Economics of Invasive Species Damage and Damage Management

Annually, the estimated damage caused by invasive species in the United States has exceeded $100 billion, becoming one of the leading causes of environmental change and global biodiversity loss (Wilcove et al. 1998; Mack et al. 2000; Sala et al. 2000; Pimentel et al. 2005). Invasions by nonnative species highlight the undeniable link and feedback loops between ecological and economic systems (Perrings et al. 2002; Julia et al. 2007). Ecological systems determine if the conditions are suitable for invasion by nonnative species; however, economic systems help fuel the introduction of nonnative species and are themselves affected by invasive species when the ecosystem’s ability to provide services is diminished or when livestock or crops are made unmarketable (Julia et al. 2007). Invasive species have played an important role in U.S. agriculture. While some of the goods cultivated by the U.S. agricultural sector are indigenous plant and animal species, many are introduced; a minimum of 4542 species currently existing in the United States originated from outside its borders (Office of Technology Assessment 1993). Introduced species, such as corn, wheat, rice, as well as cattle, poultry, and other livestock, are all important commodities produced by the U.S. agricultural sector. Some introduced species have potential conservation values as well, providing food and shelter for native species, acting as catalysts for restoration, serving as substitutes for extinct species, and augmenting ecosystem services (Schlaepfer et al. 2011). A distinction can be drawn, then, between introduced species and invasive species. Like introduced species, invasive species are nonnative to that ecosystem; however, invasive species have the potential to cause harm, whether measured economically, environmentally, or as a human health hazard (The White House 1999)

ECONOMICS OF DETECTION AND CONTROL OF INVASIVE SPECIES: WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

Invasive species are species that are not native to an ecosystem, and when introduced into the new ecosystem, they cause economic or environmental damage. Trade is one way in which these species are introduced into new regions, and as trade increases, the introduction of invasive species also rises. The Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies, North Dakota State University, held a workshop on April 30, 2004 in Fargo, ND, titled ?Economics of Detection and Control of Invasive Species? to address these issues. The purpose of this workshop was to present current findings on the subject of invasive species in agricultural trade and to structure the model for an in-depth research project examining this issue. Speakers included experts from the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, as well as professors of economics from North Dakota State University and other academic institutions. Discussion included the impact of invasive species on agricultural production and trade, the tools used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Customs and Border patrol to detect and control incoming species, and the creation of econometric models to capture and explain these processes and to analyze policy issues. This report contains abstracts from the presentations given at the workshop.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

NUTRITION AND THE ECONOMICS OF SWINE MANAGEMENT

Current methods of formulating animal rations lead to excess nutrient excretion which can potentially lead to excess manure nutrients and an increase in economic costs. These methods do not recognize the impact of diminishing returns. The objective is to simultaneously optimize feed ration composition and replacement. The results, when compared against results from a survey of feed companies, indicate that using a profit maximization rather than live weight growth maximization criterion targets nutrients to an animal's actual needs and, hence, fewer nutrients are excreted and higher returns for producers are obtained.nonlinear growth modeling, pigs, replacement, swine, Livestock Production/Industries,

MODELING OF AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

The authors present an overview of agricultural systems models. Beginning with why systems are modeled and for what purposes, the paper examines types of agricultural systems and associated model types. The broad categories range from pictorial (iconic) models to descriptive analogue models to symbolic (usually mathematical) models. The uses of optimization versus non-optimizing mechanistic models are reviewed, as are the scale and aggregation challenges associated with scaling up from the plant cell to the landscape or from a farm enterprise to a world market supply-demand equilibrium Recent modeling developments include the integration of formerly stand-alone biophysical simulation models, increasingly with a unifying spatial database and often for the purpose of supporting management decisions. Current modeling innovations are estimating and incorporating environmental values and other system interactions. At the community and regional scale, sociological and economic models of rural community structure are being developed to evaluate long-term community viability. The information revolution is bringing new challenges in delivering agricultural systems models over the internet, as well as integrating decision support systems with the new precision agriculture technologies.Farm Management,

Economic impact of feral swine transmitting foot-and-mouth disease to livestock in Kansas

Department Head: Stephen pages Davies.2010 Summer.Includes bibliographical references (pages 63-71).In the United States, concern has arisen regarding the potential introduction of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a foreign animal disease, and its subsequent spread by feral swine populations into domestic livestock. Feral swine are ideal candidates to potentially spread FMD, because they are free ranging with sizeable home ranges, frequently contact domestic livestock, have high fecundity and populations are expanding geographically throughout the United States. Feral swine surveillance is becoming a solution to safeguard and mitigate the potential for feral swine to transmit FMD to domestic livestock (e.g., cattle, pigs, and sheep). The potentially devastating economic impacts were evidenced by the economic impact of FMD in the UK and Taiwan (FAO, 2009; Yang et al., 1999). It has been estimated that if FMD were to enter the U.S. the economic losses would be $14 billion (Paarlberg et al., 2002). Such large potential losses are an example of the important economic contribution that livestock production makes to the larger U.S. economy. The objective of this research is to analyze the farm level impacts of alternate surveillance systems in feral swine in the event of a FMD outbreak in Kansas. Specifically, a disease spread model is used to model and evaluate the spread of FMD in Kansas. Output from the disease spread model is incorporated into a partial equilibrium model to determine the changes in prices. The change in prices for grains and livestock are then used to evaluate the farm level impacts in Kansas using whole farm budgets. Results obtained from the disease spread model indicate that under no surveillance the largest amount of animals are destroyed, 2,599,419, with a duration of 193 days. Under twice per month surveillance, 2,555,768 animals are destroyed and the outbreak lasts 189 days. Once per week surveillance shows that 2,585,666 animals are destroyed and the duration lasts 192 days. The NAADSM results for Kansas show that the states livestock industry could potentially face large livestock losses from feral swine transmitting FMD. The impacts to the average farms in Kansas show that producers with a large amount of livestock, in particular swine, see the biggest percentage changes in net income levels. This would be expected as pig and hog prices decrease once the FMD outbreak occurs and return to base levels in quarter four showing that there is a loss in swine prices from a FMD outbreak. Cattle prices initially decrease once the FMD outbreak occurs but then increase above base levels showing that average farms have the potential to regain lost revenues. The whole farm income results indicate that a producer not in the quarantine zone has the potential to capitalize on increasing livestock prices once the trade restrictions are lifted after quarter three

Genomic Predictions for Age at Puberty and Reproductive Longevity in Sows Using Bayesian Methods

Including marker-assisted selection in breeding programs is potentially more efficient than traditional selection for improving traits that are expensive or difficult to measure. One of the challenges of genomics is the lack of robustness of marker effects across populations and over time (generations) and the cost to commercial producers of high-density arrays. The objective of this study was to analyze differences in the proportion of phenotypic variation explained by different fractions of major 1 Mb windows and SNPs. Using a population of Nebraska Index Line and commercial Large White x Landrace females (n = 1,234) generated in 11 batches, we conducted a genome-wide association analysis for age at puberty (AP) using a Bayes B algorithm with a π value of 0.99 and the concatenation of diet and batch fitted as a fixed effect. A total of 56,424 SNPs explained 0.28 of the phenotypic variation for AP. Analysis of the genetic variance explained by 1 Mb windows across the genome and major SNPs, uncovered major regions associated with AP. The proportion of the phenotypic variation explained by all SNPs within the top 1%, 5%, 10% and 20% windows varied from 0.22 (1% windows; 645 SNPs) to 0.39 (10% windows; 19,362 SNPs). In contrast, the proportion of the phenotypic variation explained by the most informative SNP from these windows varied from 0.18 (1% windows; 24 SNPs) to 0.48 (20% windows; 259 SNPs). Different π values (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 0.99) had a limited effect on the proportion of phenotypic variation explained by the top 1% (0.20 to 0.23) and 10% (0.36 to 0.37) windows. The first seven batches were used as training data (R1 - R7, n = 822) to evaluate the ability of major SNPs and windows to predict AP in subsequent batches. The pooled simple correlation between genomic prediction values (GPV) and adjusted AP phenotypes was 0.18 in R8 - R11 (n = 412) when 56,424 SNPs were used. When GPV were derived using the most informative SNP from each of the top 10% windows or all SNPs from the top 10% windows identified in training, rGPV,AP was 0.18 and 0.12, respectively. Weaker correlations were obtained when the most informative SNP or all of the SNPs from the top 1% windows were used for prediction (0.01 and 0.06, respectively). These results showed that a limited number of SNPs were able to explain proportions of phenotypic variation similar to that obtained from high-density SNP panels. Advisor: Daniel Cioban

Essays on feral swine: producer welfare effects and spatiotemporal management of feral swine

2017 Fall.Includes bibliographical references.Feral swine are known to cause damage to crops among other types of property damage. With a lack of economic welfare estimates of feral swine crop damages, the first essay of this dissertation addresses this gap in the literature by estimating the value of feral swine removal with respect to five crops in nine southern states. An equilibrium displacement model was used to assess the changes in price and quantity that would result from eliminating damage to corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and peanuts in these nine states. Changes in price and quantity are then used to calculate the changes in producer and consumer welfare in both the short and long-run. Respectively, those net surplus gains are $142 million and$89 million. The second essay addresses the need for analysis in complex management questions. The essay serves as an advance in building an agent-based model for use in feral swine management and extending it by developing a method for passing optimal management information to the agent-based decision maker. This essay constructs an agent-based model for use in examining different imperfect, but reasonable, ways that decision makers could implement a marginal benefit to the removal of feral swine and a marginal cost of removal. This essay finds that the implementation of the marginal benefit to removal matters for the land managers. Further, the essay finds that the dynamics of the sounder and movements related to sounders matter to the land managers and society at large and encourages further research into that area

Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism is an “old school” reliable technique for swift microbial community screening in anaerobic digestion

The microbial community in anaerobic digestion has been analysed through microbial fingerprinting techniques, such as terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), for decades. In the last decade, high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing has replaced these techniques, but the time-consuming and complex nature of high-throughput techniques is a potential bottleneck for full-scale anaerobic digestion application, when monitoring community dynamics. Here, the bacterial and archaeal TRFLP profiles were compared with 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiles (Illumina platform) of 25 full-scale anaerobic digestion plants. The α-diversity analysis revealed a higher richness based on Illumina data, compared with the TRFLP data. This coincided with a clear difference in community organisation, Pareto distribution, and co-occurrence network statistics, i.e., betweenness centrality and normalised degree. The β-diversity analysis showed a similar clustering profile for the Illumina, bacterial TRFLP and archaeal TRFLP data, based on different distance measures and independent of phylogenetic identification, with pH and temperature as the two key operational parameters determining microbial community composition. The combined knowledge of temporal dynamics and projected clustering in the β-diversity profile, based on the TRFLP data, distinctly showed that TRFLP is a reliable technique for swift microbial community dynamics screening in full-scale anaerobic digestion plants

Quantifying Feeding Regimes on Weaned Sows Under Tropical Papua Pig Keeping Systems

Body weight measurement of weaned sow using several feeding regimes was done under traditional pig keeping systems in West Papua, Indonesia. Feeding quantification using local and non-conventional feeds applied by pig farmers were rationed. Feeds used were 1, 2 and 3 kg in fresh basis. Energy contents of each ration were 34.73, 32.63 and 36.39 MJ kg DM, respectively and protein rations were of 0.62, 0.34 and 0.99 kg CP DM. Initial sow\u27s body weight was in the average of 87 kg. The second feeding regimes with 2 kg day-1 on offer, obtained ransom with quality of balance, energy rich and protein rich, i.e. 22.69, 21.99 and 24.92 MJ kg DM, respectively and protein in ransom of 0.35, 0.26 and 0.72 kg CP DM. Feeding regimes with 1 kg day-1 on offer, we obtain ration with quality of balance, energy rich and protein rich, i.e. 12.04, 11.34 and 12.46 MJ kg DM, respectively and protein in ransom with 0.27, 0.18 and 0.36 kg CP DM. Initial weaned body weight was 87 kg. A simulation using one factorial of feeding regimes was established, which was drawn and simulated using Simile version 4.7 and no environmental factors were incorporated in this model simulation. The results of this study showed the increasing body weight of sows was detected by using 3 kg of feed daily in 14 days after weaning. While 2 kg feed day-1 only met the maintenance requirement. Therefore, there were no meat or fat deposition. Feed of 1 kg per day could induce negative impact in starvation and body weight lost. Insufficient feed intake can induce negative impact on physiological mechanism of the sows. This is at risk while weaned sow would enter mating season and gestation period. Feeding regimes with more that 3 kg and energy ration of 34.73 MJ kg DM and digestibility of 0.82 resulted in a positive effect on sow body weight gain. Animal Production 15(2):106-118, May 201

Quantifying Feeding Regimes on Weaned Sows Under Tropical Papua Pig Keeping Systems

Body weight measurement of weaned sow using several feeding regimes was done under traditional pig keeping systems in West Papua, Indonesia. Feeding quantification using local and non-conventional feeds applied by pig farmers were rationed. Feeds used were 1, 2 and 3 kg in fresh basis. Energy contents of each ration were 34.73, 32.63 and 36.39 MJ kg DM, respectively and protein rations were of 0.62, 0.34 and 0.99 kg CP DM. Initial sow’s body weight was in the average of 87 kg. The second feeding regimes with 2 kg day-1 on offer, obtained ransom with quality of balance, energy rich and protein rich, i.e. 22.69, 21.99 and 24.92 MJ kg DM, respectively and protein in ransom of 0.35, 0.26 and 0.72 kg CP DM. Feeding regimes with 1 kg day-1 on offer, we obtain ration with quality of balance, energy rich and protein rich, i.e. 12.04, 11.34 and 12.46 MJ kg DM, respectively and protein in ransom with 0.27, 0.18 and 0.36 kg CP DM. Initial weaned body weight was 87 kg.  A simulation using one factorial of feeding regimes was established, which was drawn and simulated using Simile version 4.7 and no environmental factors were incorporated in this model simulation. The results of this study showed the increasing body weight of sows was detected by using 3 kg of feed daily in 14 days after weaning. While 2 kg feed day-1 only met the maintenance requirement. Therefore,  there were no meat or fat deposition. Feed of 1 kg per day could induce negative impact in starvation and  body weight lost. Insufficient feed intake can induce negative impact on physiological mechanism of the sows. This is at risk while weaned sow would enter mating season and gestation period. Feeding regimes with more that 3 kg and energy ration of 34.73 MJ kg DM and digestibility of 0.82 resulted in a positive effect on sow body weight gain. Animal Production 15(2):106-118, May 201