Alternative beef production systems for the eastern plains of Colombia | [Alternativas del sistema de produccion de carne para los Llanos Orientales de Colombia]

Three beef production systems for the eastern Llanos of Colombia, w more specifically the high plains area south of the Meta river, are budgeted an analyzed. In general, the three systems may be characterized as involving extensive, medium intensive, and intensive systems of organization and mana ment. The extensive system is considered to be typical of current cattle management in the region. It involves no improved pastures and no control ormanagement of breeding. System II involves a limited amount of improved pastures and no control or managed breeding and an improved ani mal heal th program, System III is dependent almost entirely on improved pastures, and includes a breeding program and an animal health program somewhat more advanced than in System II. In terms of kilograms of beef produced per cow per year, III is the most productive of the three systems analyzed. However, in terms of financial results, System 11 appears to be, by a considerable margin, the most profizable. Thus, to the extent that -these analyses are adequate, it would appear that adoption of improved pastures, primarily for fattening of market animals, is profitable. However, these results suggest that extensive substitution of improved pastures for native pastures is not profitable under present condittons. Stated differently, reducing land exx1nsion by increasing fertilizer inputs is not profitable given present raw land prices and fertilizer costs. Whereas the number of hectares per cow is 23, 17, and 4 in Systems I, II, and III, respectively, the annual per cow pasture costs (including depreciation aLd interest on fences) are $178, $184, and $398, respectively. This difference of 220 percent between the first two systems and System III is due entirely to pasture maintenance costs, of which fertilizer purchase alone acco0unts for $266 or 67 percent. It should be emphasized that the three systems budgeted are only several of an infinite number of possibilities. The technical coefficients used in budgeting System III are probably more subject to error than in the other two systems because of lack of experience with such a system. The results presented here are not necessarily applicable to any specific ranching operation in the Llanos. Present and potential operators may find it profitable to budget alternatives under the specific circumstances surrounding their cattle enterprise. This could involve somewhat different technical coefficients such as weaning rates, as well as prices more specific to the local area. Although this analysis is primarily directed to questionis of the economics of the individual ranching units, vertain conclusions relative to potential macro effects seem appropriate. Although the Llanos are generally thought to have an enormous potential for cattle production, they now account for only approximately 10 percent of the nation's cattle inventory. It should be noted further that if the typical system (System 1) budgeted here is, in fact, typical of the Llanos, current weaning rates and production levels do not permit expansion of breeding stock through natural increase. on the other hand, the improved system budgeted in System II permits a fairly rapid increase of approyimately 12 percent per year in female breeding stock. These data suggest that cattle production and management systems are of interest not only to the individual ranchers, but to the welfare and growth of the nation as well. (RA)