The Possibility of Simulation Program For Selection of Beef Cattle Weaning Weight at Ranch Operation

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the possibility of using simulation program of selection for weaning weight and to improve productivity of beef cattle. The production and reproduction data of Brahman Cross (BX) cattle during three yeawvere collected for three year from Bila River Ranch (BRR), South Sulawesi, and PT Kariyana Gita Utama (KGU) Sukabumi. The data were analyzed by using a simulation selection program for the weaning weight. The results indicated that selection response was 0.58 kg/year, the average of weaning gain was 1.63 kg/year (2.01%) for the parents and 2.28 kg/year (0.32%) for the offsprings, and the difference of weaning weight between the selected population and control was 14.41% in the l7th generation of selection. was concluded that simulation program could be used in analyzing weaning weight selection, and illustrated the genetic and phenotypic improvemnent, fastly and cheaply.