title: Technologies that affect the weaning rate in beef cattle production systems.
abstract: We investigated the differences between weaning rates and technologies adopted by farmers in cow-calf production systems in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Interviews were carried out with 73 farmers about 48 technologies that could affect reproductive performance. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis using a non-hierarchical cluster method. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Three distinct clusters of farmers were created (R (2) = 0.90), named as low (LWR), intermediate (IWR), and high (HWR) weaning rate, with 100, 91, and 96 % of the farmers identified within their respective groups and average weaning rates of 59, 72, and 83 %, respectively. IWR and HWR farmers used more improved natural pasture, fixed-time artificial insemination, selection for birth weight, and proteinated salt compared to LWR. HWR farmers used more stocking rate control, and IWR farmers used more ultrasound to evaluate reproductive performance compared to the LWR group. IWR and HWR adopted more technologies related to nutrition and reproductive aspects of the herd in comparison to LWR. We concluded that farmers with higher technology use on farm had higher weaning rates which could be used to benefit less efficient farmers.
authors.affiliation: Center for Studies and Research in Agribusiness - CEPAN. Núcleo de Estudos em Sistemas de Produção de Bovinos de Corte e Cadeia Produtiva - NESPRO, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Ave. Bento Gonçalves 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. matheusdill@hotmail.com.|Unidade Acadêmica de Garanhuns, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - UFRPE, Avenida Bom Pastor, s/n, 55292-270, Garanhuns, PE, Brazil. matheusdill@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Matheus Dhein
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0267-3367
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dill
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Núcleo de Estudos em Sistemas de Produção de Bovinos de Corte e Cadeia Produtiva - NESPRO, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Ave. Bento Gonçalves 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel Ribas
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Núcleo de Estudos em Sistemas de Produção de Bovinos de Corte e Cadeia Produtiva - NESPRO, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Ave. Bento Gonçalves 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Batista Gonçalves
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Núcleo de Estudos em Sistemas de Produção de Bovinos de Corte e Cadeia Produtiva - NESPRO, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Ave. Bento Gonçalves 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo Canali
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Canellas
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, University of Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Peripolli
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Núcleo de Estudos em Sistemas de Produção de Bovinos de Corte e Cadeia Produtiva - NESPRO, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Ave. Bento Gonçalves 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Braccini
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.affiliation: Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agronpecuária - Embrapa Pecuária Sul, Rodovia BR-153, Km 603, Vila Industrial, Caixa Postal 242, 96401-970, Bagé, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo Menezes
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sant'Anna
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, University of Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Concepta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.affiliation: Center for Studies and Research in Agribusiness - CEPAN. Núcleo de Estudos em Sistemas de Produção de Bovinos de Corte e Cadeia Produtiva - NESPRO, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Ave. Bento Gonçalves 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.|Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Núcleo de Estudos em Sistemas de Produção de Bovinos de Corte e Cadeia Produtiva - NESPRO, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Ave. Bento Gonçalves 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Júlio Otávio Jardim
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Barcellos
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019649:Food Industry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000191:economics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014886:Weaning
keywords: Beef cattle production; Livestock; Management; Technology adoption