The use of frozen semen to minimize inbreeding in small populations

In this study, we compared the average coancestry and inbreeding levels for two genetic conservation schemes in which frozen semen from a gene bank is used to reduce the inbreeding in a live population. For a simple scheme in which only semen of generation-0 (G0) sires is used, the level of inbreeding asymptotes to 1/(2N), where N is the number of newborn sires in the base generation and rate of inbreeding goes to zero. However, when only sires of G0 are selected, all genes will eventually descend from the founder sires and all genes from the founder dams are lost. We propose an alternative scheme in which N sires from generation 1 (G1), as well as the N sires from G0, have semen conserved, and the semen of G0 and G1 sires is used for dams of odd and even generation numbers, respectively. With this scheme, the level of inbreeding asymptotes to 1/(3N) and the genes of founder dams are also conserved, because 50% of the genes of sires of G1 are derived from the founder dams. A computer simulation study shows that this is the optimum design to minimize inbreeding, even if semen from later generations is available

Resilience of food companies to calamities - perceptions in the Netherlands

Calamities such as extreme droughts and trade or infrastructure breakdowns potentially hamper the continuity of individual food companies, as well as the continuity of food supply in Europe at large. There is a lack of insight into food companies’ resilience in case of cumulative calamities or calamities that did not happen before in recent history. In this context, an expert elicitation study among feed and food companies in the Netherlands was undertaken. Results show that lengthy or structural unavailability of electricity and a lengthy crisis of road transport are perceived as the most threatening calamities.Outcomes also show a relatively limited implementation of BCM (business continuity management) at company level. Complete BCM programs for top-3 calamities perceived to threaten the continuity of food supply in Europe are reported by 0% to 30% of the companies. For calamities perceived to be important for business continuity this is between 20% and 40%. In the field of risk management a leading role is attributed to the public sector for improving international governance and setting up a so-called masterplan with measures such as larger raw-materials stocks and broad sourcing. Findings suggest that further actions are needed, starting with prioritised calamities and the design of a masterplan. Yet, stakeholders are also urged to pro-actively “think the unthinkable

FEASIBILITY OF INCOME INSURANCE IN EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE

Liberalization of agricultural markets leads to new risks for European farmers. This paper studies the feasibility of income insurance schemes for European crop and livestock farmers. Different insurance topics, such as governmental reinsurance and the use of mutual insurance funds, are described and analyzed, using individual farm level data of different areas and commodities. In this paper it is argued that 'income' insurance in European agriculture should be restricted to yield-only insurance schemes that are organized per commodity and per region and in which governments play the role of 'lender of last resort.Income variability, income insurance, crop and livestock farming, Risk and Uncertainty,

Livestock farmers' attitude towards manure separation technology as future strategy

In this paper, an ordered probit model is used to assess the factors that affect the probability of livestock farmers having plans to adopt manure separation technology in the future. A survey, based on a postal and computerized questionnaire of representative dairy and pig farms in the Netherlands was carried out in 2009. The results show that age of farmer and a variable which accounts for the interaction between size and location of the farm are important variables explaining the probability of farmers having plans to adopt manure separation technology. Furthermore, farmers who agreed that future application norms are the driving force for considering adoption of manure separation technology were more likely to consider manure separation as the right strategy for their farm. This outcome implies that farmers are considering manure separation as a strategy to survive the more stringent future application norms. Policy implications are that young farmers with bigger Dutch size unit located in manure regions where there is oversupply of manure are more likely to adopt manure separation technology in the futur

Variation in actual relationship among descendants of inbred individuals

In previous analyses, the variation in actual, or realized, relationship has been derived as a function of map length of chromosomes and type of relationship, the variation being greater the shorter the total chromosome length and the coefficient of variation being greater the more distant the relationship. Here, the results are extended to allow for the relatives' ancestor being inbred. Inbreeding of a parent reduces variation in actual relationship among its offspring, by an amount that depends on the inbreeding level and the type of mating that led to that level. For descendants of full-sibs, the variation is reduced in later generations, but for descendants of half-sibs, it is increased

Trade-offs Between Consumer Concerns: An Application for Pork Production

This paper studies multiple attributes of pork production and analyses the trade-offs that consumers make between them. Results show that without considering the trade-offs, animal welfare and food safety are on average perceived as the most important attributes. However, including trade-offs, Taste and Price become major concerns. Conclusions are nuanced as for a number of segments and specific trade-offs Taste and Price are relatively less important. Results support the implementation of differentiated chain designs with distinct and innovative decisions for trade-offs to be made.Customised conjoint analysis, Segmentation, Pork production, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Attributing the Berlin Sketchbook to the Amsterdam painter and printmaker Cornelis Anthonisz (ca. 1505-1558)

This article shows that the so-called Berlin Sketchbook in the Berlin Kupferstichkabinett can be securely attributed to the 16th century Amsterdam printmaker and cartographer Cornelis Anthonisz