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A bio-economic model for the evaluation of breeds and mating systems in beef production enterprises

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

T. Roughsedge ,
P. R. Amer  and
G. Simm
T. Roughsedge*
Affiliation:
Animal Biology Division, Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
P. R. Amer
Affiliation:
Abacus Biotech Limited, PO Box 5585, Dunedin, New Zealand
G. Simm
Affiliation:
Animal Biology Division, Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

A deterministic bio-economic model was developed to evaluate the effects of changes in breeds and mating systems in a beef enterprise whilst keeping management constant. The model simulates all aspects of beef production including the transition of the breed composition, the biological performance and the overall economic performance of animals within the herd, over time. Breed performance parameters are based on a synthesis of results from published beef breed comparison experiments. In order to illustrate how the model is implemented an example is given based on UK economic information. The model predicts physical and financial performance over a planning horizon of 20 years. For a hypothetical enterprise, changing from buying in surplus dairy cross heifers to a situation of self-replacing beef cows, the model demonstrated a financial advantage, due largely to a reduction in production costs.

Keywords

beef herdseconomicsmathematical models
Type
Non-ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 77 , Issue 3 , December 2003 , pp. 403 - 416
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2003

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