<b>Economic results of sheep production on ryegrass pasture or feedlot</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v31i1.3995

Abstract

This study evaluated economic return of lamb meat production and identified the compounds that have greater influence on production cost. The study was carried out in two stages. Stage 1: experiment at Lapoc-UFPR in 2004 to compare lamb finishing for slaughter at 32 kg: (1) 40-days-old weaned lamb kept under pasture; (2) lamb with mother on pasture; (3) lamb with mother on pasture and concentrate (1% BW day^-1) in creep feeding; and (4) 40-days-old weaned lamb in feedlot. Stage 2: a module of 150 ewes was projected for economic evaluations considering meat and animals for breeding sale. Calculation of fixed, variable, total costs, profitability, PNW, IRR and benefit:cost ratio. The feedlot demanded higher initial investment, 21% higher than systems on pasture. The annual net margin was positive in all systems and the economic result was positive only on the pasture system without weaning. The labor and feeding presented the highest cost in all systems. Higher profitability was obtained on lambs kept on pasture without weaning. All studied systems showed negative PNW and IRR lower than 5% per year. The lambs finished without weaning on pasture show the best economic results.