An economic assessment of a proposed dry land Leucaena development within the Brigalow Belt of Central Queensland: An operational case study perspective

This following case study focuses on beef production using dry land leucaena to increase production on a property of alluvial scrub flats south of Biloela, Queensland. The investment proposal is for development of the property through the growing of the fodder legume tree crop leucaena. The benefit of finishing cattle on leucaena is estimated using partial budgeting techniques. The case study reports on aspects of agronomic, managerial, production and economic considerations for 174 hectares of dry land leucaena development, staged over four years. A discounted cash flow approach was applied in order to model expected returns over time. Net cash flows between the existing grass based operation and the proposed leucaena supplemented operation are estimated. Comparison between grass only and leucaena supplemented gross margins provide the marginal benefit from developing leucaena. These future cash flows were discounted to assign their present values. Productive capacity estimates were used in the analysis. Expected yields and weight gain from grass fed operations were available from detailed management records. However, given the lack of scientifically verified data on expected leucaena production across land types, production estimates were based on localised production results and sourced from technical extension experts. The use of adult equivalents and accounting for the opportunity cost of maintaining particular herd structures allows for direct comparison of gross margins across different land types and herd structures. By choosing to plant leucaena, the owner is $144,939 better off, achieves a 22% internal rate of return, a benefit-cost ratio of 3.2:1, and breaks even on the investment in seven years.Production Economics,

Stomatal Conductance and Chlorophyll Characteristics and Their Relationship with Yield of Some Cocoa Clones Under Tectona Grandis, Leucaena SP., and Cassia Surattensis.

An optimum physiological condition will support high yield and quality of cocoa production. The research was aimed to study the effects of stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content related to cocoa production under three shade regimes.This research was conducted in Kaliwining Experimental Station, elevation of 45 m above sea level with D climate type based on Schmidt & Fergusson. Cocoa trees which were planted in 1994 at a spacing of 3 X 3 m were used in the study planted by using split plot design. The shade tree species were teak (Tectona grandis), krete (Cassiasurattensis), and lamtoro (Leucaena sp.) as the main plots, and cocoa clones of Sulawesi 01,Sulawesi 02, KKM 22 and KW 165 as sub plots. This study showed that there was interaction between cocoa clone and shade species for stomatal conductance where stomatal diffusive resistance of KKM 22 was the best under Leucaena sp.and Cassiasurattensis with the values of 1.38 and 1.34 s.cm -1, respectively. The highest chlorophyll content, stomatal index and transpiration values was under Leucaena sp. shade. There was positive correlation between chlorophyll content and transpiration with pod yield of cocoa. The highest yield and the lowest bean count wereobtainedon Sulawesi 01 clone under Leucaenasp. shade

Estimation of growth and financial analysis through the application of Ipil ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) leaf meal as supplements to soybean and fish meal in the diet of juvenile monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Among plant protein ingredients,ipil ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) leafmeal (ILLM) is considered the most nutritive plant protein source after soybean meal in aquatic feeds. That was proven in a 21-day experiment conducted to assess the response of juvenile Monosex Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus with four iso-nitrogenous formulated diets: One control diet was formulated based on fishmeal, one on soybean meal and one on rice bran, ipil ipil leafmeal was also included in experimental diets

The growth and survival rate of (private) Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings fed with varying percentages of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal based diets

A-ten-week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the growth and survival rate of Oreochromis niloticus fed with varying percentage levels of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal as a substitute for groundnut cake. The levels in the various diets were 0% - Diet 1, 25% - Diet 2, 50% - Diet 3 and 75% - Diet 4. Ten fingerlings with an average weight of 0.44g were stocked at the rate of 10 fish per bowl and fed at 5% body weight. Diet 1 with 0% inclusion of leucaena leaf meal gave a significant difference (P>0.05) in growth and survival rate compared with diets 2, 3 and 4. The water quality parameters recorded were appropriate for fish cultur

Predicting field performance of five irrigated tree species using seedling quality assessment in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Five exotic tree species (Acacia angustissima (Mil.) Kuntze, Acacia mangium Wild, Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Alp., Leucaena hybrid (LxL), and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit) were investigated to determine whether parameters of nursery seedling stock quality could be used to predict their field performance in a plantation irrigated with treated waste-water to produce fodder and wood. Plants were grown in the nursery in two contrasting rooting substrates (ordinary nursery soil and sand), predicted to have different effects on resource allocation. Three categories of morphological indicators were measured, i.e. plant dimensions (height, diameter, root length), plant weights (shoot, root and whole plant weights) and indices (sturdiness quotient ‘SQ’, shoot:root dry weight ratio ‘SRR’ and Dickson’s quality index ‘DQI’). In the nursery, all species performed better in the ordinary nursery soil for all growth parameters except root length. Thus ordinary nursery substrate appeared superior to sand in terms of plant quality. However, a follow up at plantation phase revealed that only some morphological attributes or ratios were suitable to predict field performance for the five tested species in irrigated plantation. In addition, the effect of the substrate observed at the nursery stage had disappeared 12 months after out planting due to the availability of water and nutrients provided by the treated waste water used for the irrigation. The results showed that root collar diameter and DQI appeared to be the most appropriate indicators to predict the outplanting performance of the five tested species in a short-rotation irrigated plantation in semi-arid Burkina Faso. The former measure is simpler and non-destructive

Abundance of Pollinator Insect (Forcipomyia Spp .) of Cocoa Under Some Shade Trees

Cocoa production is affected by cocoa flowering and fruiting. The factor affects fruit seeting is pollinator agent such as Forcipomyia spp. Until now, information concerning population dynamics of Forcipomyia in some models of cocoa shading trees remains limited. This research was studied to observe the population dynamics of Forcipomyia spp. in some models of cocoa shading trees, namely lamtoro (Leucaena sp.), krete (Cassia surithensis) and areca nut (Areca catechu) in two main season of rainy and dry seasons. The research was conducted in Kaliwining research station of Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI), Jember, by surveying the existing cocoa under different types of shading trees as mentioned above. The insects were observed using modified sticky trap method, whilst micro climate condition was also observed. The highest population was in January (rainy season) under Leucaena spp. shade tress and the lowest population was in October under all type of the shading trees. There was no relationship between microclimate condition under cocoa trees (temperature, RH and light intensity) and Forcipomyia spp. population (r = 0.08 and 0.04)

ANALISIS PERSEPSI DAN KEPUASAN PEMBELI AYAM DI PASAR UNGGAS KOTA SEMARANG

Tujuan penelitian yaitu untuk mengetahui nilai persepsi pembeli ayam, mengetahui faktor – faktor yang mempengaruhi kepuasan pembeli ayam dan membandingkan tingkat kepuasan pembeli di pasar unggas Kota Semarang. Penelitian dilakukan di Pasar Unggas Penggaron dan Pasar Kubra Merah Putih. Pasar unggas merupakan pasar yang menjual unggas hidup dalam jumlah besar. Jenis Ayam hidup yang dijual meliputi ayam broiler, ayam pejantan, ayam afkir dan ayam kampung. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai persepsi kepuasan pembeli di Pasar Unggas Penggaron sebesar 4,20 dan di Pasar Kubro Merah Putih sebesar 4,16. Secara parsial semua variabel faktor kepuasan pembeli ayam yaitu harga (X1), kebutuhan (X2), lokasi pasar (X3), pelayanan penjual (X4) di Pasar Unggas Penggaron berpengaruh secara signifikan dengan kepuasan pembeli ayam (Y), sedangkan di Pasar Kubro hanya variabel X1 yang tidak berpengaruh. Tingkat kepuasan pembeli ayam di masing – masing pasar tidak terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan.Kata Kunci : Pasar Unggas, Persepsi, Kepuasan Pembeli Ayam