Tropentag, October 5 - 7, 2004 in Berlin "Rural Poverty Reduction through Research for Development and Transformation"

Determination of Marginal Utility of Central Characteristics for Pig Breeding in Ukraine

University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan, Department of Agriculture, Germany

Abstract

The analysis of relevant breeding targets in pig fattening is of high relevance to produce products which fulfil the expectations of consumers and the processing industry and to support agricultural enterprises to place their production strategy as close as possible at the market. Analyses showed that there exist big deficits in Ukraine.
Estimated breeding values (natural breeding values) of the single characteristics have to be assessed with their economic weight, since the importance of breeding characteristics in the breeding target should be basically be attached according to their economic relevance in the production stage respectively in the downstream outlet market.
The main objective of the presented study is the determination of economic weights of single performance characteristics under consideration of the specific Ukrainian production and market conditions. The marginal utility was used as economic weight of the performance characteristics.
Farm interviews (42 farms in Ukraine), single measurements and intensive interviews of key persons in Ukraine were conducted in order to establish the data base for the analyses. The results of the analyses were compared with according analyses of the State/Bavaria.
The analyses show that food utilisation is the main criteria with an value of -15.2 €. The economic weight for the daily gains in life weight is deducted from a reduction of the fattening period and amounts 0,01 € for a daily gain of 1 g. The number of living born piglets and number of reared piglets can be used fort he breeding characteristic fertility. Here the analyses showed that both criteria are given a much higher weight in Bavaria with an economic weight of 4.50 € both compared to Ukraine (1.16 € respectively 1.70 €). The economic weight for the thickness of backside bacon is 1.09 € in Ukraine (share of fatless meat in Bavaria 1.00 € for the mother race and 2.25 € for the father race).
The calculated economic weights provide important indications fort he improvement of breeding to increase economic efficiency and so the competitiveness of pig production in Ukraine.

Keywords: Marginal utility, pig breeding, Ukraine

Contact Address: Ralf Schlauderer, University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan, Department of Agriculture, Steingruberstraße 2, 91746 Weidenbach, Germany, e-mail: ralf.schlaudererfh-weihenstephan.de