TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTIVENESS OF FODDERS IN HIGH QUALITY BEEF PRODUCTION

Lech Pałasz¹, Henryk Kamieniecki², Jerzy Wójcik^2
1 Department of Economic Policy and Market, University of Agriculture in Szczecin
² Department of Ruminant Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Szczecin, Poland

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of empirical research on high quality beef production on the basis of the Cooperative "Agrofirm" Witkowo (Stargard Szczeciński poviat) and the individual farm Wyszobór. The research had been conducted on young crossbreed beef bulls with different genotypes in relatively intensive feeding conditions. The aim of the paper was the cost calculation of fodders per 1 kg gain in body weight in different raising systems. The first experiment consisted of young bulls genetically mixed of two or three races between Black-and-White x Red Angus crossed cows and Limousin meat breed bulls- (group I), Red Angus (group II) and Salers (group III). The second experiment consisted of young bulls from, group I - Charolais cows with Charolais bulls, group II - Hereford cows with Charolais bulls and group III - Simmental cows with Charolais bulls. In both cases young bulls from all the groups had a very good daily gain. A lower cost of fattening was noticed for the animals from experiment no. 2, where the animals had been raised in a pasture system with cow-mothers and had been better prepared for fattening.

Key words: young beef bulls, crossbreed, technical and economic effectiveness, cost, fodder.

INTRODUCTION

After 1989, in the new socio-political system of the market economy in Poland, explicit changes in the economic structure and functioning have happened. These changes also occurred in the food economy, including animal production.

Recently in Poland, livestock, especially cattle stock, has been reduced. At the same time, the animal production development was reduced. Quality came to the fore instead of interest in production quantity. Because of this, research concerning high quality beef production, connected with technical and economic efficiency, is important.

Moreover, the topic is important in accordance to the fact that the animal food products play a special role in delivering protein, the most valuable element of food. Mainly milk, meat and eggs cover the demand for protein. However, meat is consumed the most eagerly, because it is the most biologically valuable element of food. The demand for animal protein also increases with the improvement of the material situation of society. It must be emphasized that the export of beef cattle is very profitable [1, 3, 4].

The aim of the paper is the analysis of technical and economic effectiveness of fodders fed in intensive fattening situations of young crossbreed beef bulls with different genotypes, raised in different conditions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Experiment no. 1 was conducted at the Cooperative Agrofirm Witkowo on mixed young beef bulls (table 1). These bulls were calved inside buildings and were not pastured. They were fattened after being weaned at appropriately the 129th day of calves' life and their body weight at the level of about 181 kg. The young bulls in experiment no. 2 were also calved inside buildings in winter, but the calves were raised with cows on a pasture until the end of season and started to be fattened at the age of about 300 days and their body weight about 294 kg. Both experiments were conducted in 2002-2004.

The evaluation of fodders concerns the period of fattening without ties, which means from the moment of weaning from cow-mothers until the end of the fattening, which assumed an average weight at the level of about 550 kg.

Table 1. Genotypes of crossbreeds in the experiments

Group	Genotype
	Experiment no. 1	Experiment no. 2
I	♀ (Black-and-White x Red Angus) x ♂ Limousin	♀ Charolais x ♂ Charolais
II	♀ (Black-and-White x Red Angus) x ♂ Red Angus	♀ Hereford x ♂ Charolais
III	♀ (Black-and-White x Red Angus) x ♂ Salers	♀ Simmental x ♂ Charolais

Source: own research.

The research did not analyse all factors, especially technological ones. It this paper, the emphasis is on the technical and economic efficiency of fed fodders.

In order to calculate the technical and economic effectiveness of breeding, the farms used special technological cards for a type, quantity and a price of the fodders. In the technological cards, up to date records on the usage of fodders in both experiments and for each of the different genotypes was noted. The economic analysis shows that the daily gains and cost of used fodders are important. Especially, the cost of fodders per 1 kg of gain is essential. This rate allows the calculation of the approximate cost of a 1 kg gain of a fatling according to the fact that in unit cost calculations fodders account for about 60-75 % of total costs.

In the final economic analysis of technical and economic effectiveness of the fodders fed in high quality beef production, inductive and statistical methods have been used. The results of the research have been reported in tables. Finally, practical conclusions have been stated on the basis of the analysis.

RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH

Fodders and the technology of feeding have always had a crucial impact on fatlings' weight gain and breeding economics. These factors influence technical and economic effectiveness in considerable ways.

The technology of feeding is essential, because fodders results in much more than half of breeding costs. However, the analysis of beef cattle breeding profitability is complicated. It depends on production conditions, the changing technology of breeding, the intensiveness of fodders production, the level of feeding, the cattle breed and structure on a rational fodders basis. Effective and skilful allocation of fodders is very important. It concerns different components such as: green matter and products and their conservation both in summer and winter-feeding. It can limit use of expensive concentrates with no negative effect.

In experiment no. 1 (table 2) in fatling daily feeding for one unit used: maize-silages - 6 kg, green silages - 10 kg, hay - 2 kg, straw - 2 kg, concentrate mixtures for cattle - 4 kg and mineral mixtures - 80 g. These fodders were used all year, where the value of daily fed fodders per one unit cost 4.95 PLN. Using this assumption, the fodders were 70% of total fattening costs, and the daily cost of raising one unit amounted to 7.07 PLN.

Table 2. Technical and economic efficiency of daily fed fodders per one unit of young fattened cattle in experiment no. 1

No.	Name of fodder (all the year)	Quantity of fed fodders		Price and value of fed fodders
		unit of measure	quantity	unit of measure	Price for 1 q (PLN)	Value (PLN)
1.	maize-silage	kg	6	q	6.00	0.36
2.	green silage	kg	10	q	8.00	0.80
3.	hay	kg	2	q	24.00	0.48
4.	straw	kg	2	q	4.00	0.08
5.	concentrate mixture for cattle	kg	4	q	74.00	2.96
6.	mineral mixture	g	80	kg	3.40	0.27
General value of fed fodders						4.95

Source: own calculation.

In experiment no. 2 (table 3) fatlings were fed daily with the following fodders: green silage and maize-silage - 18 kg, green matter of lucerne - 30 kg, hay - 3 kg, ground barley - 3 kg and mineral mixture - 80 g. The value of daily fed fodders per one fatling amounted to 4.65 PLN. It was lower by 0.30 PLN in comparison with experiment no. 1. When the fodders´ value was 70% of the total costs of fatling, the daily cost of one unit amounted to about 6.64 PLN.

Table 3. Technical and economic efficiency of daily fed fodders per one unit of young fattened cattle in experiment no. 2

No.	Name of fodder (all the year)	Quantity of fed fodders		Price and value of fed fodders
		unit of measure	quantity	unit of measure	Price for 1 q (PLN)	Value (PLN)
1.	green silage and maize-silage (in winter)	kg	18	q	6.00	1.08
2.	green matter of lucerne (in summer)	kg	30	q	4.50	1.35
3.	hay (all the year)	kg	3	q	24.00	0.72
4.	ground barley (all the year)	kg	3	q	41.00	1.23
5.	mineral mixture (all the year)	g	80	kg	3.40	0.27
General value of fed fodders						4.65

Source: own calculation.

Table 4 shows the average daily gains and costs of fodders per 1 kg of weight gain during the fattening period. The weight gains of all genotypes in both experiments were very good. It must be emphasized that very intensive crossbreeds' gains were in group I and II (black and white cows bred to Limousin and Red Angus bulls). In experiment no. 2 a bit better gains were obtained by bulls from groups I and III (pure-bred Charolais and crossbreeds of Simmental x Charolais). Despite less intensive animal fattening than in experiment no. 1, in experiment no. 2 in all the groups bulls' gains were very beneficial, according to the fact, that in the summer feeding they were fed with green matter of lucerne. This fodder was used in fattening in experiment no. 2 in summer feeding, because it is a less fallible plant under the West Pomeranian conditions. Kamieniecki and others [2] had affirmed similar results of feeding in similar conditions in the West Pomeranian Region.

Although greater daily gains were obtained in experiment no. 1, the average cost of fodders (4.29 PLN) was higher by 1.13 PLN than the feeding cost in experiment no. 2 (3.16 PLN). The greater cost of fodders in experiment no. 1 was caused by the greater quality of fed concentrate (4 kg), which was much more expensive in comparison with 3 kg of ground grain in experiment no. 2.

Table 4. Daily gains and fodder costs of fatlings in experiments no. 1 and no. 2

Group	Average number of days of the fattening	Experiment no. 1		Average number of days of the fattening	Experiment no. 2
		gains (g)	costs of fodders per 1 kg of gain (PLN)		gains (g)	costs of fodders per 1 kg of gain (PLN)
I	342.8	1140	4.17	289.0	1020	3.04
II	350.3	1148	4.14	285.1	929	3.35
III	354.3	1043	4.55	310.8	1013	3.08

Source: own calculation.

The greater cost of fodders used per 1 kg of gain in experiment no. 1 was also caused by the earlier weaning and the longer period of fattening, which is more energy-consuming because of the use of concentrates. Due to the fact mentioned above, the pasture season should be used maximally in raising fatlings, because the longer time that the calves stay with their mothers makes the cost effectively lower and prepares the animals for fattening.

In order to get high quality beef, different technologies can be used, because in both experiments high technical and economic effectiveness of young slaughter cattle fattening was noticed. However, the pasture period preparing the animals to fattening is recommended, as it is less expensive.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of the research, the following conclusions were framed:

1. Affirmed weight gains in all the groups in both experiments were very good, so that all genotypes can be fattened intensively in technologies shown in the research.

2. The value of the fodders used in both experiments were similar, but in experiment no. 2 it was lower by 0.30 PLN. Due to that, the cost of weight gains per 1 kg in the experiment no. 1 amounted to 7.07 PLN and was greater by 0.43 PLN than the cost in the experiment no. 2 (about 6.64 PLN).

3. The average cost of fodders per 1 kg of gain in experiment no. 2 was lower by 1.13 PLN than the cost of fodders in the experiment no. 1 (despite higher daily gains). It is recommended, that for high quality beef production, a system based on the maximal use of pasture in preparing the animal for fattening, including green matters and ground grains, should be used.

REFERENCES

1. Kamieniecki H., Pilarczyk R., Sablik P., Surmacz F., Wójcik J., 2003: Evaluation of the results of the young beef bulls intensive fattening (Ocena wyników opasu intensywnego buhajków mieszańców międzyrasowych). Zeszyty Naukowe Przeglądu Hodowlanego No 68, issue 1, pp. 307-314.

2. Kamieniecki H., Wójcik J., Szarkowski K., Surmacz F., 1989: Comparison of the results of different meat breeds raising in Cooperative "Agrofirm" Witkowo (Porównanie wyników odchowu cieląt różnych ras mięsnych w Spółdzielczej "Agrofirmie" Witkowo). Zeszyty Naukowe AR Wrocław, pp. 129-133.

3. Pałasz L., 1982: Profitability of cattle for slaughter production (Opłacalność produkcji żywca wołowego). Zeszyty Naukowe Akademii Rolniczej w Szczecinie, Szczecin, No 98, pp. 124-138.

4. Pałasz L., 1996: Organization and economics of cattle breeding in eco-development conditions (Organizacja i ekonomika chowu bydła w warunkach ekorozwoju). Przegląd Hodowlany No 2, pp. 11-13.

The paper is based on the research conducted within the research Project No 3P06Z01722, financed by national Committee for Scientific Research (KBN), Poland.

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Lech Pałasz
Department of Economic Policy and Market,
University of Agriculture in Szczecin
Żołnierska 47, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland
email: lpalasz@e-ar.pl

Henryk Kamieniecki
Department of Ruminant Animal Science,
University of Agriculture in Szczecin, Poland
Doktora Judyma 12, 71-466 Szczecin, Poland
email: hkamieniecki@p-ar.szczecin.pl

Jerzy Wójcik
Department of Ruminant Animal Science,
University of Agriculture in Szczecin, Poland
Doktora Judyma 12, 71-466 Szczecin, Poland

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Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.

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