Lambing Interval Costs In Pelifolk Sheep Under Extensive And Semi-Intensive Conditions In Jalisco, Mexico

The aim was to determine the economic losses that are generated by prolonged Lambing Interval (LI) in two production systems of sheep of the Pelifolk breed were analyzed under extensive (Eps) and semi-intensive (Sps) conditions. The LI was calculated, and economic variables such as the Benefit-Cost Ratio (B/C), profitability, and the break-even point (Bp) were analyzed. The study included records from January to December 2019. The LI was 343.04 days and 301.85 days for Eps and Sps, respectively. The B/C ratio was $ 0.80 for Eps and $ 0.95 for Sps. We found that each day that the LI lags from the ideal time, the cost for the producer is of $ 0.18 per animal in Sps and $ 1.24 per animal in Eps, which correspond to the costs of feeding and handling the sheep. Therefore, negative profitability values of -19% (Eps) and -4.36% (Sps) were found, with a Bp of 3,600 and 3,177 kg of meat for production in Eps and Sps, respectively. Economically, significant differences were found in the two systems evaluated, which were related to the prolonged LI derived from the high costs of feeding and handling in each system.