Selective breeding work of Nelore and Nelore Mocho cattle at Fazendas Reunidas Santa Maria

Reconciling a noble meat production in tropical regions with affordable prices for the population depends on efficient and competent livestock farming.

At Fazendas Reunidas Santa Maria, located in semi-arid regions of the Northeast (Bahia, Brazil), Nelore Mocho (Ongole) productive breeding is reaching husbandry advances across generations, as hardiness and remarkable reproductive efficiency.

Continuous assessment of the herd and a competent use of computer and statistics resources allow us to consolidate typical tropical livestock farming, scientifically based on the most modern concepts of leading animal husbandry.

Virtues of Nelore breed

Nelore breed stands out by its females´ calving ease, with calves compatible with the constitution of their mothers (about 25 to 30 kg at birth). This feature ensures that most of the females have a normal calving and do not require surgical intervention (cesarean section).

Another winning virtue of Nelore breed is the calves´ ease to gain weight after birth. And that's a matter of maternal ability, because the female takes good care of its calf, always feeding it, until the time of separation.

At Santa Maria farms, a good Nelore female weans a male calf with an approximate weight of 230 kg and a female calf with 211 kg, the calving interval being 378 days. These indices were obtained by the average of Fazendas Reunidas´ herd, statistically evaluated between 2,500 PO matrices.

The Breeding Selection Process at Santa Maria Farms

All animals from Nelore Mocho herd at Santa Maria farms are weighed, measured and evaluated. Those who do not reach ideal levels - 510 kg at the age of 2 or an ADG (average daily gain) of 650 g are summarily eliminated from the breeding selection. Thus, a homogeneous herd is being consolidated, homozygous displaying advances through generations, meeting desired characteristics for field breeding in the tropics.

The use of computer resources, with exclusive and unique programs, allows Santa Maria farms to systematically assess information, such as: birth weight, weaning weight, average calving intervals, best females upon weaning, cow´s vs. calf´s weight, reproductive efficiency, most efficient "families" and so on.

This enables the selection of bulls and breeding lines to be used in the techniques of artificial insemination and embryo. These techniques provide speed in the multiplication of positive results.