Beef Production Research Main strategic lines

1. Beef Production ResearchMain strategic lines Production Industry Market Consumers • Genetic improvement • Reproductive management • Beef and carcass quality, product differentiation • Production systems • Organic and ecological products

2. Beef Production ResearchGenetic improvement • EPDs value estimation on economic meaningfull characteristics INIA – Hereford Breeders Assoc. – Univ. of Georgia • Weight at born • Weight at 15 mo. • Weight at 18 mo. • Scrotal circunf. • Maternal ability • ADG • REA • BF • Calving facility (2007) 2005 111 breeding farms 170.000 animals

3. Beef Production ResearchGenetic improvement • International Evaluation System for Hereford • INIA and Hereford Breeders Assoc. participate in World Genetic Evaluation Project - Agric. Bussiness Research Inst. and Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (New England Univ. – Australia) • First step: Pan-american genetic evaluation • Second step: International genetic evaluation

4. Beef Production ResearchGenetic improvement • Crossbreds evaluation for different production systems • Braford  INIA Tacuarembó • Hereford x Angus  INIA La Estanzuela • ADG, carcass and beef quality

5. Beef Production ResearchReproductive managment • Uruguay average pregnancy rate  60 – 65 % • Research topics • Feed and feeding strategy

6. Annual DM Distribution in Range Fall Winter Spring Summer

7. Beef Production ResearchReproductive managment • Uruguay average pregnancy rate  60 – 65 % • Research topics • Feed and feeding strategy • Cow • Range grazing mgmt. (stocking rate) • Range improvements • Cultivated pastures • Supplements • Heifer • Winter feeding • Supplements

9. Beef Production ResearchReproductive managment • Uruguay average pregnancy rate  60 – 65 % • Research topics • Weaning managment • Early weaning • Temporary weaning • Reproductive diseases

10. Beef Production ResearchBeef and carcass quality • Objective tools to evaluate animals, carcass and beef cuts • Critical review of actual system • VIAScan • BEEFCAM

11. Beef Production ResearchBeef and carcass quality • Beef Chain Quality National Audit (farm to slaughter plant) • INIA-INAC- Colorado Sate Univ. (USA) • 10 slaughter plants (80% of total slaugther) • Fall and Spring 2002 • Main problems: • pH • Dark cuts • Age • Skin damage • Bruises Losses  32 U$S/animal  58 U$S mill/year

12. Beef Production ResearchBeef and carcass quality • Evaluation of urugayan beef quality in international markets (tenderness, colour, fat, fatty acids, consumer panels) • INIA-INAC-SCHU-AECI (Spain)-Univ. de Zaragoza (Spain)-IRTA(Spain) • Type of animal, age, beef ageing, feeding • Chemical: fatty acids, vit. E, etc. • Experts panels • Consumers perceptions: • 200 consumers • Spain, UK (Bristol, Aberystwith - Wales), Germany • 2 cities each

13. Pufa/Sfa CLA UK Uruguay 2 Spain Uruguay 3 Germany % lipids n6/n3

14. 0.7 0.8 2.4 3.8 4.1mg/kg AECI – INIA - INAC 2.9 3.7 3.9mg/kg Vit. E content= 3.5 mg/kg

15. Beef Production ResearchBeef and carcass quality • Feeding strategy to improve beef and carcass quality • Type of pastures (adapted to each ecological region) • Forage assigment • Supplement (type, period, amount) • Silage • Forage – supplement interaction • Feed lot

16. 1.4a

17. Beef Production ResearchProduction systems • Modelling and evaluation of alternatives for different regions • Experimental and demonstrative system units at Exp. Stations • Monitoring of productive and economic variables and their relationship at commercial farms • Environmental impact evaluation of intensification processes on different production systems and possible mitigation actions

18. PASTURE UTILIZATION SUPPLEMENTATION Avg. Daily Gain Stocking rate BEEF PRODUCTION ECONOMIC RETURN

19. OBJECTIVES Product quality System control Economic feasibility Productive & environ. sustentability UII – INIA LE Exp. Production Beef Systems Monitoring & evaluation Fall ADG Finishing alternatives Supplem. frequency Confinement strategies Direct tillage Nutrient balance RESEARCH TOPICS

21. Beef production and economic return ( 5 years analysis, commercial farms) Source: GIPROCAR, 2002

22. Beef production, Stocking rate and ADG (5 years analysis, commercial farms) Source: GIPROCAR, 2002

23. + economic return • + Avg. Annual stocking rate + Increase of Spring stocking rate • + Supplementation • + Winter SR Main variables explaining economic returnon commercial farms + beef production Fuente: GIPROCAR, 2002

24. Environmental-Economical trade off

25. Beef Production Research Organic and ecological products • Protocol development for different products • Production alternatives according to protocols • Characterization of products • Beef chain agents integration • Market studies

26. Beef Production Research Organic and ecological products • Organic beef • 700.000 hectares • 500.000 certified animales • 2 slaughter plantas (PUL, F. Tacuarembó - North) • Certification: SKAL (Holland) • Hereford Beef • Certified terderness • Natural Choice Beef • Feed lot • Minimun req: carcass yield, colour, marbling, REA • Establecimientos Colonia SA • Others

27. Beef Production Research Production Industry Market Consumers STRATEGIC PLAN 2007 - 2011