An overview of economic, managerial, social aspects, animal management, and welfare practices on cow-calf operations: a national survey in Brazil

The beef cattle industry in Brazil has historically lacked data on management practices incorporated in cow-calf operations. This survey aimed to obtain a national overview of cow-calf operations in Brazil, reporting the general descriptions of the farm, such as economic, social, animal management, and welfare practices. Data were collected from 280 farms via an online questionnaire from August 2022 to August 2023. More than half of the respondents (56.40%, n = 141) were from farms with up to 1,000 ha in total area. The main challenges faced were high nutritional input costs (26%, n = 73) and labor laws (22%, n = 61). Only 30.36% (n = 85) relied solely on cow-calf operations for family income. Over 70% (n = 196) utilized management tools such as spreadsheets or software, while 19.28% (n = 54) conducted investment analysis. A majority (64.29%, n = 180) planned for family succession. The survey revealed widespread adoption of welfare practices in cattle handling (81.07%, n = 227). The average weaning age of calves was 7.4 months, with limited use of early weaning. Overall, the survey suggests that respondents engage in technical consulting, utilize cattle financing, and implement family succession planning to enhance the financial and technical efficiency of their operations.