Custo de produção de animais de reposição em diferentes sistemas de produção de leite

Abstract

Rearing calves and heifers needs care and investment to enable proper animal development, which is often viewed as just an extra expense. Studies have shown that breeding females with good sanitary, nutritional management and adequate facilities reduces the age of first calving, increasing milk production and the life of animals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the cost of breeding replacement animals in different milk production systems. Compare the economic efficiency of breeding calves by the producer or outsourcing this service. A case study of two calf production systems and one outsourced calf was implemented in 2019. Costs were separated by age (Phase I extends from birth to 3rd month, Phase II extends from 4th month to the 10th month, phase III extends from the 11th month to the 18th month, phase IV extends from the 19th month to 60 days before delivery. Expenditure on services (labor, verterine assistance, water and electricity), Food (milk, feed, hay, corn silage, mineral salt, pasture), Veterinary products (Iodine, deworming, semen) spreadsheet, making it possible to estimate the daily cost of breeding replacement heifers. The biggest costs were with food. The most economical way is for the producer to create spare animals, this work has shown that it is more profitable for the producer to produce them than to outsource them.