Effects on milk supply of different systems of livestock feeding

Determining the competitive position of dairy farms depends on several technological, economic and institutional variables. Among them, are remarkable those related to animal feeding in the current context of high variability on prices. In this context, the aim of this study is to analyze the effects on milk supply and the competitiveness of dairy farms with different models of land intensification, with greater reliance on market purchases or self-production of livestock feed. This study is based on an econometric approach to a variable cost function, in a fixed effects model for unbalanced panel data of specialized dairy farms in Navarre (Spain). From this region, we use 3 geographical areas in relation to the availability of grazing land. It has been tested the absence of sample selection bias and satisfaction of regularity conditions. The study shows a flexible milk farm supply with respect to the price of milk and very dependent on the evolution of feed prices. This aspect has been emphasized by the restructuring of farms, characterized by strong size increases and productivity gains based on a greater reliance on purchases of animal feed. The provision of grazing land has an important role in determining the average costs and farm profitability. In addition, grazing land use permits greater exploitation of economies of scale present in the dairy sector.multiproduct cost function, unbalanced panel data, milk supply, animal feed, dairy farms., Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics, Q12, D24, L25,

Influence of Animal Feeding on Milk Supply in Navarre

Determining the competitive position of dairy farms depends on several technological, economic and institutional variables. Among them, are remarkable those related to animal feeding in the current context of high variability on prices. In this context, the aim of our study is to analyze the effects on milk supply and the competitiveness of dairy farms with different models of land intensification, with greater reliance on market purchases or self production of livestock feed. Our work is based on an econometric approach to a variable cost function, in a fixed effects model for unbalanced panel data of specialized dairy farms in Navarre (Spain). From this region, we use 3 geographical areas in relation to the availability of grazing land. It has been tested the absence of sample selection bias and satisfaction of regularity conditions. The study shows a flexible milk farm supply with respect to the price of milk and very dependent on the evolution of feed prices. This aspect has been emphasized by the restructuring of farms, characterized by strong size increases and productivity gains based on a greater reliance on purchases of animal feed. The provision of grazing land has an important role in determining the average costs and farm profitability. In addition, grazing land use permits greater exploitation of economies of scale present in the dairy sector.multiproduct cost function, panel data, milk, animal feed, dairy farms, Livestock Production/Industries,

Feed prices and production costs on Spanish dairy farms

This paper analyses the impact of livestock feed prices and pasture quality on the long and short-term costs of milk production in a region of Spain (Navarre). The empirical results are obtained from the estimation of a flexible short-run cost function, followed by the approximation of long-run equilibrium based on the quasi-fixed factors adjusted to their optimal levels. The results reveal a high sensitivity of milk production costs to changes in livestock feed prices due to two reasons. One is that, as milk production expands, it tends to become technologically more intensive. The other is that, in the current structure of dairy farming, land input is suboptimal, particularly in the case of large farms and areas of poor pasture. The results reveal that short-run substitution between feed and livestock is a potential strategy for farms to respond to feed price increases. They also suggest that structural policies designed to strengthen the dairy sector’s competitiveness should vary according to agro-climatic conditions. In areas of poor pasture, herd growth might be used as a long-term measure to increase competitiveness through economies of scale; while the alternatives for farms in better-endowed regions also include extensification of dairy production.This paper analyses the impact of livestock feed prices and pasture quality on long and short-term milk production costs in a region in Spain (Navarre). The empirical results are obtained by estimating a flexible short-run cost function and then approximating long-run equilibrium by adjusting the quasi-fixed factors to their optimal levels. The results reveal a high sensitivity of milk production costs to changes in livestock feed prices due to two reasons. One is that milk production tends to become technologically more intensive as milk production expands. In optimum conditions, large dairy farms appear to become less land-dependent and to rely more heavily on purchased livestock feed. The other is that the current dairy farm structure shows suboptimal quantity of land, particularly by large farms and in areas with poor pasture quality. The results reveal that short-run substitution between feed and livestock is a potential strategy for farms to respond to feed price increases. The results also suggest that structural policies to strengthen the dairy sector’s competitiveness could be made to vary across agro-climatic areas. In poor pasture areas, herd growth might be used as a long-term measure to increase competitiveness through economies of scale; while the alternatives for farms in better-endowed regions also include extensification of dairy production

Input aggregation bias in technical efficiency with multiple criteria analysis

We extend the Tauer (2001) and Färe et al. (2004) analyses of aggregation bias in technical efficiency measurement to multiple criteria decision analysis. We show input aggregation conditions consistent with multiple criteria evaluation of overall efficiency in conjunction with variation in aggregation bias

A note on the impact of multiple input aggregators in technical efficiency estimation

The results of an experiment with simulated data show that using multiple positive lineal aggregators of the same inputs instead of the original variables increases the accuracy of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technical efficiency estimator in data sets beset by dimensionality problems. Aggregation of the inputs achieves more than the mere reduction of the number of variables, since replacement of the original inputs with an equal number of aggregates improves DEA performance in a wide range of case

A note on the impact of multiple input aggregators in technical efficiency estimation

The results of an experiment with simulated data show that using multiple positive lineal aggregators of the same inputs instead of the original variables increases the accuracy of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technical efficiency estimator in data sets beset by dimensionality problems. Aggregation of the inputs achieves more than the mere reduction of the number of variables, since replacement of the original inputs with an equal number of aggregates improves DEA performance in a wide range of case

More is better than one: the impact of different numbers of input aggregators in technical efficiency estimation

The results of an experiment with simulated data show that combining inputs with different criteria (as cost, material inputs aggregates and other) increases the accuracy of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technical efficiency estimator in data sets with dimensionality problems. The positive impact of this approach surpasses that of reducing the number of variables, since replacement of the original inputs with an equal number of aggregates improves DEA performance in a wide range of cases

More is better than one: the impact of different numbers of input aggregators in technical efficiency estimation

The results of an experiment with simulated data show that combining inputs with different criteria (as cost, material inputs aggregates and other) increases the accuracy of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technical efficiency estimator in data sets with dimensionality problems. The positive impact of this approach surpasses that of reducing the number of variables, since replacement of the original inputs with an equal number of aggregates improves DEA performance in a wide range of cases

Cost-constrained measures of environmental efficiency: a material balance approach

Joint cost-environmental efficiency analysis based on the material balance principle (MBP) has an important short-coming, in that the measures of allocative efficiency it produces do not fully integrate environmental and economic outcomes. Their limitation lies in their failure to take into account some decision-making units (DMU) use a combination of inputs that is more environmentally-harmful than that of the least-cost unit, or, more rarely, more costly than that of the least-polluting unit. Input substitution can therefore bring both environmental and economic benefits. This paper develops a method for differentiating between environmental allocative efficiency gains that involve an economic trade-off and those that do not. Drawing insight from the literature on multi-criteria analysis, we extend the MBP approach to new measures of cost-constrained environmental efficiency using data envelopment analysis (DEA). The proposed approach is illustrated by an application geared to assessing the efficiency of a sample of greenhouse horticultural production units in Almeria, Spain. The results for this case show that it is possible to increase environmental allocative efficiency by up to 34 % on average without incurring additional costs

Registro Español de Trasplante Cardiaco. XXXI Informe Oficial de la Asociación de Insuficiencia Cardiaca de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología

Introducción y objetivos Se presentan las características clínicas y los resultados de los trasplantes cardiacos realizados en España con la actualización correspondiente a 2019. Métodos Se describen las características clínicas y los resultados de los trasplantes cardiacos realizados en 2019, así como las tendencias de estos en el periodo 2010-2018. Resultados En 2019 se realizaron 300 trasplantes (8.794 desde 1984; 2.745 entre 2010 y 2019). Respecto a años previos, los cambios más llamativos son el descenso hasta el 38% de los trasplantes realizados en código urgente, y la consolidación en el cambio de asistencia circulatoria pretrasplante, con la práctica desaparición del balón de contrapulsación (0, 7%), la estabilización del uso del oxigenador extracorpóreo de membrana (9, 6%) y el aumento de los dispositivos de asistencia ventricular (29%). La supervivencia en el trienio 2016-2018 es similar a la del trienio 2013-2015 (p = 0, 34), y ambas mejores que la del trienio 2010-2012 (p = 0, 002 y p = 0, 01 respectivamente). Conclusiones Se mantienen estables tanto la actividad del trasplante cardiaco en España como los resultados en supervivencia en los últimos 2 trienios. Hay una tendencia a realizar menos trasplantes urgentes, la mayoría con dispositivos de asistencia ventricular. Introduction and objectives: The present report describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants in Spain and updates the data to 2019. Methods: We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants performed in Spain in 2019, as well as trends in this procedure from 2010 to 2018. Results: In 2019, 300 transplants were performed (8794 since 1984; 2745 between 2010 and 2019). Compared with previous years, the most notable findings were the decreasing rate of urgent transplants (38%), and the consolidation of the type of circulatory support prior to transplant, with an almost complete disappearance of counterpulsation balloon (0.7%), stabilization in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (9.6%), and an increase in the use of ventricular assist devices (29.0%). Survival from 2016 to 2018 was similar to that from 2013 to 2015 (P = .34). Survival in both these periods was better than that from 2010 to 2012 (P = .002 and P = .01, respectively). Conclusions: Heart transplant activity has remained stable during the last few years, as have outcomes (in terms of survival). There has been a trend to a lower rate of urgent transplants and to a higher use of ventricular assist devices prior to transplant