Optimal Incentives in a Principal-Agent Model with Endogenous Technology

One of the standard predictions of the agency theory is that more incentives can be given to agents with lower risk aversion. In this paper, we show that this relationship may be absent or reversed when the technology is endogenous and projects with a higher efficiency are also riskier. Using a modified version of the Holmstrom and Milgrom’s framework, we obtain that lower agent’s risk aversion unambiguously leads to higher incentives when the technology function linking efficiency and riskiness is elastic, while the risk aversion–incentive relationship can be positive when this function is rigid

THE USE OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION IN MEAT PRODUCTION

The present chapter describes what is known about the effects of the use of electrical stimulation of carcasses of meat animals, including the effects on meat tenderness and meat sensorial characteristics. Electrical stimulation as a process involves passing an electric current through the carcass of freshly slaughtered animals. Electrical stimulation has been extensively used since the 1950s to hasten the onset of rigor mortis and to modify steps of the glycolytic pathway. Many studies conducted in the USA, in New Zealand, Australia and Europe have involved a variety of electrical stimulation methods on different types of meat animals. Data reported in many studies suggest that electrical stimulation, through hastening rigor changes, can significantly reduce in the carcasses of meat animals the phenomenon of cold shortening, one of the major cause of meat toughness. Although it is well established that electrical stimulation increases the rate of post mortem glycolysis, other biochemical and biophysical effects have been implicated with the use of this technology, including the possibility that electrical stimulation also results in physical disruption of muscle structure. Electrical stimulation can be considered as a part of the total meat production chain from slaughter to final sale, and has particular advantages for hot boning, where the shortening and toughening conditions that would occur for non stimulated muscles during chilling are avoided

QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DONKEY MEAT

Meat has exerted a crucial role in human evolution and is an important component of a healthy and well balanced diet due to its nutritional richness. The aim of the present chapter is to shed light on the nutritional composition of donkey meat and the implications for human health. Donkeys are not perceived as multi-use animals. Cattle, buffaloes and camels are usually kept for their milk and their meat as well as for work. In many areas donkeys are not sold for their meat. One of many exceptions is Lesotho where donkeys are culled for meat when they are considered too old to work, and for this reason donkeys are relatively expensive in this Country. In the rest of the world, the lower cost of donkeys makes them more affordable to small farmers. On the other hand, donkey meat can be considered a good alternative in red meat consumption, being a dietary meat. Donkey meat is in fact characterized by low fat, low cholesterol content, a favourable fatty acid profile and is rich in iron. Today consumers are health conscious and demand high quality food products; they require leaner meat, with less fat (the minimal fat level required to maintain juiciness and flavour) and a consistent quality. Ultimately, the success of any food product is determined by the consumer’s acceptance. Meat quality and acceptability is determined by its physico-chemical characteristics, although consumer preferences for meat are difficult to define. In this context, this chapter will describe the quality of donkey carcass and donkey meat quality parameters, showing its chemical and sensorial characteristics (when possible in different muscles) and evaluating the effects of the age of slaughtering

Prosocial behavior in the production of publicly provided goods and services: an overview

This paper offers a selective review of research on the existence and effects of prosocial behavior among individuals who work in public organizations. We first present evidence from the empirical literature documenting the importance of such phenomena and their features. We then discuss theoretical works that analyze the implications of prosocial behavior for the optimal design of incentive schemes and for organizing production in public firms. Some policy recommendations from the literature are also discussed

Protein Profile Characterization of Donkey Milk

This chapter would be a further contribution to increase the characterization of donkey milk, evaluating the nutritional qualities of donkey milk using different proteomic approaches

Milk Production and Characteristics of the Milk of the Jenny

Milk is a biological fluid designed to contain all nutritional requirements of a specific mammalian newborn; therefore, the composition of milk differs by the needs of the neonate of different species. Although much research has been devoted to milk composition in the domestic horse, donkey’s milk has recently aroused scientific interest, above all among paediatric allergologists and nutritionists

Use of faba bean as a replacer of soybean meal in diet of Fabrianese lambs

Most of the lamb diets are based on soybean meal as the main protein source, often imported and derived from genetically modified varieties, which is not pos-sible to use in organic meat production. Use of faba bean to replace soybean meal as main pro-tein source in the diet of Fabrianese lambs was inves-tigated. Growth performance, dressing percentage, physical and chemical characteristics of longissimus thoracis and its fatty acid composition were investi-gated. Twenty-four Fabrianese entire male lambs were weaned at 59±5 days of age and were divided into two homogeneous groups (n = 12), then fed for 78 days with two different experimental diets. One group re-ceived a concentrate including 242 g/kg of faba bean (FB), the other group was fed on concentrate includ-ing 160 g/kg of soybean meal (SBM). Carcass quality, meat chemical composition and meat tenderness were not influenced by dietary treatment. The total amount of n-3 fatty acids was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in lambs fed with FB, with a conse-quent more favourable n-6/n-3 ratio. Conjugated Lin-oleic Acids (CLA) content was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in meat obtained from lambs fed FB diet. FB can replace SBM in concentrate mixtures for fat-tening lambs without adverse effects in growth perfor-mances and in carcass quality, causing a significant improvement of meat acidic profile, particularly con-sidering n-3 fatty acids and CLA content

Mule carcass characteristics and meat quality

Donkey carcass parameters and donkey meat quality character¬istics have been determined in previous studies, while mule carcass and meat quality traits have scarcely been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to compare the carcass data and meat quality parameters obtained from 10 mules slaughtered, respectively, at an age of 5 ± 1 years and at an age of 10 ± 1 years. All the animals were weighed before their arrival at abattoir; the carcasses were transferred to a cold room at a temperature of 4 °C and stored suspended by the hind legs. 24 h after slaughter¬ing, the cold carcass weights and the dressing percentages were recorded. From each carcass, 24 h after slaughtering samples of the muscle Longissimus thoracis (LT) were collected. Chemical composition was determined 24 h after slaughtering, while colour parameters were measured 48 h after slaughter using a Minolta CM-3600 D spectrophotometer in order to determine the L* (light¬ness), a* (redness), and b* (yellowness). Meat samples for tenderness determination, weighting approxi¬mately 30 g, were stored in the cold room at 4 °C for 7 days post slaughter before evaluating the shear force values, determined using a Warner-Bratzler device. The shear force values were expressed in kg/cm2. Analysis of variance was used to determine the significant differences in the values determined in this study; significant differences were shown when p &lt; 0.05. Carcass char¬acteristics determined in both groups of animals did not show significant differences. Meat sampled in animals slaughtered at an age of 10 years showed significant (p &lt; 0.05) higher content of fat (5.22% vs 4.09%) and cholesterol levels (0.88 mg/100 g vs 0.52 mg/100 g) compared to younger mules. Meat produced by older mules was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) darker (L* 31.09 vs 39.71, a* 13.8 vs 17.1) compared to the values determined in younger mules. Meat tenderness evaluation found not significant differ¬ences in both the groups of mules, obtaining values of shear force not particularly appreciated by the consumers. The results obtained in this study confirmed the need of adequate feeding strategies and good farm practices in mules breeding in order to produce a more tender mule meat

Efficienza economica e deontologica dell'adozione internazionale.

SOMMARIO1. Economia e adozione; 2. Adozioni e servizi pubblici; 3. Garanzie e controlli nell’adozione internazionale; 4. Costo e qualità dei servizi fra regole e incentivi