Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that affects cloven-hoofed livestock and wildlife. FMD has been a problem for decades, which has led to various measures to control, eradicate and prevent FMD by National Veterinary Services worldwide. Currently, the identification of areas that are at risk of FMD virus incursion and spread is a priority for FMD target surveillance after FMD is eradicated from a given country or region. In our study, a knowledge-driven spatial model was built to identify risk areas for FMD occurrence and to evaluate FMD surveillance performance in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. For this purpose, multi-criteria decision analysis was used as a tool to seek multiple and conflicting criteria to determine a preferred course of action. Thirteen South American experts analyzed 18 variables associated with FMD introduction and dissemination pathways in Rio Grande do Sul. As a result, FMD higher risk areas were identified at international borders and in the central region of the state. The final model was expressed as a raster surface. The predictive ability of the model assessed by comparing, for each cell of the raster surface, the computed model risk scores with a binary variable representing the presence or absence of an FMD outbreak in that cell during the period 1985 to 2015. Current FMD surveillance performance was assessed, and recommendations were made to improve surveillance activities in critical areas.

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Identification of foot and mouth disease risk areas using a multi-criteria analysis approach.

Background: The economy of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) relies majorly on agriculture; among the livestock production chains, cattle production has the largest economic, historical, and cultural importance in RS. The cattle industry is the main zootechnical activity in RS. Due to this, there is an actual need for updated characterization of the animal population, considering the population dynamics and the requirements imposed by the Official Veterinary Service (SVO) to meet certain characteristics. This would facilitate appropriate policies and measures to safeguard the health of the cattle in RS, as well as safeguard public health, and consequently avoid the economic impacts of possible health events. Materials, Methods & Results: Based on data from the livestock survey of 2013 from the Department of Animal Health (DDA), the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, and Agribusiness of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (SEAPA-RS), descriptive and spatial analyses of the cattle population were performed using software R and ArcMap TM 10, respectively. It was observed that the state has more than 13 million cattle distributed over approximately 346,000 farms. The majority of the bovine population consists of females over the age of 36 months. The predominant function of these farms is a complete cycle (breeding to fattening). Beef production is the predominant activity, followed by a mix of beef production and dairy production, and then sole dairy production. These characteristics differ depending on the state’s region. Regarding the number of animals per property, 88% of properties are small having up to 50 cattle, and about 1% of properties have more than 500 animals. The general average in the state for the proportion of T:V (calf: cow) is 57 calves per 100 cows, and this is close to the national average. Discussion: About 60.62% of cattle herds consisted of animals aged over 24 months, and most of this group were females over 36 months of age (38.95%). About 50% of properties have up to 10 animals, demonstrating a large proportion of small farms. RS has an imbalance in its production system, with a large number of breeding females for the activity of beef production. The cattle in RS are mostly bred for the production of beef in a full cycle system (with all stages of production on the property), and only 10% of cattle raised in RS are bred solely for milk production. With regard to the proportion of T:V, we concluded that the state’s beef production shows modest productivity and needs to improve production rates to increase financial returns for producers and enable competitiveness in the domestic and international markets. Furthermore, this information correlates with previous studies that have reported that farms in the business of beef production use low technology and low performance animals. Dairy farming, in contrast with beef farming, has been modernizing and developing in recent years by increasing co-operatives and agribusinesses, which has led to greater knowledge through technical assistance to the farms. Extensive farming is dependent on field areas and is historically associated with the natural fields in the campaign region, since dairy farming is dependent on areas where there is a supply of specialized food. Thus, despite the state having a greater concentration of animals in the south-southwest, production indices are similar to other regions, and the type of farming undertaken exerts a great influence on the regional animal population structure.

Panorama da bovinocultura no Rio Grande do Sul Cattle Rearing in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the economic viability of a traditional model of beef calves production in extensive system, developed under the conditions of relevant receipts and input costs recommended for normal production conditions in the of Rio Grande do Sul state. There were two interviews in rural property for collection of data on the expenditure of resources, structures available for the system of production and occupancy rates of grazing areas. The results showed that major operating costs of the activity were the manpower and feeding the flock. In the land opportunity costs represented the largest proportion (52.0%) of the total cost. Fixed costs were higher variable costs (61.7% vs. 38.3%). Gross and net margins showed that the activity is sustainable but economically equilibrium point of calving (85.0%) was above average rates reported in the literature, and negative values for profitability (-19.0%) and profitability (-23.2%). It was concluded that the viability of production systems studied in this research can be obtained from the optimization of production technologies and the reduction of fixed costs without changing the recipes. Key words:  beef cattle, production costs, balance point, profitability.

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Análise de custos, receitas e ponto de equilíbrio dos sistemas de produção de bezerros no rio grande do sul

This research had as objective to describe the factors that motivate the family farmers of Alto Alegre / RS to remain or to give up of the milk activity. In order to carry out this diagnosis, semi-structured interviews were applied to seventeen family establishments in the District of Santa Lucia - Alto Alegre (including all remaining farmers who left the activity in the locality), of whom ten are active and seven have given up their milk activity. It can be concluded that the lack of successor was the main aspect found for the exit or demotivation of rural producers of the milk activity; while the monthly income provided by the activity was the main reason for staying in it.

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What does the dairy activity in family establishments desistimate

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of two sub-periods of the calving season and two cow maturity stages on the efficiency of beef cows and their calves. A total of 159 cow-calf pairs were divided by calving time (early or late) within the calving season and maturity stage (young or adult). Calves were weaned at 42 or 63 days after birth and evaluated until 210 days of age. Cows and calves had their development examined based on their weight and body condition score at calving, at weaning, and at 210 days. Reproductive performance was evaluated on the basis of time to become pregnant again. Milk yield was assessed by the direct method on three occasions spaced 21 days apart. Adult cows were heavier than young cows, at calving (398.5 vs 327.5 kg, respectively), weaning (397.3 vs 324.1 kg, respectively) at the end breeding season (424.1 vs 342.1 kg, respectively). Reproductive performance was influenced by calving time. Adult cows had higher pregnancy rates (83.75 and 69.17%, for early and for late calving, respectively) than young cows (57.03 and 35.01% for early and for late-calving, respectively). Calves from early-calving young cows weighed 158.8 kg at 210 days of age vs. 123.7 kg for those born from late-calving adult cows. However, late-calving cows produced 10.7% more milk than those that calved early in the season (227.0 vs 205.0 liters, respectively). Early calving associated with non-requirement of growth determine higher productivity efficiency in beef cows.

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Fernando Henrique Sauter Groff

Papers

Panorama da bovinocultura no Rio Grande do Sul