Little information exists regarding the optimal economic slaughter endpoint (OSE) for feedlot-finished cattle in Brazil. This study investigated the perceptions of Brazilian feeders regarding the optimal time for slaughter. A total of 52 interviews were conducted involving nutritionist-consultants (n = 23), feedlot owners (n = 21), and packer-owned feedlots (n = 8). The results showed that 65% of the interviewees used weight and fat cover, both estimated visually, to determine the moment for slaughter. Identifying the ideal time for slaughter was considered a challenge for respondents, and 85% of them recognized that their current slaughter endpoint identification method needed improvements. Regarding decision support systems, 58% of respondents reported they would purchase a computer program to help identify OSE, and 73% would be interested in incorporating a prototype of such a system into their feedlots. Carcass dressing (38%) and price (25%) were the main factors driving the feeder’s choice of meatpacker, followed by carcass premiums (10%). Meat quality was found to be an irrelevant criterion for Brazilian meatpackers in awarding both premiums (5%) and deductions (3%). Slaughter endpoint is determined subjectively by the Brazilian feeders, based on a visual evaluation of both weight and fatness.
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24 June 2020
Perception of consultants, feedlot owners, and packers regarding the optimal economic slaughter endpoint in feedlots: a national survey in Brazil (Part I)
Thiago Sérgio de Andrade,
Tiago Zanett Albertini,
Luís Gustavo Barioni,
Sérgio Raposo de Medeiros,
Danilo Domingues Millen,
Antônio Carlos Ramos dos Santos,
Rodrigo Silva Goulart,
Dante Pazzanese Duarte Lanna
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beef
carcass
cattle
feedlot
management