Innovation capabilities in agribusiness: evidence from Brazil

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the winning combination of innovation capabilities for selected Brazilian agribusiness firms along different value chain links.Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a quantitative approach, the authors analyzed the relationship between innovation capabilities and innovative performance of 300 agribusiness firms through a multi-regression technique.Findings – The results showed that transaction, management and development capabilities can improve agribusiness firms’ performance in underdeveloped value chains.Research limitations/implications – For future research, the authors recommend analyzing further links such as traders and retailers to find the innovation capability for the entire agribusiness value chain.Practical implications – Upstream firms should adopt new management techniques and tools, efficiently using their resources, while downstream firms should absorb and transform new technologies into products and processes.Social implications – The authors suggest formulating public policies that propose the recombination of innovation capabilities to organize agribusiness firms and avoid commodity-oriented market dependence.Originality/value – The literature on agribusiness explains innovation at the chain level, based primarily on scientific advancements rather than on innovation at the firm level. In this sense, this study provides empirical evidence that can help boost innovation in agribusiness firms

Innovation capabilities in agribusiness : evidence from Brazil

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the winning combination of innovation capabilities for selected Brazilian agribusiness firms along different value chain links. Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a quantitative approach, the authors analyzed the relationship between innovation capabilities and innovative performance of 300 agribusiness firms through a multi-regression technique. Findings – The results showed that transaction, management and development capabilities can improve agribusiness firms’ performance in underdeveloped value chains. Research limitations/implications – For future research, the authors recommend analyzing further links such as traders and retailers to find the innovation capability for the entire agribusiness value chain. Practical implications – Upstream firms should adopt new management techniques and tools, efficiently using their resources, while downstream firms should absorb and transform new technologies into products and processes. Social implications – The authors suggest formulating public policies that propose the recombination of innovation capabilities to organize agribusiness firms and avoid commodity-oriented market dependence. Originality/value – The literature on agribusiness explains innovation at the chain level, based primarily on scientific advancements rather than on innovation at the firm level. In this sense, this study provides empirical evidence that can help boost innovation in agribusiness firms

Bias against parents in science hits women harder

Worldwide, parenthood remains a major driver for the reduced participation of women in the job market, where discrimination stems from people’s biases against mothers, based on stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding the vision of motherhood in our society. In academia, parenthood may be perceived as negatively affecting scientists’ commitment and dedication, especially women’s. We conducted a survey amongst Brazilian scientists and found that mothers self-reported a higher prevalence of negative bias in their workplace when compared to fathers. The perception of a negative bias was influenced by gender and career status, but not by race, scientific field or number of children. Regarding intersections, mothers with less than 15 years of hiring reported having suffered a higher rate of negative bias against themselves. We discuss implications of these results and suggest how this negative bias should be addressed in order to promote an equitable environment that does not harm women in science

Comparison between linear and nonlinear systems of feed formulation for broilers

Two experiments were simultaneously carried out to compare feed formulation models: a linear model for minimum cost with a nonlinear model for maximum profitability for one-to 42-d-old broilers. One-dold male or female Cobb 500 broilers (n=2368) were allocated to one of the two trials according to sex. The experiments were performed simultaneously in an experimental poultry farm. Two housing densities were used: high density (HDH), with 14 birds/m2, and low density (LDH), with 10 birds/m2. The following treatments were evaluated: linear feed formulation and LDH (LF10); nonlinear formulation and LDH (NF10); linear formulation and HDH (LF14); and nonlinear formulation and HDH (NF14). A completely randomized design with four treatments of eight replicates each was applied. Performance and cost per kg of poultry were evaluated. Both formulation systems promoted similar broiler performance. However, the high-density feed using linear formulation reduced body weight in 42-d-old males, but not when nonlinear formulation was used. The NF10 treatment yielded the worst feed conversion ratio (p<0.05) and the lowest cost/kg broiler (p<0.05) for both sexes. The results demonstrate that the nutritional program that yields the best performance is not always the most economical one

Comportamento de novilhas leiteiras após aumento da quantidade de sucedâneo do leite em pó adicionado ao leite integral

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of increasing the contents of total solids (TS) in whole milk, by adding increasing amounts of milk replacer powder, on the behavior of dairy heifers. Holstein-Gyr crossbred heifers (n = 60) were distributed in four treatments: 13.5, 16.1, 18.2, and 20.4% TS. From 5 to 55 days of age, heifers received 6 L per day of liquid feed, which was reduced by half from 56 to 59 days. Heifers were weaned at 60 days of age and monitored until 90 days, and their behavior was evaluated weekly. During gradual weaning and after weaning, heifer behavior was recorded 1 hour before and 1 hour after liquid feed was offered, and, during weaning, it was evaluated by the scan method. Heifers fed liquid feed containing 20.4% TS present a higher number of play behaviors, spent less time standing, and spent more time ruminating than those that received liquid feed with 13.5% TS, indicating that a higher nutritional plan during weaning is an effective strategy to reduce stress in this period.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do aumento das concentrações de sólidos totais (ST) no leite, pela adição de quantidades crescentes de sucedâneo do leite em pó, sobre o comportamento de bezerras leiteiras. Bezerras mestiças Holandês-Gir (n = 60) foram distribuídas em quatro tratamentos: 13,5, 16,1, 18,2 e 20,4% de ST. Dos 5 aos 55 dias de idade, as bezerras receberam 6 L por dia de dieta líquida, que foi reduzida à metade dos 56 aos 59 dias. As bezerras foram desaleitadas aos 60 dias de idade e monitoradas até os 90 dias, e o seu comportamento foi avaliado semanalmente. Durante o desaleitamento gradual e após o desaleitamento, o comportamento das bezerras foi anotado 1 hora antes e 1 hora após o oferecimento da dieta liquida, e, durante a fase de desaleitamento, foi avaliado pelo método de varredura instantânea. As bezerras alimentadas com 20,4% de ST na dieta líquida apresentam maior número de comportamentos de brincadeiras, menor tempo de permanência em pé e maior tempo ruminando, em comparação às que receberam 13,5% de ST na dieta líquida, o que indica que maior plano nutricional durante o desaleitamento é uma estratégia efetiva para a redução do estresse nessa etapa

Effects of the association of beta-glucan and itraconazole on fertility of male Wistar rats

Background: In recent years, the number of patients with systemic fungal infections requiring antifungal therapy has increased. As a consequence, antimicrobial resistance to conventional treatment is frequently reported. Due to this reason, new therapies emerge, including the combination of beta (1-3) glucan and itraconazole. However, the reproductive and fertility effects of this association were not known. So, the aim of this study was to identify the effects of the combination of itraconazole and beta (1-3) glucan, extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on male rats fertility. Materials, Methods & Results: Sixty male Wistar rats with 120-days-old were used. The experimental protocol was approved by Ethics Committee on Animal Use of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (protocol CEUA/UFRGS no. 19452/2010). The animals were placed into six groups (n = 10 animals / group) as following: Negative Control group - treated daily with the volume corresponding to 10 mL.kg-1 of sterile distilled water orally and 0.25 mL of sterile normal saline (NaCl 0.9 %) subcutaneously weekly; Itraconazole (IT) group - treated daily with itraconazole solution at a dose of 10 mg.kg-1 orally and 0.25 mL of sterile 0.9% NaCl subcutaneously weekly; Beta group - treated daily with the volume corresponding to 10 mL. kg-1 of sterile distilled water orally and 0.5 mg of beta (1-3) glucan subcutaneously weekly; Therapeutic Dose (TD) group - daily treated with itraconazole at a dose of 10 mg.kg-1 orally and 0.5 mg of β (1-3) glucan subcutaneously weekly; TD5x - treated daily with itraconazole at a dose of 50 mg.kg-1 orally and 0.5 mg of beta (1-3 ) glucan subcutaneously weekly; TD10x - daily treated with itraconazole at a dose of 100 mg.kg-1 orally and 0.5 mg of beta (1-3) glucan subcutaneously weekly. The rats were treated for 91 consecutive days. Individual body mass, organs relative mass and histopathology, number of sperm in the cauda epididymis, daily spermatozoal production, sperm parameters, sperm morphology, serum testosterone concentration and reproductive rates were evaluated. Signifi cant differences were observed in daily spermatozoal production, sperm morphology, serum concentration of testosterone, mating rate and birth rate, with lower results in the TD5x and TD10x groups. Discussion: The systemic toxicity indicators, as body mass variation, water intake and clinical signs, as well as organ histology suggest that systemic toxicity in these animals did not occur. The decrease in serum testosterone concentrations in elevated doses of itraconazole associated with beta (1-3) glucan must be involved in decrease of sperm parameters and in sexual behavior and consequently, in the reproductive rates. Changes in sperm morphology, mainly found in sperm head, indicate sperm immaturity, preamature spermiation, abnormal or degenerate acrosome. Based on these results, it is concluded that beta (1-3) glucan and itraconazole did not affect the male rats reproductive variables when used in therapeutic doses alone or in combination, however these variables were altered with higher doses of itraconazole in the association. These data, added to the absence of histopathological damage of the testes suggest functional effect on male fertility. Caution is advised in the use of high doses of itraconazole with or without beta (1-3) glucan in males, especially in prolonged therapy

Uso de ferramentas lean para melhoria de processos industriais alimentícios / Use of lean tools to improve food industrial processes

O Lean Production, ou Produção Enxuta, é uma filosofia de melhoramento de processos que se baseia na redução de desperdícios e na criação de valor com base na perspectiva do cliente. É importante a aplicação de ferramentas Lean em processos de indústrias de alimentos para a melhoria continua e sobrevivência no mercado consumidor. Neste sentido, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo aplicar ferramentas Lean para a melhoria do processo de refile de peito de peru de um frigorífico do Oeste de Santa Catarina. Inicialmente em uma reunião com os gestores e especialistas na área definiu-se que o estudo seria na etapa de refile de matéria-prima do frigorífico. Posteriormente, aplicou-se as ferramentas de gráfico de balanceamento operacional (GBO) e diagrama de trabalho padronizado. Nesta linha de processamento trabalham 76 operadores. Após os cálculos e construção do GBO observou-se que aproximadamente 97% dos operadores poderiam estar ociosos nas funções destinadas para o refile. Verificou-se que número ideal de funcionários era de 50 colaboradores, ou seja, pela análise da ferramenta de balanceamento operacional poderiam ser realocados 26 funcionários. Em decorrência disso, construiu-se diagramas de trabalho padronizado para rodizio de funções e balanceamento adequado de produção, desta forma, não gerando tempos de espera e melhorando o fluxo de processo. Porém, ressalta-se a importância de verificar a questão ergonômica dos funcionários por ser uma etapa manual. A aplicação de ferramentas Lean auxiliaram na melhoria do processo através de um fluxo de produção sem gerar esperas, estoques e desperdícios