A systems analysis approach for studying the effect of reproduction-enhancing biotechnologies on the genetic improvement of beef cattle.
A function is presented to which nonlinear programming techniques could be applied to quantify the potential of super-ovulation, embryo transfer, sexed semen, in vitro fertilization and in vitro maturation of oocytes used singularly or in combination to improve genetically beef cattle growth and(or) reproductive efficiency. The function to be maximized adds genetic gain times the sale price of the additional product brought about by the genetic selection program, and any income change due to change from the normal replacement rate of females, and subtracts the additional costs of the breeding program over a random breeding program. All this is expressed on a per-calf-sold basis to arrive at the economic return of the breeding program per calf raised to market age. The rate of increase in inbreeding can be restricted as desired. It is assumed that a progeny testing procedure is practiced for the selection of sires. The power of nonlinear programming to find maximums of functions with many variables and to measure how sensitive the genetic and economic returns are to various success rates for the biotechnologies mentioned above is discussed.
Slanger
W D
WD
Dept. of Anim. and Range Sci., North Dakota State University, Fargo 58105.
Anbil
R
R
D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D013480:Superovulation; D013597:Systems Analysis