Evaluation of innovation opportunities in productive systems of beef with simulation models

Abstract

Simulation models are complementary tools to fieldwork that facilitate the integration of different information and diverse agricultural processes allowing the study of their interactions and the evolution of the impact of changes in the global system. The effectiveness of simulation models as a decision support tool has been questioned, but its exponential use in the international scenario to assess opportunities for livestock innovation in a context where each time it is essential to relate not only the productive, economic and social aspects, but the implications of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in a context of climate change. In this context, and being Latin America, with great weight in South America, supplier of 23% of the world beef production (and growing) and world leader in meat exports, it needs locally appropriate models to analyze the economic, social and environmental trade-offs of different alternatives potentially applicable to their systems. Therefore, this presentation has two main objectives: objective 1 aims to show some specific experiences of technology evaluations with simulation models for vaccine breeding systems of a particular region of Argentina, reflecting on difficulties, limitations and strategies developed for such an end objective 2 aims to analyze the recent history of publication (period 1990-2015) on the development of livestock simulation models in South America, in order to detect qualitative and quantitative references on the progress in the subject.