FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY IN A NEW ALTERNATIVE ENTERPRISE: THE CASE OF THE RATITE INDUSTRY

Technical efficiency measures are calculated for ratite producers using data envelopment analysis. Regression analysis is then used to determine producer characteristics that are likely to lead to higher technical efficiencies. Results indicate that the most technically efficient ratite producers in Louisiana are not producing at the benchmark efficiency level advocated by the industry. Producer experience with other livestock, specialization, and labor are factors likely to lead to higher technical efficiency. These results are expected to hold for most new, alternative livestock enterprises.Data envelopment analysis, Ratite, Technical efficiency, Livestock Production/Industries, Productivity Analysis,

BEEF PRODUCER CHOICE IN CATTLE MARKETING

In addition to the conventional auction method of cattle marketing, alternative marketing arrangements include sale by private treaty, video auction, retained ownership, and use of strategic alliances. This study examines use of alternative marketing arrangements and types of producers using each. Thirty-nine percent of producers used alternative arrangements.Marketing,

Beef Producer Choice in Cattle Marketing

In addition to the conventional auction method of cattle marketing, some alternative marketing arrangements include sale by private treaty, video auction, retained ownership, and use of strategic alliances. This study finds that 91% of Louisiana producers use conventional auctions, while 39% use other types of marketing arrangements. The most heavily used alternative marketing arrangement is private treaty, at 26%. Those producers using alternative marketing arrangements tend to be larger, have heavier weaning weights, have more diverse farming operations, be younger, have greater contact with their county extension agents, and depend less on income from off-farm sources.cattle marketing, conventional auction, private treaty, strategic alliance, video auction, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing,

CONSUMER CHOICE AMONG ALTERNATIVE RED MEATS

A multinomial logit model was estimated and used to analyze consumer choice between the best retail meat cut from four species of alternative livestock or "none of these" (all with equal retail prices). The data source, a 1997 survey of Louisiana households, included buffalo, emu, ostrich, and venison. The following were important variables in the respondents' selection among species of alternative livestock: sex, education and race of the respondent; previous consumption of meat from exotic animals; and respondent identification of venison as an exotic meat. The respondents also indicated some resistance to consuming meat from animals that they considered to be exotic. These results infer that producers and sellers of meat from exotic animals will have to overcome these perceptions to move their product beyond niche markets.Consumer/Household Economics,

The Standard Model on Non-Commutative Space-Time

We consider the Standard Model on a non-commutative space and expand the action in the non-commutativity parameter theta. No new particles are introduced, the structure group is SU(3) x SU(2) x U(1). We derive the leading order action. At zeroth order the action coincides with the ordinary Standard Model. At leading order in theta we find new vertices which are absent in the Standard Model on commutative space-time. The most striking features are couplings between quarks, gluons and electroweak bosons and many new vertices in the charged and neutral currents. We find that parity is violated in non-commutative QCD. The Higgs mechanism can be applied. QED is not deformed in the minimal version of the NCSM to the order considered.Comment: 28 pages, v3: typos corrected, new appendix on alternative kinetic terms for gauge bosons; v4: typos correcte

CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE OF SELECTED NUTRIENT CONTENT OF NINE FRESH MEAT CUTS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the medical profession, among others, have attempted to broaden consumers' knowledge of the nutritive content of foods. Retailers provide information by supplying point-of-purchase nutrition information and/or nutrition labels on fresh meats. The availability of nutrition information on packaged fresh meats is relatively new. A survey of Louisiana households provided estimates of their knowledge of the fat, cholesterol, and protein content of selected combinations of fresh beef, pork, chicken, and turkey meats. Permutation analysis and tabular analyses were used to assess households' nutrition knowledge of the selected fresh meats.beef, chicken, consumer knowledge, nutrient content, permutation analysis, pork, turkey, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,