Bio-economic Models for Efficient Dairy Cattle Breeding

The objective of this study was to define the main principles when the economic weights of traits are defined to be applicate in dairy cattle breeding. The competitive farming is a function of additive genetic values of traits weighted with economic values. For the calculation of economic values, the bio-economic models are mostly used. These models should reflect the production circumstances of evaluated production systems and be flexible to fit other production situations. Except of the production traits, the functional traits and traits for feed intake utilization are very important for the sustainable production. The environmental benefits (e. g. reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, welfare) should be mentioned as well. Results based on the bio-economic models provide the first information whether the breeding goal for cattle would be redefined. Moreover, flexibility of the bio-economic models enables to evaluate the breeding goals for different customer groups and for different cattle breeds. They are beneficial tools for comprehensive evaluation of the economic values for the most important traits in cattle and in sheep

Technical Efficiency and its Determinants in Dairy Cattle

The objective of this study was to analyse the technical efficiency (TE) of the milk production on totally 83 cattle herds (database of APRC Nitra) in the period 2006-2010 and to synthesise impact of the main inputs (costs) on the TE value. A nonparametric approach Data Envelopment Analysis with the input-oriented variable return to scale model was used to evaluate the TE value. Average value of TE in the analysed period was 0.96, i.e. evaluated herds reached 96% of technical efficiency in milk production on average. For these, reduction of inputs by 4% is recommended to reach the efficiency at the given level of milk yield. Value of individual inputs: total feed costs, material costs, labour costs, repair and service, depreciation, other direct costs and overhead costs, should be reduced by 3.7, 10.0, 3.3, 15.8, 2.1, 2.9 and 8.5% respectively, while maintaining the same level of output. It is possible to state that the analysed farms are inefficient in utilization of inputs for the given level of output. The TE value was statistically significantly influenced by the feed costs only. The negative influence of this factor indicates inefficient utilization of feeds (balance of feeding ration, losses of storage, reciprocal substitution of feeds) or inefficient utilization of its production potential in relation to the given output level