Economic considerations of breeding for polledness versus disbudding in beef cattle

Abstract The domestication of animals has rendered horns less necessary for survival. Moreover, the use of polled and disbudded animals is interesting in order to avoid injuries of animals and handlers, among other advantages. We therefore conducted a comparative economic analysis of different disbudding techniques versus selection for polledness in Nelore cattle, the main beef breed of tropical systems in Brazil. Three scenarios for obtaining animals without horns were simulated and their costs were evaluated: disbudding with hot iron, disbudding with caustic paste, and phenotypic selection for polled animals. Price quotations of the materials were obtained in different states of the country and averaged. An initial frequency of horned animals of 92.16% was obtained based on the records of the Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders. Selection was found to be the least-cost method. This result differs from intensive production systems of dairy cattle in which disbudding continues to be the least-cost technique. The main explanation is the lack of difference in the price of Nelore semen from polled and horned bulls. Phenotypic selection for polled animals is the least-cost methos and it is in accordance with welfare practices. Care should be taken regarding the intensive use of few polled breeding animals in order to avoid inbreeding depression in other traits.