Maria Eugênia Andrighetto Canozzi

Performance and carcass traits of Santa Inês lambs finished with different sources of forage

The objective of this study was to evaluate performance and biometrics of lambs fed different sources of forage. Twenty-four six-month-old Santa Ines female lambs were randomly allocated to four experimental diets and housed in individual stalls. They weighed on average 26.35±0.20 kg. The diets were coast cross hay (HAY), cassava hay (CAS), dehydrated by-product of pea crop (PEA) and saccharin (SAC). The diets were formulated with the same amount of protein and energy with fixed levels of forage (60%) and concentrate (40%). Adaptation to the diet took 7 days, with 45 days on experiment. Weights and biometric measurements were obtained every fortnight and feed intake three times a week. Rights half-carcasses were weighed and sectioned into retail cuts, rib, loin, shoulder, belly, neck and leg, which were weighed individually. Weight gain in lambs was significantly different between diets, with those fed saccharin gaining more. Overall, treatments did not significantly affect biometric measurements. There was a significant difference for feed intake and live weight at the end of the experiment. Animals fed PEA and SAC showed the best results. Average positive correlations were found between biometric measurements and live weight. Treatment PEA had heavier hot (14.36 kg) and cold (14.01 kg) carcass weights than the other groups. Hot carcass kill-out was higher for animals fed PEA as well as ham weight, belly, neck and heart girth. The weight of the abdominal viscera (%) for lambs fed CAS was greater than those fed SAC and PEA. The weights of the thoracic viscera as well as the liver, for lambs fed PEA were higher. The by-product of pea yielded best results, followed by saccharin, and can replace traditional forage sources in the region, providing similar results in terms of cuts and body components. These could be an alternative for feeding sheep in the dry season. The substitution of forages using by-product of pea and saccharin led to improved productivity over the coast-cross hay available in the Federal District - Brazil.

Confiança e agregação de valor em carnes com indicação geográfica

The increased demand for agrifood products with certification related to the geographical origin has occurred on both global and national levels, seeking to meet specific market niches. In this sense, this article aims to identify consumer perceptions with respect to geographical indicators and their willingness to pay for this attribute. As a method, there was an internet survey among 272 consumers of beef with the help of the Sphinx software. It was found that consumer perception on geographical indications in meat is generally positive, and this attribute is recognized as a quality indicator. Consumers believe that this meat offers security and is more reliable than the product that doesn’t mention source, and you can add value to these differences. In addition, consumers value this attribute and are willing to pay more for meat with the seal of geographical indication.

Development and application of a bioeconomic efficiency index for beef cattle production in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

An index was developed to estimate the bioeconomic efficiency of production systems, identifying alternative scenarios that could improve their efficiency, and building isoefficiency relations in beef cattle production systems in Rio Grande do Sul. The concept of return on investment was used to develop the indicator. Scenarios regarded as efficient showed values higher than 3. The bioeconomic efficiency index for beef cattle production in the theoretical reference scenario was considered inefficient. At least four modifications in the variables method made it a bioeconomically efficient activity. These circumstances were studied using sensitivity analyses, with theoretical changes in the scenarios by changing variables two by two, while the others were kept constant. In Rio Grande do Sul, alternatives that make the activity efficient were identified by changing productivity, production cost, land price and product price. Isoefficiency relationships were identified in other scenarios. The application of this indicator in other agricultural activities, as well as the design of bioefficiency studies including both environmental and social welfare characteristics are recommended.

Multivariate analysis of heat tolerance characteristics in Santa Inês and crossbred lambs in the Federal District of Brazil

Heat tolerance is an important trait for deciding on which genetic resource to use on farms in tropical regions. Three genetic groups of lambs were evaluated by physical and physiological parameters related to adaptation and multivariate analyses used to test if these traits were efficient in separating the genetic groups and which traits were more important in this separation. Crossbred lambs were more similar to each other than to Santa Inês, in general; but individually there was an overlap between Ile de France and Santa Inês lambs. Size traits had higher canonical correlation with physiological variables, while rectal temperature, heart rate, and hemoglobin were more highly correlated with physical traits. Error rates using only physiological traits were high, suggesting that these are inefficient in separating groups of lambs for heat tolerance, while separation with physical traits was more efficient.

Consumer perception of Brazilian traced beef

The objective of this study was to determine consumers understanding of beef traceability, identifying how consumers value this meat and traceability elements to be presented on retail shelves. The method used in this study was a survey through the internet applying the Sphinx software. The sample consisted of 417 consumers, mostly living in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Consumers are aware of certified beef, consider it important, but this is not a demand. As to traced beef, most consumers (62.4%) are in favor of mandatory traceability of beef cattle in Brazil, but 86.6% disagree with the destination of traced beef only to the foreign market. The majority of people are willing to pay more for traced beef and consider traceability a market opportunity, used as a differentiating tool.

Advantages and challenges for Brazilian export of frozen beef

The objectives of this research were to analyse data on the international market of frozen boneless beef and to classify its participants into groups according to their trade relationships, identifying the main factors that influence the preference of a country to beef from a determined supplier country. International beef trade is composed of two markets: in one of them, the relationships between supplier and client depend on the lowest price, and Brazil is found in favorable conditions; and the other, the relationships are preferably based on the sanitary quality of the herd and traceability systems recognized by the purchaser, to which Brazilian participation is low.

Competitividade inter-regional de sistemas de produção de bovinocultura de corte

This paper presents a methodology for evaluating production systems by measuring the intern competitiveness of in beef cattle. During the first quarter of 2010, questionnaires were administered to 65 farmers, 36 interviews in the Southern Region (State of Rio Grande do Sul) and 29 in the Northern Region (States of Para and Rondonia). Defined the key drivers that affect the international competitiveness - technology, management, market relations and institutional environment, an specific weight was assigned to each in order to get the index of competitiveness. The results were statistically analyzed by the item response theory and the correspondence analysis (ANACOR) with the SPSS® software. The South was more competitive than the North. Regardless of region, the critical factors of competitiveness were: crop-livestock integration, strategic planning, calculation of financial indicators, beef pricing, access to technological innovations and organization of farmers.

Manejo da comercialização em leilões e seus efeitos no preço de bezerros de corte

The commercialization process of 1.757 lots of calves was evaluated, totaling 28.495 animals, including the order and time of permanence in track, the divulgation strategies to the buyers and uniformity of the lots, as well as the final price (R

Phenotypic factors and genetic group on the selling price formation of beef calves sold in auctions at the Northern region of Paraná State, Brazil

/kg WL) and number of biddings. The model proposed was efficient in showing unfavorable scenarios for the breeding activity, and in periods of great offer of calves and low prices, the studied variables can influence the final price per kilogram of live weight. This indicates that some aspects out of the control of breeders but very close to them can influence the final value; therefore, are of extreme importance in the follow-up of the commercialization process of animals.

Efeitos do peso vivo sobre a comercialização de bezerros de corte em leilões

The aim of this study is to estimate the effects of phenotypic traits on the final price of calves sold at auctions in the region of northern Parana. Data were collected between April 2011 and April 2012 at 12 auctions, in which 197 lots were offered, totaling 4,289 animals. In this study, only the final prices charged when the deals were closed have been considered. Calves belonging to the British genetic group reached higher marketing value than zebu calves; the largest animals presented higher liquidity; buyers preferred more uniform lots, regardless of the sex of the animals.