Economic values of productive and functional traits in sheep of Bulgarian dairy synthetic population

Abstract: The subject of the current research was to calculate profitability and economic values of production and functional traits in sheep of Bulgarian dairy synthetic population, reared at the Agricultural Institute – Stara Zagora. The study period was 7 years (2010-2016) and the average annual number of ewes in the flock was 188. The semi-intensive production system practised involved winter indoor lambing and summer grazing on pasture. Data were processed using the Program for calculating economic weights for sheep EWSH2. Profit and profitability in the flock had negative values – (-52.70 BGN) and -19.3%. Marginal economic values of the most important traits in dairy sheep – milk production and number of lambs born per ewe were estimated to 0.707 BGN per liter and 65.40 BGN per lamb, respectively. Litter size, milk yield, conception rate of ewes and ewe lambs and productive lifetime of ewes showed the highest economic importance. A very low economic weight was calculated for the wool production due to the market prices of wool. Conception rate of female animals and productive lifetime of ewes need to be more thoroughly investigated, as they are not currently an object of selection in dairy sheep breeding. Achieving competitive and economically sustainable productive systems in sheep farming is associated with a constant desire to increase the economic value of animals.

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Economic values for a total merit index of dairy goats in Austria

Die Bodenkultur Journal of Land Management Food and Environment ◽

10.2478/boku-2018-0009 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

pp. 97-104

Author(s):

Birgit Fuerst-Waltl ◽

Birgit Lang ◽

Christian Fuerst

Keyword(s):

Functional Traits ◽

Genetic Relationships ◽

Economic Value ◽

Dairy Goat ◽

Dairy Production ◽

Dairy Goats ◽

Economic Values ◽

Saanen Goat ◽

Economic Weight ◽

Important Trait

SummaryWhen defining a total merit index, all economically important traits, both performance and functional traits shall be considered. Aside from breeding values, their reliabilities and all genetic relationships, the knowledge of the economic importance of all traits involved is required. In this study, economic values were derived for the most numerous dairy goat breed in Austria, the Saanen goat. Calculated marginal utilities are expressed per average ewe place and year. The calculations were based on a herd model including dairy production, rearing and fattening of goat kids. Economic values are calculated by multiplying the marginal utilities with the genetic standard deviations of the traits. The economic value is thus defined by the value of one unit of genetic superiority of a trait. In order to derive the economic value of one trait, a single parameter in the model was varied while keeping all other traits constant. The relative economic values (in %) for the trait complexes were as follows: dairy : functional : meat traits = 74 : 25 : 1, respectively. Within the dairy complex, milk carrier yield was the most important trait, while in the functional traits fertility, defined as conception rate, had the highest economic weight.

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Economic values for performance and functional traits in dairy sheep

Italian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4081/ijas.2009.341 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 341-357 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Birgit Fuerst-Waltl ◽

Roswitha Baumung

Keyword(s):

Functional Traits ◽

Dairy Sheep ◽

Economic Values

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Economic values for production and functional traits in Valle del Belice dairy sheep using profit functions

Small Ruminant Research ◽

10.1016/j.smallrumres.2011.01.019 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 97 (1-3) ◽

pp. 41-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

M. Tolone ◽

V. Riggio ◽

D.O. Maizon ◽

B. Portolano

Keyword(s):

Functional Traits ◽

Dairy Sheep ◽

Economic Values ◽

Profit Functions

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Development of a breeding objective for Estonian Holstein cattle

Agricultural and Food Science ◽

10.2137/145960607783328164 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 212 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

E. PÄRNA ◽

H. KIIMAN ◽

M. VALLAS

Keyword(s):

Functional Traits ◽

Milk Fat ◽

Economic Value ◽

Economic Values ◽

Substantial Impact ◽

Productive Life ◽

Breeding Goal ◽

Breeding Objective ◽

Economic Weights ◽

Marketing Systems

Economic weights for milk carrier (water plus lactose), fat and protein yields, calving interval, age at first service, interval between the first service and conception of heifers and length of productive life of Estonian Holsteins were estimated under assumed milk production quota and for non-quota conditions. A bio-economic model of an integrated production system of a closed herd was used. Economic values of milk carrier yield and length of productive life differed between quota and non-quota conditions, but there were only minor differences between those marketing systems in economic values for functional traits. The standardised economic values of the most important traits varied in magnitude between18 to 81% of the economic value for milk yield. Discounting had a substantial impact on the economic value of length of productive life. When defining the breeding objective for Estonian Holstein, the interval between the first service and conception of heifers, and the length of productive life should be included in the breeding goal along with the traits with the highest economic value, milk, fat and protein yield. In the optimum breeding objective, relative weights of production vs. functional traits were 79 and 21%, respectively.;

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Impact of economic parameters on economic values in dairy sheep

Czech Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.17221/6522-cjas ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 58 (No. 1) ◽

pp. 21-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Z. Krupová ◽

E. Krupa ◽

M. Wolfová

Keyword(s):

Milk Production ◽

Litter Size ◽

Functional Traits ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Growth Traits ◽

Economic Value ◽

Production Traits ◽

Economic Values ◽

Economic Parameters ◽

The Impact

The impact of variation in economic conditions on the economic values of fourteen production and functional traits was examined for the Improved Valachian breed using a bio-economic model implemented in the ECOWEIGHT software. The following economic parameters were investigated: market prices of lambs, milk, and cheese (variation ± 40%), costs for roughage, concentrates, and total feeding rations , costs for labour and veterinary care, fixed costs (variation ± 20% for all costs), and discount rate of revenues and costs (0 and 3%). Results of the analyses were presented in detail for the marginal and relative economic values of the four most important traits: milk yield in the 150-day milking period, conception rate of ewes, litter size per lambed ewe, and productive lifetime of ewes. Furthermore, cumulative relative economic values of the four trait complexes – milk production, growth, functional, and wool traits – were presented. Prices for sheep products were found to be the most important factor for both the marginal and the relative economic values of the evaluated traits. The four traits with the highest relative economic values in the base calculation stayed the most important for all investigated economic parameters ranges. The relative economic values of the remaining 10 traits did not exceed 6.1%. The relative economic values of milk yield and litter size were the most sensitive to the variation in economic circumstances. For the investigated range of economic parameters, the relative economic value for the complex of milk production traits ranged 30.6–48.1%, for growth traits 6.3–9.4%, and that for functional traits 45.4–59.7%. The relative economic value for the wool trait did not exceed 0.3%.

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