An agent-based simulation model to compare different reproductive strategies in cow-calf operations: Economic performance.

In a companion paper, Ojeda-Rojas et al. (2021) [1] describe a stochastic agent-based simulation (ABS) model of a cow-calf operation on a commercial farm in São Paulo, Brazil. The model's parameterization was based on data collected from two sources: a real beef cattle herd and related scientific literature.

An agent-based simulation model to compare different reproductive strategies in cow-calf operations: Technical performance.

The objective of this study was to create a stochastic, agent-based simulation model of a synthetic population of beef cattle, and then use it to compare the technical performance of different reproductive strategies. The model was parameterized using data from a real beef cattle herd and from the peer-reviewed scientific literature to represent a Nelore cattle herd in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Ten scenarios were evaluated: natural mating (NM) only (ONM); one timed artificial insemination (TAI) plus NM (1TAI + NM); two TAI plus NM, with 24, 32, and 40 days between inseminations (2TAI/24 + NM, 2TAI/32 + NM, and 2TAI/40 + NM, respectively); three TAI without NM, with 24, 32, and 40 days between TAI (3TAI/24, 3TAI/32, and 3TAI/40, respectively); and three TAI plus NM, with 24 and 32 days (3TAI/24 + NM and 3TAI/32 + NM, respectively).