Productivity Change Analysis of Polish Dairy Farms After Poland’s Accession to the EU – An Output Growth Decomposition Approach

The aim of this study is to assess changes in productivity of Polish dairy farms after Poland’s accession to the EU. In order to do so a new decomposition of output growth is proposed in a stochastic frontier framework. We show how changes in economies of scale can be isolated, which leads to redefined components of output growth and a better measure of productivity growth. The productivity component is now disaggregated to its three generic sources: total scale change, real technical change and efficiency change. The analysis of 1,191 Polish dairy farms between 2004-2011 has revealed that production growth (3.91%) is mostly due to inputs accumulation (3.4%) rather than productivity growth (0.51%.) Further decomposition indicates that productivity component is driven by real technical growth (1%) and changes in scale elasticity, which have had a negative effect on productivity (-0.81%). Technical efficiency growth (0.36%) played a rather minor role

Differences in microbial metabolites in urine headspace of subjects with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) detected by volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis and metabolomics

ITP is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder characterised by a low platelet count whose cause is uncertain. A possible factor is food intolerance, although much of the information linking this with ITP is anecdotal. The role of food intolerance in ITP was studied by replacing a normal diet with an elemental diet (E028), but this did not increase platelet counts. Clear differences, however, were apparent between the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the urine headspace of patients with ITP and those present in healthy volunteers, which leads to speculation that abnormal metabolic activity of the intestinal microbiome may be a factor causing ITP. However, further work is needed to confirm this. There were also differences between the VOCs of patients on a normal diet and those on the elemental diet, and in this case, the VOCs involved are very likely to be of bacterial origin, as their production is affected by dietary manipulation. Many of these VOCs are known to be toxic

Dynamika bezrobocia w Polsce w latach 1992-2017

Celem artykułu jest weryfikacja hipotez dotyczących dynamiki bezrobocia dla danych kwartalnych gospodarki Polski. Wyróżnia się teorię naturalnej stopy bezrobocia (NAIRU) oraz teorię histerezy. Według teorii NAIRU istnieje swoista dla danej gospodarki stopa bezrobocia, a wszelkie odchylenia od jej poziomu są czasowe i gospodarka samoczynnie powraca do stanu równowagi. Według teorii histerezy wstrząsy w poziomie bezrobocia obserwowanego trwale wpływają na poziom naturalnej stopy bezrobocia. Testowanie tych alternatywnych teorii sprowadza się do testowania występowania pierwiastka jednostkowego. Jeżeli proces jest stacjonarny, wtedy można odrzucić teorię histerezy. W przeciwnym wypadku należy zaakceptować występowanie efektu histerezy bezrobocia. Zastosowanie progowego modelu autoregresyjnego do kwartalnych danych o bezrobociu w Polsce latach od 1992 (Q2) do 2017 (Q4) potwierdziło efekt histerezy bezrobocia.Two alternative approaches can be found in the literature on the dynamics of unemployment. The first approach is based on the theory of a natural rate of unemployment. Under this theory, the economy can depart from the natural rate of unemployment in the short term due to nominal shocks, but in the long term the economy is expected to achieve an equilibrium indicated by the natural rate of unemployment. The second approach to the dynamics of unemployment is the so-called hysteresis of unemployment theory. According to this theory, all shocks to unemployment will have a permanent effect on the natural rate of unemployment. In a statistical sense, these two theories boil down to testing the unit root. If the unemployment rate is a non-stationary series with a unit root, then the hysteresis-in-unemployment hypothesis has to be accepted. On the other hand, if the unemployment rate is a stationary series then the hysteresis hypothesis is rejected in favour of the natural rate theory. In the study, the rate of unemployment in Poland is analysed in the period from 1992 (Q2) to 2017 (Q4). Threshold autoregressive model applied to the data indicates that the unemployment rate in Poland is a nonlinear process and, therefore, supports the hysteresis of unemployment theory

The Importance of Offshoring and Its Impact on the Decrease of Unemployment among Young People in Poland

W artykule zdefiniowano pojęcie „centra usług offshore” oraz zaprezentowano offshoring ja-ko element „nowej gospodarki”. Ponadto określono związek pomiędzy offshoringiem jako ele-mentem „nowej gospodarki” a jego wpływem na spadek bezrobocia w grupie wiekowej 15–34 lat w Polsce. W badaniach stwierdzono wzrastający udział zatrudnionych w centrach usług offshore w ogólnej liczbie zatrudnionych w sektorze nowoczesnych usług. Najwyższy udział zatrudnionych w centrach usług offshore odnotowano w Krakowie, a największy przyrost zatrudnienia w centrach usług offshore na przestrzeni lat 2008–2010 we Wrocławiu. Nie stwierdzono silnej korelacji pomiędzy udziałem zatrudnionych w centrach usług offshore w ogólnej liczbie zatrudnionych w sektorze nowoczesnych usług biznesowych, a udziałem bezrobotnych w grupie wiekowej 15–34 lat w ogólnej liczbie bezrobotnych. Związek ten nasilił się w 2010 roku w porównaniu do 2008 roku. Wskazuje to, że centra usług offshore zyskują na znaczeniu jako pracodawcy dla młodych ludzi.The aim of the article was to define the term “offshore service centers” and present the phenomenon of offshoring as a element of “new economy”. Moreover, the relation between offshoring as a element of the “new economy” and its impact on decrease of unemployment among people aged 15 to 34 in Poland, has been defined. In the research, the increasing share of the employed in offshore service centers as to the total number of the employed in modern business service sector has been shown. Further, the highest number of the employed in offshore service centers was noted in Kraków, and the greatest growth of employment in offshore service centers (between 2008 and 2010) took place in Wrocław. There was not a significant correlation between the share of the employed in offshore service centers and the share of the unemployed (aged 15 – 34) in the total number of unemployed people. The correlation was stronger in 2010 than in 2008. The above shows the increasing role of the offshore service centers as the employer of young people in Poland

Measuring the Efficiency of European Union Farms under Heterogeneous Technologies

Celem niniejszego opracowania jest określenie charakterystyk procesu produkcyjnego gospodarstw rolnych specjalizujących się w uprawach polowych w państwach członkowskich Unii Europejskiej. W pracy wykorzystano dane regionalne FADN. W związku z występującym zróżnicowaniem między regionami w pracy wykorzystano modele uwzględniające tę heterogeniczność. W szczególności rozważono dwa sposoby modelowania heterogeniczności: deterministyczny oraz stochastyczny. Odzwierciedleniem pierwszego sposobu jest wykorzystanie w niniejszej pracy modelu funkcji produkcji typu translog, który pozwala, żeby elastyczności produkcji względem nakładów czynników produkcji zależały od wielkości nakładów. Natomiast stochastyczny sposób modelowania heterogeniczności reprezentuje stochastyczny model graniczny z losowymi parametrami. Zastosowanie powyższej koncepcji pozwoliło na zbudowanie modelu funkcji produkcji typu Cobba i Douglasa (C–D) z indywidualnymi parametrami. Estymacji parametrów czterech modeli dokonano za pomocą podejścia bayesowskiego. Otrzymane wyniki jednoznacznie wskazują, że najlepszym modelem okazał się model C–D z indywidualnymi parametrami. Ponadto zaobserwowano, że dla średniej unijnej najwyższa elastyczność produkcji występuje względem nakładów materiałów, a najniższa względem areału. Natomiast dosyć zaskakującym wynikiem jest wysoki poziom średniej efektywności technicznej (0,95) przy bardzo niewielkim rozproszeniu tych ocen.The aim of the present study was to derive the characteristics of the production process for crop farms in the European Union member states. The paper uses regional data on farms taken from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). Therefore, the models that account for heterogeneity among the analysed regions, were used in the present study. In particular, the paper considers two approaches to modelling heterogeneity: deterministic and stochastic. The deterministic approach is reflected in the paper with the usage of translog production function model, which allows output elasticities to depend on the input levels. The stochastic approach is represented by a stochastic frontier model with random coefficients. The application of the above-mentioned concept allowed to derive the Cobb-Douglas (C–D) production function model with individual parameters. The parameters of the four models were estimated using the Bayesian approach. The obtained results indicate that the C–D model is the best. In addition, it was observed that for the EU average, the highest production elasticity is with respect to materials, while the lowest w.r.t area. Surprisingly, the results suggest a high mean technical efficiency of the analysed regions (0.95), with very small dispersion of these scores

TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY MEASUREMENT OF DAIRY FARMS IN POLAND: AN APPLICATION OF BAYESIAN VED MODEL

The purpose of this paper is to measure the technical efficiency of Polish dairy farms using a Bayesian Varying Efficiency Distribution (VED) model. In particular, the paper presents the design and assumptions of frontier stochastic production function for panel data. Furthermore, it specifies the microeconomic production function based on panel data, derived from the Polish FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network). The main part of the paper presents key findings which form the basis of understanding the technological characteristics and average efficiency of Polish dairy farms. Moreover, the exogenous variables affecting the level of average farm efficiency are identified. They are the source of significant differences in levels of efficiency of dairy farmers surveyed

Effects of calcium soaps of rape seed fatty acids and protected methionine on milk yield and composition in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of supplementing the diets of dairy cows with Ca soaps of rapeseed fatty acids (CSRFA) and rumen-protected (RP) methionine on their milk yield and composition, including milk protein fractions and fatty acids. Twelve Polish Red Lowland cows were used in a complete balanced two period changeover experiment. The four treatment diets were a control consisting of a total mixed ration of grass silage and concentrates, and the total mixed ration supplemented with RP methionine, CSRFA or RP methionine plus CSRFA. Dry matter intake was not affected by diet. Milk yield increased when cows were given the diet with CSRFA, but supplementation of diets with RP methionine did not affect milk yield. Milk protein content, but not milk protein yield, decreased when CSRFA was given. The addition of RP methionine to the control diet and the CSRFA diet produced similar increases in the milk protein content. Supplementation of the diet with CSRFA significantly changed the milk fatty acid profile: the proportions of 10:0, 12:0, 14:0, 15:0 and 16:0 in milk fat decreased, but those of 18:0 and cis-18:1 increased. We conclude that CSRFA can be used in practical dairy diets to increase milk yield and manipulate its fatty acid composition

Heterogeneity, transient and persistent technical efficiency of Polish crop farms

Accounting for heterogeneity in the measurement of farm efficiency is crucial to avoid biases related to climate and soil quality diversity in a given area. Therefore, this paper investigates the level of technical efficiency (TE) of Polish crop farms based on several stochastic frontier panel data models with different approaches to the measurement of unobserved heterogeneity, short- and long- run inefficiency. In our study, we show that ignoring farm heterogeneity can lead to underestimation of the level of TE in conventional stochastic frontier panel data models. Moreover, we have found empirically that not accounting for heterogeneity in the Generalized True Random Effects model may lead to incorrect estimates of persistent TE. The obtained results for Polish crop farms indicate that the level of transient TE (0.81) is lower than the level of persistent TE (0.88). This result suggests that Polish farms may have, for example, problems with adopting new technologies and poor managerial skills

Lactational responses to ruminally-protected methionine in cows fed a low-protein grass silage-based diet

Twelve multiparous Polish Red-and-White cows, were assigned to two-factorial (2x2) arrangement of treatments, in a balanced changeover design, involving two levels of dietary protein (PDI: 100 vs 85% of the INRA requirement) and two levels of ruminally-protected DL-methionine (Smartamine™ M: 0 vs 20 g/d). The cows were in wk 8-12 of lactation and were fed a mixed diet with grass silage and concentrates representing 50 and 50% of the dietary DM, respectively. The four combinations of treatments were: 100% PDI (0 g Met), 100% PDI (+20 g Met), 85% PDI (0 g Met) and 85% PDI (+20 g Met). The calculated intestinal concentrations of lysine and methionine (% PDI) were: 6.91 and 1.79, 6.88 and 2.27, 6.88 and 1.87, 6.84 and 2.42, respectively. Dry matter and net energy (UFL) intakes were similar across the treatments. Crude protein, PDIN and PDIE intakes were significantly (P<0.001) higher in cows fed the 100% PDI diets, as compared to those fed the 85% PDI diets. Milk and 4% FCM yields and the efficiency of milk production were not significantly different. Milk fat, lactose, and SNF contents did not respond to the treatments. Feeding the 100% PDI diets compared to the 85% PDI ones increased significantly (P<0.05) milk protein yield (from 0.67 to 0.76 kg/d). Milk NPN and urea concentrations were significantly (P<0.001) decreased, and the relative concentration of milk protein N (% of total N) was significantly (P<0.05) increased in milk from cows fed the 85% PDI diets compared to the 100% PDI diets. No effects of methionine supplementation and no interactions between dietary protein intakes and supplemental methionine levels on the variables addressed in this study were detected. It is concluded that supplementing ruminally-protected methionine to grass silage-based diets did not result in any apparent changes in lactational responses, regardless of the protein status of these cows, thus indicating that methionine is not the first limiting amino acid in these diets