, DO, PR and LNG, respectively. Relative economic values estimated in the present study will be helpful for constructing selection indices for genetic progress of Sahiwal cattle.