Economic Importance of the Traits for Slovak Pinzgau Breed Reared in Dairy and Cow-calf System

Th e bio-economic approach was used to calculate economic weights for twelve production (dairy and growth), functional and carcass traits of Slovak Pinzgau cattle raised in dairy (A) and cow-calf (B) system. Th e breeding heifers for own herd replacement with ten reproduction cycles at maximum was produced. Th e sale of surplus male and female calves was assumed aft er fi nishing of weaning period in both systems. Milk production is with quota limited in Slovakia, but the quotas limits aren’t fi lling up if the whole dairy population is taken into account. In the system A, the base price per milk value was corrected according to the fat and protein content and somatic cells count. Th e marginal economic weights were calculated as the numeric derivation of the profi t function. Marginal values were standardized (multiplied by the genetic standard deviation of the appropriate trait) and expressed as relative values (percentage proportion). Th e marginal economic weight for milk yield (+0.20 €) and for dressing percentage (+0.39 €) were the lowest in both systems. Th e highest marginal importance was found for production lifetime of cows in system A (+69.26 € per year and cow), and in system B (+52.55 € per year and cow), respectively. Functional traits achieved the highest marginal values in both systems. But the relative economic values for the functional traits complex represent only 37.04% in system A, and 73.52% in system B, respectively. Th e proportion of functional, production and carcass traits complexes was 37.04 : 62.73 : 0.23 in system A, and 73.52 : 26.07 : 0.41 in system B. Th e highest relative economic importance was observed for the 305 d milk production (37.70%) in system A and yearling weight (25.35%) in system B, respectively. Subsidies in the calculations were of positive eff ect on the profi tability in the system B but it was not suffi cient for positive profi tability in the system A. Th e system A achieves negative profi tability irrespective on assigned subsidies. Th e system B has positive profi tability aft er accounting subsidies.