Abstract

VAZQUEZ, Pablo Mauricio; ROJAS, Maria del Carmen; ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ, Ezequiel  and  GONZALEZ, Ana Clara. Factors Limiting the Weaning Rate in Beef Production Systems in the Breeding Region of La Pampa Province, Argentina. Cienc. Tecnol. Agropecuaria [online]. 2023, vol.24, n.2, e2712.  Epub Aug 31, 2023. ISSN 0122-8706.  https://doi.org/10.21930/rcta.vol24_num2_art:2712.

The cattle breeding area of the province of La Pampa, Argentina is characterized by a 60 % average weaning rate. The degree of relationship between environmental and management factors and the weaning rates obtained in the region was analysed. A total of 180 farms (15% of total) were randomly selected in the area, characterized by an arid-semiarid climate, and their climatic and productive information was reconstructed for the period 2004-2017. The explanatory and target variables were categorized as 0 and 1, and analysed using contingency tables (x2, α = 0,10). The probability of occurrence of significant associations was estimated by Odd Ratio (OR). The variables heat stress, below-average cumulative summer-autumn rainfall and negative water balance per animal had significant probabilities of 60 % of being associated with low weaning (OR = 1,5, 1,6 and 1,45, respectively). It is a priority to define policies to improve access to water and to incorporate more rustic breeds tolerant to high temperatures.

Keywords : Cattle; Water; Arid-semiarid; Climatic change; Temperature; Thermic stress.

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