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The vineyards and wine industry are key pillars of the economy in the Douro Demarcated Region (DDR). However, the region’s diverse topography poses challenges, leading to high grape production costs. Additionally, ongoing difficulties in attracting labor threaten the sector's sustainability. Based on a multiple linear regression and survey data from 110 DDR farms, this study analyzed the impact of labor costs on farms with varying vineyard landscaping and grapevine training systems. Results indicate a clear relationship between certain landscaping and training practices and permanent labor costs. Traditional walled terraces, vertical planting, and cordon training systems incur the highest permanent labor expenses, while temporary labor costs remain minimal. Adopting less labor-intensive systems is a strategic priority for DDR winegrowers, with significant effects across the wine value chain. To enhance the sector’s sustainability, future policies should prioritize systems that are well-adapted to local conditions and economically viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pastures are essential for sustaining dairy production, particularly in temperate climates where year-round grazing is feasible. However, comprehensive analyses of their productivity, efficiency, and cost evaluation remain uncommon. This study evaluated the productivity, quality, nitrogen fertilization use efficiency, and production costs of Lolium multiflorum Lam pasture on a farm in São Miguel Island. The research compared conventional nitrogen fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen fertilizer at application rates of 320 and 160 kg N ha−1, alongside a control treatment. A Latin square design with five treatments was employed to assess both agronomic and economic performance. The results showed that the type of fertilizer did not significantly influence productivity or quality, while nitrogen levels had a notable impact. Higher nitrogen doses increased dry matter yield and crude protein content. Fiber characteristics remained relatively stable, though neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber levels tended to rise with increased nitrogen application. Nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency consistently exceeded 70%, regardless of the fertilizer type or application rate. Regarding production costs, conventional fertilizer was significantly more cost-effective than slow-release fertilizer, underscoring the importance of selecting economically viable options without compromising agronomic performance in forage production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basically, every company must be competing to increase its net profit, the problem that often occurs now is that many companies have not been able to increase their net profit, so that the company suffers losses because the company is unable to compete with other companies. Net profit is very much needed by companies so that investors can see whether the company is experiencing profits or losses. The purpose of this study was made to determine the Effect of Operational Costs, Production Costs, Sales and Cost of Goods Sold on Net Profit in Farnasi Subsector Manufacturing Companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the 2016- 2023 Period. The method used in this study is a quantitative method with a verifiable descriptive approach. The results obtained that the results of the descriptive statistical analysis of the Net Profit variable in the table show that the minimum value of Net Profit at Manufacturing Companies in the Pharmaceutical Subsector during the period 2016 – 2023 is 5.146 billion incurred in the company PT Pyridam Farma (PYFA) in 2021. The maximum value of Net Profit in Manufacturing Companies in the Pharmaceutical Subsector during the period was Rp. 3,450,083 trillion achieved by PT Kalbe Farma (KALBE) in 2022. Average Net Profit in Manufacturing Companies in the Pharmaceutical Subsector during the period was Rp. 811,264.03 billion and Standard Deviation 1,175,988.14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruits are one of the main components of a healthy diet. They have many benefits and are recommended for regular consumption as part of a varied healthy diet. However, they are seasonal fruits, some need to be processed to ensure more extended storage and consumption throughout the year. The research aims to analyse the economic indicators of three apple cultivars (Golden Delicious, Florina and Freedom) dried by four methods (sun-died, shade-dried, dehydration, lyophilization). The methodological framework of the study includes: (1) Theoretical overview of apple drying methods; (2) Analysis of the economic indicators of apple drying – gross output, production and additional costs, net income, and rate of return; (3) Determining the benefits and drawbacks of drying apple products. It was found that the drying methods – sun-dried, shade-dried, and lyophilization–have a higher rate of profitability, while dehydration has a lower rate. The lyophilization method is the most profitable for production with Florina, followed by Freedom and Golden Delicious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture is an activity aimed at producing and fattening organisms under controlled conditions of species developed in the aquatic environment, with biofloc technology being a viable alternative, taking advantage of organic and inorganic waste through heterotrophic microorganisms present in the water and making better use of water resources. The objective of this study was to evaluate the production of red tilapia (Oreochromis sp) reared in a biofloc technology (TBF) system, using a descriptive non-experimental design employing a total of 5000 fingerlings with an average initial size of 1.5 cm and weight of 0.6 g, constantly monitoring physicochemical parameters (pH, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, sedimentation, dissolved oxygen, and temperature). Aspects such as weight gain (WG), Total feed intake (TF), Daily intake (DA), Feed conversion factor (FCR) were measured. The results showed that the physicochemical parameters of the water in this system are within the recommended ranges for tilapia culture. It was observed that in some weeks during the growth of the fish there was a low feed conversion ratio with values of 0.33, 0.35, 0.53, 0.67, 0.79, 0.91, 0.99, thus influencing the reduction of production costs, taking into account that the closer the FCA is to zero the greater the efficiency of feed use, so in this case the implementation of the system was not optimal (by volume of production) because there was not a low index throughout the growing season, generating profitability problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively improve the production efficiency of assembled channels, accelerate the mold turnover and reduce the production costs. Based on the limited number of steam curing rooms in the assembled channel production line, an optimized production scheduling model of assembled channels with minimum production cycle as the goal was established, and an improved genetic algorithm was designed to solve the model. Taking the channel production line of Xinjiang Shihezi Jintudi Cement Products Factory as an example, the feasibility of the production model was verified, and the stability and effectiveness of the improved genetic algorithm are verified by comparing the traditional sequential production scheduling with the optimized production scheduling with the improved genetic algorithm. The results show that the optimized production scheduling of assembled channels based on the improved genetic algorithm can effectively reduce the production cycle of assembled channels, improve the production efficiency, to achieve the purpose of reducing the production costs and improving the core competitiveness of the enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among all technologies applied in three-dimensional printing (3DP), fused deposition modeling (FDM) is the most developing one because it is capable of producing parts with geometrically complex figures. Despite its wide applications, there are some drawbacks to its extension, for instance, weak mechanical characteristics and low dimensional accuracy. In this paper, the influence of four FDM process parameters (layer height, printing speed, infill density, and the number of top and bottom layers) on four criteria (impact strength, dimensional accuracy, consumed raw material, and production time) of polylactic acid (PLA) parts is studied. Unlike previous research, this research not only optimizes the properties of produced parts but also minimizes production costs. First, each criterion is analyzed singly; then, in an investigation, all criteria are combined and optimized simultaneously. In other words, a comprehensive decision is made considering both products' qualities and the production costs. The applied methodology for multi-criterion decision-making in this research is also usable in other fields of industry. With the help of this methodology, the best selection of process parameters' levels is attainable. According to the results, layer height = 0.3 mm, number of top and bottom layers = 2, infill density = 60% and print speed = 45.28 mm/s are the best choice while considering all four criteria. Layer height is found the most effective parameter. An increase in layer height leads to a stronger part with a shorter production time but a heavier one with less dimensional accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic plant production systems that favor crop diversity tend to harbor a varied fauna involved in biological processes, reducing external inputs. Even so they may depend on animal fertilizer not available locally. This makes fertilization with only plant sources a promising alternative, but the economic-environmental return must be evaluated. The objective was to evaluate the economic viability of an organic production system of different vegetables, using strictly plant-derived fertilizers, with its profitability estimated by commercialization in the organic, conventional and local markets, and to characterize the beneficial entomofauna of this system. The study was carried out at the Intensive Vegetable Cultivation Module (MCOIH), Seropédica (RJ). The economic viability of the MCOIH was determined by the cost-benefit ratio, and the system being was monetarily viable if RB/C>1. The beneficial entomofauna was determined by capturing adult insects at georeferenced points. The highest net revenue was obtained when the vegetables were sold in the organic market. Labor and irrigation were more expensive among variable costs and fixed costs, respectively. The MCOIH harbored an entomofauna represented by 13 families that gather entomophagous insects and two families of decomposer insects. The entomophages were mostly represented by the Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) and Dolichopodidae (Diptera) families (21.06% and 65.12%, respectively). The decomposers belonged to Micropezidae and Stratiomyidae (Diptera). It is concluded that MCOIH is not viable only when the vegetables are commercialized in the conventional market and their agroecological management allows to conserve a functional beneficial fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory production of recombinant mammalian proteins, particularly antibodies, requires an expression pipeline assuring sufficient yield and correct folding with appropriate posttranslational modifications. Transient gene expression (TGE) in the suspension-adapted Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines has become the method of choice for this task. The antibodies can be secreted into the media, which facilitates subsequent purification, and can be glycosylated. However, in general, protein production in CHO cells is expensive and may provide variable outcomes, namely in laboratories without previous experience. While achievable yields may be influenced by the nucleotide sequence, there are other aspects of the process which offer space for optimization, like gene delivery method, cultivation process or expression plasmid design. Polyethylenimine (PEI)-mediated gene delivery is frequently employed as a low-cost alternative to liposome-based methods. In this work, we are proposing a TGE platform for universal medium-scale production of antibodies and other proteins in CHO cells, with a novel expression vector allowing fast and flexible cloning of new genes and secretion of translated proteins. The production cost has been further reduced using recyclable labware. Nine days after transfection, we routinely obtain milligrams of antibody Fabs or human lactoferrin in a 25 mL culture volume. Potential of the platform is established based on the production and crystallization of antibody Fabs and their complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic horticultural farming system is a horticultural farming technique that relies on natural materials in its production and is a sustainable agriculture, in contrast to the conventional horticultural farming system which still relies on chemicals in its production process. The purpose of this research was to compare organic and conventional horticultural farming systems in Getasan district, Semarang. This study is a crosssectional descriptive-analytical study that employed survey methodologies. This study was conducted from July to December 2019 using a sample of 314 respondents, 90 organic horticulture farmers and 224 conventional horticulture farmers as research subjects. Research results showed that the average total additional cost of restoring soil nutrients in 100 m2 / year for organic horticulture farming was IDR. 69,958.33 less than the cost for conventional farming systems, which was IDR. 79,550.00 per 100 m2 per year, with a p-value of 0.032*. The cost of purchasing fertilizer in year / 100m2 on a conventional horticultural farm was IDR. 90,575.78, greater than the cost of organic horticulture farming which was only IDR. 73,170.38 with a p-value< 0,001*. The average yield of organic horticulture farms was somewhat higher than that of conventional farms during each growing season. The average annual income from yields in 100 m2/year for organic horticulture production was IDR 2,449,246.32, while conventional IDR. 2,369,641.10 with p-value of 0.441 although not statistically significant. The average profit per 100 m2 / year for an organic horticultural farming system was IRD. 1,549,303.42, which is greater than the profit value for a conventional horticultural farming system, which was IDR. 1,450,109.82, 959,289.06, although statistically not significant, with p-value = 0.228. The total annual production cost for the organic horticulture farming system was less than the conventional system, which was IDR 901,346.78 for the organic horticulture farming system and IDR. 921,084.17 for conventional, for every 100 m2 / year with p-value = 0.383, even though not statistically significant. Statistically, there was no significant difference in labor costs between the two agricultural systems, p-value 0.702, but descriptive analysis shows that the average labor cost per 100 m2/year for organic horticulture farming was IDR. 588,859.57, which is less than IDR. 591,760.50 for conventional horticulture farming. Based on the parameters analyzed, the outcome of this study demonstrates that the organic horticulture farming system is superior to the conventional horticultural farming system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues the categorical apparatus that allows us to epistemologically base, from accredited sources, the epistemological articulations of the "cost determination" competence in a comprehensive look at the activities of the food and beverage production process, which should positively impact the management of companies and the tutoring of the future graduate in terms of their training and development of skills for work activity. This result is part of a broader investigation. The methodology used content analysis as a fundamental method that, accompanied by analysis, synthesis, generalization, and comparison among other methods and techniques at the theoretical-hermeneutical level, allows us to obtain a theoretical model of knowledge management oriented towards developing skills related to costs determination in university students. The model is applied to the Bachelor's Degree in Gastronomy and can be used in other university graduate programs with the necessary adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contextualization: Nutritional supplementation for cattle fed with grass requires local alternatives that allow optimizing the productive performance and reducing maintenance costs of the animals. Knowledge gap: Cocoa husk supplementation can be a nutritionally and economically viable alternative for tropical farms, that is why this research pretends to answer the following questions: What will be the effect of cocoa husk supplementation on productivity and quality of bovine milk? and its implementation will make possible to reduce maintenance costs without affecting the production parameters and the quality of the final product? Purpose: evaluate the effect of a cocoa husk supplement on the production and quality of milk from crossbred cows fed with tropical grasses. Methodology: 10 Brown x Guzerat crossbred multiparous bovine females were used, in their second third of lactation, with an average age of 7 years and an middling weight of 450 ± 38 kg, which were distributed under a completely random design with two treatments: control and supplemented [the supplemented treatment was provided daily (2kg/animal/day) with five repetitions each day]. The supplement was composed of cocoa husk, wheat bran, ground corn grain, molasses, urea, dicalcium phosphate and mineralized salt, and it was offered daily, at milking time, after a 14-day adaptation period. Milk production was quantified daily and corrected to 4 % of fat, and milk composition was analysed every 15 days using an infrared spectrophotometer. The data obtained were subjected to an ANOVA with 5 % of significance, using the PROC MIXED software from SAS v. 9.4. The economic analysis was carried out through partial budgets. Results and conclusions: the nutritional supplementation increased [p < 0,05] milk production which was corrected to 4 % fat. There was an interaction between treatments and collection times [p < 0,05] on the concentration of fat, protein, non-fat solids, and milk density. The concentration of lactose and minerals increased with supplementation and collection time [p < 0,05]. The nutritional supplementation improved net income from milk sales by USD$ 0,63 per animal at day. In summary, nutritional supplementation based on cocoa husks improves production and quality of milk on crossbred cows fed with Brachiaria humidicola pasture, generating higher income for milk producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, factors in field crops affecting land rents are examined in the province of Antalya, in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. Wheat, barley, cotton and maize are chosen, and production cost data for these crops and land rents for the years 2001-2019 are used in the analyses. It is found that in Antalya, according to the crops selected, land rents are generally at a level which allowed tenants to make a profit, but that in some years, this is not possible because of a reduction in net income. Fluctuations in net income negatively affect the economic sustainability of agricultural farmers. An examination of the factors affecting land rents prices showed that in the short and long terms, diesel fuel or fertilizer support and production costs had a positive effect on land rents. Difference payment support caused an increase in land prices in the short term, and in the long term had a negative effect on rent prices. Net income caused a land rents reduction in the short term, but in the long term it caused an increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate fertilization of cassava cultivars leads to increased production costs that may be economically viable depending on the quantity used and the corresponding productivity. In this sense, the objective of the work was to analyse the economic viability of the irrigated cultivation of table cassava cultivars in response to the application of phosphorus doses in the Brazilian semiarid region. Two agricultural crops were conducted at the Experimental Farm Rafael Fernandes, Mossoró, RN, from June 2018 to April 2019 and from June 2019 to April 2020. The experimental design was in randomized blocks arranged in subdivided plots, with four replications. The doses of phosphorus (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg ha-1 of P2O5) were applied to the plots and the table cassava cultivars (Água Morna, BRS Gema de Ovo, Recife and Venâncio) arranged in the subplots. The total costs for one hectare of cultivation were estimated and the gross income, net income, rate of return, and profitability index were calculated. The use of phosphate fertilizer was economically viable for the cassava cultivars studied in the two crops. The cultivars Água Morna, BRS Gema de Ovo, and Recife are the best cultivation options for the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norteas they give high yields with the highest profitability. The Recife cultivar was the region's most profitable cultivation, with a profit ranging from R$ 40,331.07 ha-1 to R$ 57,603.46 ha-1 in both seasons, with an average recommendation of 120 kg ha-1 of P2O5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of electricity from photovoltaic (PV) systems is one of the significant opportunities for novel renewable energy sources. The PV systems can provide energy with minimum environmental harm; however, the usage of this energy source becomes strongly dependent on a wide range of social, economic, and technical factors. Based on the growing demand for renewable energy sources, the aim of the work focuses on the socio-economic analysis of possibilities of producing electricity from photovoltaic installations up to 10 kW in Poland. Based on expert research, the factors influencing energy production from PV systems were assessed based on factor three analysis (level II with 5 factors, level III with 15 factors). Using the expert-mathematical method, a hierarchy of economic, technical, and social factors of PV-based energy production was evaluated. The analysis of socio-economic factors indicated that the greatest impact on the PV systems development in Poland depends on energy purchasing costs and EU law regulations on renewable energy sources (RESs). The most influential factors were then used to forecast the possible cost-effectiveness of renewable energy production of home energy production. The study demonstrates the importance of renewable energy sources utilization and the cost-effectiveness of solar energy production in small PV systems in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Dairy operations have adopted benchmarking as a methodology to rank farms and establish target indexes; however, a connection between benchmarking and farms in the tropics is still warranted. Aims: To evaluate the technical and economic quartiles based on farm return on assets (ROA) of three regions (Centre, South and Triangle) of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, and use them to establish benchmarks for dairy farms. Methods: We collected data from 128 dairy farms (from January to December of 2019). All properties were part of the Educampo® project/Sebrae-MG. Farms were grouped into the Centre, South and Triangle regions, and subdivided into three groups within each region according to their ROA, where 25% of the farms that presented the lowest ROA were classified as the first quartile, 50% of farms were classified as interquartile and the 25% remaining farms were classified as the fourth quartile. Data were analysed as a randomised block design in a split-plot scheme, where the production systems were blocks, the regions were the main plots and the groups were the split plots. Differences were declared when P ≤ 0.10. Key results: Total operating cost ($/L; $ – this currency is in US dollars and it applies throughout the paper); accrual operating cost ($/L); production costs, such as roughage ($/L), hired labour ($/L), percentage of concentrate and hired labour in accrual operating cost (%), were affected by regions and groups. The South and fourth quartile had the greatest total operating cost (0.24 $/L; 0.26 $/L) and accrual operating cost (0.27 $/L; 0.30 $/L), respectively. The majority of economic indexes were higher for Triangle than South and Centre, respectively. The fourth quartile had the greatest net margin (0.09 $/L), profit (0.07 $/L), return on assets (2%) and assets turnover rate (24%). Conclusions: We suggest that benchmarks should be established by region, as there were too many variations among regions. In addition, this study demonstrated the importance of understanding the behaviour of the technical and economic indicators to stratify farms based on their return on assets. Implications: We evaluated technical and economic indexes from three regions and stratified by ROA. Then, we established benchmarks by regions to better guide the producer in decision-making in dairy operations. The evaluation of technical and economic indexes, and the establishment of benchmarking are important for the financial management of dairy operations. We studied a broad spectrum of dairy farms, and analysed which indicators vary the most in high, intermediate and low return on assets' farms. Lastly, we demonstrated the importance of categorising technical and financial indexes to create new benchmarks by region, and that this analysis must be periodically performed, aiming for greater profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to evaluate indicators of economic efficiency of a flock of sheep of the Illede-France breed bred in the Experimental base of the Institute of Animal Science – Kostinbrod in three consecutive years within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy 2014–2020. The economic purpose of the breed is for meat, wool and industrial crossbreeding. The sheep are raised on stable and pasture. The herd is under selection control. The data on the income received and the expenses incurred in raising the animals for the period were provided by the accounting department of the Institute. The economic efficiency of the sheep breeding activity is determined by the indicators of total revenues, production costs (variable and fixed), gross margin, gross margin rate, profit and rate of profitability, calculated on the basis of ewe per year. The following conclusions were drawn from the obtained results. The average total income with subsidies in the amount of BGN 264.44 is obtained from an ewe for the period, and the total income without subsidies is BGN 131.43. In the structure of the income received from realised production, lambs occupy 35% and the share of subsidies is 51%. The total production costs per ewe are BGN 319.34 on average for the period, including variable costs in the amount of BGN 188.04. In the structure of production costs, fed feed occupies 45% and labour costs are 35%. The average amount of concentrated fodder for an ewe is 178 kg per year with a price of BGN 0.37/kg. The obtained gross margin has an increasing tendency and in the third year it is BGN 104.39/ewe. The gross margin rate also increases and at the end of the period is 36.38%. Profit has a negative sign even with subsidies during the study period. The average rate of return is (-12.37%). This shows the strong dependence of the economic results in raising sheep of the Ille-de-France breed on the amount of subsidies received. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various versions of the Porter hypothesis suggest that well-designed environmental public policies may have positive effects on eco-innovation adoption and on the profitability of enterprises on the long run. However, these effects may be heterogeneous depending on the eco-innovation at stake and influenced by the other enterprises in competition. Using a repeated cross-country European survey on SME, we estimate mixed Ordered Probit with correlated random effects and sample selection. We are able to disentangle direct and indirect determinants of costs while accounting for the internal, contextual and public policies levers of eco-innovation adoption. While testing the three versions of Porter's hypothesis, we extend previous work by taking into account the heterogeneous impact of different eco-innovations on profitability, on the one hand, and the impact of eco-innovation adoption by one firm on another, on the other hand. Our results have valuable policy implications for policymakers and SMEs. • Testing the three versions of Porter Hypothesis. • Disentangling direct and indirect impact of public policies of production costs. • Identifying heterogeneous and contextual effects on economic performance. • Double-dividend hypothesis depends on the type of eco-innovation. • Non-market policies decrease production costs by discouraging unprofitable innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the analysis of production volumes and efficiency of sunflower cultivation in Ukraine. It is shown that sunflower occupies more than 70% of the total acreage under oil crops. Attention is focused on the fact that the dominance of sunflowers in the structure of the production of oil crops provides this crop with a special role in the agricultural market of Ukraine. The dynamics of sown areas, gross harvests and the level of productivity of sunflowers in Ukraine for the period 2018–2020 were analyzed. The effectiveness of sunflower production was studied in terms of forms of management of agrarian formations and by the amount of land in use. It has been established that the most effective cultivation of sunflowers is carried out by agricultural enterprises with a land area of more than 2 thousand hectares. Cost calculations and their structure for growing 1 ha of marketable sunflower in 2021 are presented. The volumes and structure of the directions of consumption of marketable sunflower seeds in Ukraine are shown. Practical recommendations for improving the process of sunflower production are proposed, taking into account the balance of supply and demand for marketable products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estima-se que a população mundial deve chegar a 9,8 bilhões de pessoas em 2050. Para atender à crescente demanda por proteína dessa população está em andamento uma nova revolução no setor da produção animal. Biotecnologia, engenharia genética e zootecnia de precisão têm levado ao aumento da eficiência e produtividade especialmente na produção de aves e suínos. O aumento na produtividade, porém, está associada a prejuízos ao bem-estar animal resultando no aumento da incidência de doenças e piora na qualidade da carne. Esses problemas são registrados, em geral, nas regiões consideradas mais desenvolvidas onde os produtores rurais têm acesso à informação e tecnologia mais recente. A proximidade com o mercado consumidor/meios de exportação resulta em ganhos apesar dos eventuais prejuízos. O Brasil e outros países Neotropicais, contudo, apresentam diferenças regionais muito grandes, com regiões de florestas onde as condições locais impedem/ dificultam o desenvolvimento da pecuária tradicional. Adicionalmente, por viver em regiões distantes dos centros de produção animal, grande parte da população desses países não tem acesso à proteína animal de qualidade. Principalmente, devido aos altos custos desses produtos, resultando em elevada prevalência de insegurança alimentar. Como parte da resolução desses problemas, nessa apresentação descreverei sistemas de produção alternativos de algumas espécies Neotropicais. Começando pelo sucesso da criação de preás (Cavia porcellus) nos países andinos. Apresentarei em seguida os sistemas de produção de semiconfinamento e de ranching para a criação de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Também mostrarei que é possível obter a produção anual de 1600 kg de caititus (Dicotyles tajacu) por hectare de floresta, alimentando esses animais com produtos e coprodutos agrícolas disponíveis localmente. Para ter sucesso na atividade, contudo, é preciso quebrar alguns paradigmas da produção animal tradicional. Precisamos estabelecer sistemas de produção que respeitem as características comportamentais das espécies. Caso contrário, haverá prejuízo ao bem-estar animal e fracasso na atividade. Alertarei também que para ter sucesso econômico na produção comercial, os produtores devem procurar se associar para viabilizar a comercialização de sua produção. Finalmente, mostrarei para que a atividade possa prosperar é necessário maior investimento em pesquisas científicas e formação de profissionais na área. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many efforts have been made to assess the potential of green hydrogen production at global, regional, and national levels using Geographic Information Systems (GIS); however, many dismiss the possibility of producing hydrogen in urban settlements. In order to reveal the true potential of these areas, it is essential to provide arguments that allow evaluation of the feasibility of promoting and impulsing the concept of hydrogen cities. Based on this idea, this work assesses the monthly and annual potential of solar hydrogen in urban areas of Mexico using actual measurements of sunshine duration as electrolyzer production times. Moreover, as light transportation is crucial for cities, we examine the substitution of gasoline with hydrogen and its cost throughout the year. These constitute the main contribution of the present work. This study departs from the geographical and technical potential of solar energy, and by using GIS, the amount of hydrogen production per unit of area (Ton/(km2 year)) was computed. The levelized cost of hydrogen production (LCOH) is also evaluated, using two of the most popular and commercial electrolysis technologies: PEM and Alkaline. Our results revealed that Mexican urban areas have a high potential to produce solar hydrogen, having an average annual production that varies from 1991.8 Ton/km2 to 4338.3 Ton/km2 according to the region. The total solar hydrogen potential of all Mexican urban places is 9.39 MTon/year, which could satisfy up to 42.6 times the 2020 hydrogen demand of Mexico. We found that the national gasoline consumption could be replaced by H 2 , requiring between 42% and 52% of the total urban production. Additionally, the national average of LCOH was found to be about 6.25 USD/kg for alkaline electrolyzer and 9.50 USD/kg for PEM technology, considering the yearly average sunshine duration of 3237 h/year, which means that Mexico could be competitive at large-scale hydrogen production by using Alkaline technology. Our findings have the potential to impact positively on the country since they provide information to facilitate the derivation of public policies from a rigorous and technical perspective. [Display omitted] • Urban hydrogen potential could satisfy up to 42.6 times the 2020 Mexico's hydrogen demand. • Light transportation would require between 46.1% and 54.7% of the total hydrogen produced. • Spring and summer had the largest production, between 0.52 MTon/month and 0.81 MTon/month. • LCOH was estimated to be between 6.25 USD/kg and 9.50 USD/kg for Alkaline and PEM technologies. • Alkaline electrolyzers resulted in a more feasible technology in the short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish is an important food in human nutrition, with high biological value, which does not produce adverse side effects, being easily digestible. In this study, it is examined how the Covid-19 Pandemic and the measures taken to limit the spread of the virus affect and transform the production costs of the carp raised on floating cages, having a direct effect on the sales price. The sector is expected to resume expansion known in 2019 over the next four years, although rising costs are a challenge to be overcome. As a result of comparison, we find a considerable increase in the production price, which is largely given by the increase in the feed price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the impact of irrigating with desalinated seawater (DSW) on the profitability of greenhouse tomato in south-eastern Spain, comparing different water-quality sources in both traditional sanding cultivation and soilless hydroponic production. The assessment is based on the combination of partial crop budgeting techniques with field data from the LIFE DESEACROP Project experimental activities. Our results show that the exclusive use of DSW for tomato production increases fertilization costs by 20% in soilless systems and by 34% in traditional sanding cultivation, and water costs by 30% in soilless systems and by 48% in traditional soil cultivation. As a result, production costs increase by 5% in soilless cultivation and 3% in soil cultivation, increases that are reduced when DSW is blended with brackish water. However, the lower salinity of DSW, compared with conventional water resources in the area, increases both crop yield and profitability. Soilless cultivation would also increase tomato profitability but only if good quality water is available. The materialization of the potential benefits of soilless production requires improving water quality through the increased use of DSW. Otherwise, the traditional sanding production system, better adapted to the area's poor soils and bad quality water, would be more profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern agriculture, preparations qualified as biostimulants are used alongside pesticides. They influence the development of plants and enable a yield-forming effect. An important feature of these preparations is that they are safe for the environment. They can be treated as substitutes for plant protection agents, which is especially important in the era of implementation of the European Green Deal, ordering the reduction of chemicalization of agriculture. The purpose of this paper was to compare the production and economic results of five methods of plantation care in Solanum tuberosum cultivation: on the first object (control), mechanical cultivation was used, and on the second, object the herbicide Avatar 293 ZC (1.5 dm3·ha−1), on object three, the herbicide Avatar 293 ZC (1.5 dm3·ha−1) and the biostimulant PlonoStart (2.0 dm3·ha−1), on object four, the herbicide Avatar 293 ZC (1.5 dm3·ha−1) and biostimulant Aminoplant (1.5 dm3·ha−1), and on object five, the herbicide Avatar 293 ZC (1.5 dm3·ha−1) and biostimulant Agro-Sorb Folium (4.0 dm3·ha−1). The research was conducted from 2018 to 2020 at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Zawady, central-eastern Poland. The results were analyzed, on average, for two Polish edible potato cultivars (Malaga and Oberon), and three years of study (2018–2020) were taken into consideration. The experiment was established as a two-factor experiment in three replicates on light soil in a spit-plot arrangement. A beneficial effect of herbicides and biostimulants on the yield and profitability of edible potato production was observed. An average increase of 33.2% in marketable yield was obtained. The gross margin increased by an average of 49.3%. The highest total yield, as compared to the control object, was obtained from object 5, where the herbicide Avatar 293 ZC with biostimulant Agro-Sorb Folium was applied, such as the greatest economic effect was achieved also in object no. 5. Application of this biostimulant was most beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing of monolithic, steel‐reinforced concrete walls using CONPrint3D‐reinforced methods 3D concrete printing technology is developing rapidly and is increasingly finding practical applications. However, the integration of load‐bearing reinforcement remains a challenge. This paper presents three new methods for the construction of monolithic walls of reinforced concrete based on the CONPrint3D‐technology developed previously by the authors. In detail, these are: 1) the additive covering of reinforcement meshes, which are hung in front of a printed core wall, 2) the lateral additive filling of a reinforcement cage and 3) the fully automatic construction of a reinforcement structure with immediate subsequent layer‐by‐layer encasing by extruded concrete. In addition to the current state of research and the material challenges, mechanical engineering development approaches and the calculative evaluation of the new processes in comparison to established construction methods will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research problem is the relative stability of grape productivity despite the high production costs. The research aimed to identify the efficiency of the use of agricultural resources used in its production to identify the economic effects of that problem at the level of the most important varieties cultivated from it in the new lands in Beheira Governorate. It is clear from the results of the study that the new lands in Egypt contribute about 68.7% of the grape production in Egypt, and the old lands contribute about 31.3%. It was also found that the production of girl grapes represents about 2.4% of the total production of grapes in Egypt, followed by the turkey grapes with a relative importance of about 24.1% and the Flame Seedless by about 16.5%, and the Early Asprior by about 1.6% and the Crimson by about 1.2% and each of Fayoumi and Al-Baladi by about 0.9%, followed by that with a contribution The rest of the other items by a small percentage. It is clear from the economic indicators of the study sample, which included three grape varieties: Banati, Crimson, Flame Seedless, that the net return per feddan amounted to 29,411 pounds for Crimson, 24763 for Flame Seedless, and 13307 for Banati. The profitability of the pound for each of them was about 51.5%, 45.6%, and 30.2%, respectively. The estimation of the grape production function of Flame Seedless cultivar showed a positive and statistically significant effect of each of the organic, phosphate, nitrogen and potassium fertilizers on its feddan productivity The total elasticity of the function, estimated at about 1.47, indicates the existence of the phenomenon of increasing the return to capacity, that is, the production of grapes of the Flame Seedless variety in the study sample in the initial stage of production, which is not economical. The estimation of the Crimson grape production function showed a statistically significant positive effect for the same previously mentioned variables, and a statistically significant positive effect for each of the leaf nutrients and human work on its feddan productivity. The overall elasticity of the function (2.3) indicates an increase in the yield to capacity, which means that the production of Crimson grapes in the study sample is in the first stage of production, which is the non-economic stage. It was found from the estimation of the function of the production of girl grapes that there is a positive effect of the same variables mentioned above on its feddan productivity, and the total elasticity of the function (1.53) indicates an increase in the return to capacity, meaning that the production of girl grapes in the study sample is in the first stage of production, which is the non-economic stage. Which indicates the need to intensify the use of production elements in the three aforementioned grape varieties to move to the economic stage of production, which is the second stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper is being studied the structure of the production cost by calculation items for agricultural products from the enterprises of the Central region of the Republic of Moldova. The influence of the unit cost on the change in the rate of return was quantified. The results of the factorial analysis show that the increase of the unit cost for all agricultural products caused the decrease of the rate of returne: for wheat by 3.89 p.p., for corn by 3.36 p.p., for sunflower by 12.03 p.p. This is partly explained by the fact that in the structure of production costs the items "Fertilizers and "Pesticides" and "Seeds" predominate, which are usually imported at exaggerated prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to reveal the feasibility of fiber flax cultivation as a profitable production activity in the Middle Black Sea Region and whether it can be an alternative product to winter wheat. The main materials of the research were the production data of fiber flax grown under farmer conditions in the trial areas in 3 locations in Sinop and Samsun provinces during the 2019-2020 production period. Flax production costs and profitability were calculated separately for the locations of Elifli village in Bafra district of Samsun province, Taşmanlı village of Sinop province central district and Söküçayırı village of Sinop province Ayancık district, and then compared with the average wheat production cost of Samsun and Sinop provinces. It was determined that variable costs constitute the largest share of the costs in all of the locations examined in the study. Approximately 89% of the total expenses in Söküçayırı village in Ayancık district of Sinop province, 83% in Taşmanlı village in the central district of Sinop province and 81% in Elifli village of Bafra district in Samsun province consist of variable expenses. It was also observed that the enterprises in Sinop province central district Taşmanlı village and Samsun province Bafra district Elifli village could cover all the production costs, while the enterprises in Söküçayırı village of Ayancık district in Sinop province cannot cover even the variable costs of production. As a result of the research, it was determined that fiber flax production, which is partially or entirely mechanized, is more profitable than the wheat grown in the region. After covering all their expenses, the enterprises made a net profit of 715.3 TL da-1 in the Taşmanlı village of central district in Sinop province and 533.2 TL da-1 in the Elifli village of Bafra district in Samsun. It was determined that farmers growing flax fiber by hand made a loss. Therefore, it was suggested that all processes should be done with mechanization for high efficiency, and profitability in fiber flax cultivation, as well as cultural practices should be paid attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As increasing the scrap steel ratio has become an important approach for energy conservation and emission reduction in the steel industry, the technology of multi-point scrap addition has emerged. Ladle furnace (LF) refining is a feasible step for scrap steel utilisation, which is often overlooked and relied solely on empirical adjustment, resulting in difficulty of precise control. It is necessary to conduct in-depth research on this process using scientific methods and explore the impact of scrap steel addition on other materials. A comprehensive calculation model was established by scientifically investigating material and thermal balances in the LF process in this article, and the impact of initial steel and scrap compositions, temperature, mass and price of scrap on production costs were analysed and compared based on the model. The results showed that as the carbon and silicon content in the initial steel increase by every 0.01% could on average reduce the production cost per ton of steel by 4.013 CNY and 0.8473 CNY, respectively, and increases by 0.123 CNY as the sulphur content increase every 0.001%. The impact of scrap composition on costs is similar to that of the initial molten steel. Increasing the carbon and sulphur content in scrap by every 0.01% will on average increase costs by 0.0765 CNY and 0.01 CNY, respectively. When the price difference between scrap and the crude steel price is within 450–500 CNY/t, increasing scrap addition will create more profit. The relative reduction in smelting time is 7.97 s as the scrap temperature increases every 50°C. The present study holds academic and industrial significance in improving LF efficiency and promoting the LF process towards a more sustainable direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a successful energy transition, Power‐to‐Gas (PtG) offers the opportunity to convert renewable electricity to substitute natural gas. This renewable synthetic natural gas (SNG) can be used for long‐term storage, transport, or can be integrated into other energy sectors. Main challenges for the commercial application of PtG are to achieve a high PtG process efficiency, dynamic operation capability, and low investment and production costs. Within the STORE&GO project, three demo sites were developed, operated, and evaluated. An overall efficiency of > 75 % is possible, the SNG production costs are expected to drop to less than 10 €‐Cent kWh−1 in 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematic treatment of uncertainties associated with forest production processes allows the establishment of technical and managerial strategies to mitigate the risk inherent in the application of capital demanded in the production of cuttings. Therefore, the aim of this research was to ascertain the unit risk to produce Eucalyptus cuttings using the Monte Carlo simulation method. Based on the estimate of the production cost of Eucalyptus cuttings and in the expected revenues of six productive systems, characterized as forestry investment projects, it was possible to construct cash flows followed by the metrics used for the decision of mutually exclusive investment projects. The incorporation of risk analysis had as propositions the uncertainties associated with the productive factors, in which probability distributions were attributed. Then, pseudorandom numbers were generated by the Monte Carlo simulation method, with the purpose of measuring the stochastic economic values and the probabilities of occurrences for the project metrics. The stochastic results showed that the probability of economic viability for the analyzed conditions is null. The most critical stochastic variables of forestry projects are investments and the cycle production of cuttings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve the goals of sustainable agricultural and rural development, agricultural education is an issue that should be in base considered and researched according to the importance of the issue and its related challenges must be realistically analyzed, Since water is one of the effective factors in the agricultural sector that plays a vital role in the production of agricultural products. There are several factors for low water productivity in the country, one of which can be considered non-optimal and unplanned use of water. It is clear that by increasing the level of awareness of farmers about the type of management of agricultural water resources it is possible to reduce current expenses and then to achieve high productivity and increasing income from crops and orchards. Therefore, in this study, the optimal management of water and reduction of production costs in the agricultural sector in Zabrkhan county of Neishabour city has been studied. The research method in this article was a descriptive-analytical method and the data was collected by two methods of library and field methods. The results show that the production cost per hectare of all crops in lands under water resources management is less than unmanaged lands. This rate varied between 3.4 to 16.8 percent. If we associate this reduction in production cost with product efficiency and use the cost per kilogram of production as a criterion, the reduction will be 165.2% for irrigated wheat, 150% for irrigated barley, 106.8% fodder corn and 54.4% for garden products. Therefore, according to the research results, the research hypothesis is confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choices Magazine 1 A publication of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Volume 36, Quarter 2 Economic Issues Related to Long-Term Investment in Tree Fruits Reetwika Basu and R. Karina Gallardo The concept of asset fixity - which Galbraith and Black (1938) defined as the "lumpiness" of salient production factors due to high fixed costs, making their temporary reduction or reorganization very expensive and unprofitable in the short run - in agriculture has interesting implications for perennial crops such as tree fruits. Focusing on Tree Fruits In the United States, tree fruits are categorized into citrus, noncitrus, and tree nuts. Establishment costs vary across the tree fruits presented, being more expensive for trees planted at higher tree densities (number of trees per surface area). Tree Fruit Production Costs Overview The establishment of a tree fruit operation is a considerable investment and can be expected to pay off only after a number of years - for tree fruit, the production lifecycle is at least 15 years. [Extracted from the article]

Factors such as herd composition, productivity, milk quality and technology level influence the costs and profitability of milk production. Objective: To evaluate indicators that could predict production performance and financial efficiency in three dairy production systems in southern Brazil. Methods: Monthly records of milk quality, production performance and costs from fifty dairy farms were collected. The farms were classified into grazing, semi-feedlot, or feedlot systems. Total revenues, effective operational cost, total operational cost, total cost, gross margin, net income, total cost leveling point, profitability and final milk price were calculated. Results: The feedlot system resulted in greater herd size and milk production per lactating cow (p<0.05), but greater variable costs compared to semi-feedlot and grazing systems. On the other hand, the grazing system achieved greater profitability per year. Factor II (fat and protein rates), and Factor III (herd size and productivity per area) were associated with milk price per liter paid to the farmer (p<0.05), together accounting for approximately 13% of this price. Conclusion: Dairy production systems are influenced by area, lactating cows, productive performance, productivity per area, milk quality, and use of artificial insemination as well as supplementation (concentrate and minerals). Nearly 13% of milk price can be attributed to its fat and protein content as well as herd size and productivity per area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El CF total que genera una salida de efectivo, es igual a Bs 52.320 y lo componen los gastos incurridos en personal Bs 40.930, honorarios profesionales Bs 1.200, mantención y reparaciones Bs. 4.789, combustible y lubricantes Bs 4.986 y finalmente los costos diversos Bs 415. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS Ubicación geográfica de la UPa Este estudio se realizó en una UPA localizada en la región Amazónica de Bolivia, específicamente en el municipio de Guayaramerín, situado en la provincia Antonio Vaca Diez, al norte del Departamento del Beni. En este estudio se identificó, como producto principal, la "venta de animales en pie para faena", expresada en kilogramos, por ser este significativamente determinante del IB que genera una entrada de efectivo en el sistema productivo de cría y recría de la UPA estudiada. En la Tabla IV se observa que el ingreso por la venta de este producto es igual a Bs 31.120 y está compuesto por la venta de tres torillos mayores a 3 años y diez vacas de descarte con pesos promedio en pie para faena de 370 y 278 Kg respectivamente, resultando en un peso Gancho (PG) total de 1.945 Kg, comercializados a un precio de carne de res en gancho de 16 Bs/Kg. [Extracted from the article]

Producers in the northeastern semiarid region of Brazil have been cultivating irrigated corn. The commercialized product comprises mainly green ears and silage. However, the irrigation of crops for dry grain has been questioned regarding costs and price competitiveness in relation to the same non-irrigated product cultivated in other regions. In recent years, the use of drip tapes and fertigation has spread among corn producers in the region. The aim of this study was to determine the N dose, via fertigation, which provides the maximum economic production of corn for dry grain, in two crop seasons (summer and winter), in the semiarid region of Brazil. The experimental design was performed in randomized blocks, with four replications. In both crops, the treatments consisted of four doses of N (0, 80, 160, and 240 kg ha-1) applied in the form of urea. In the hybrid corn (Bt Feroz), the N content was evaluated in terms of leaves, grain yield, gross and net incomes, the rate of return, and the profitability index. Independent of the crop season, the yield of dry grain (5,441.03 kg ha-1) was highest when the corn was fertigated with a dose of 104.05 kg ha-1 N. The highest net incomes of the dry grain were obtained with 80 kg ha-1 N in summer (R$ 1,190.78 ha-1) and 160 kg ha-1 N in winter (R$ 2,757.54 ha-1). The winter crop was more favorable to the economic production of dry grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy could play an important role for Japan's long-term mitigation strategy and energy supply but understanding of Japan's domestic bioenergy supply capacity is limited. Here, we estimated Japan's technical and economically feasible bioenergy potential throughout this century. We used an integrated assessment framework covering various feedstocks, with a gridded high-resolution land-use model and consideration of changes in population and cropland demand. Our results suggest that Japan's total technical bioenergy could be 3.43 EJ/year to 3.78 EJ/year in the 21st century—17.3%–19.1% of the country's current primary energy supply. Among feedstocks, dedicated bioenergy crops would be the greatest contributors, supplying 1.34 EJ/year in 2050 and 1.61 EJ/year in 2100, owing to the increasing availability of abandoned land. Cost analysis revealed that about half the technical potential of land-based feedstocks could be produced at 5 USD/GJ. Potential maps showed that land-based biomass supply was located mainly in northeast, central, and southern Japan. Our assessment suggests that the bioenergy contribution to Japan's energy supply and CO 2 emission reduction could be larger than previously expected. Unlike under the current import-oriented development strategy, Japan's domestic feedstock supply could be self-sufficient. • An integrated assessment modeling framework was used to assess bioenergy potential. • Bioenergy potential for seven types of feedstocks was considered. • Total bioenergy potential for Japan is 3.43–3.78 EJ/year in the 21st century. • About half of the land-based potential could be produced for under 5 USD/GJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a given workpiece material, in addition to the cutting tool material used and its geometry, a set of adopted cutting parameters significantly affect the actual turning process. With the ultimate aim of improving machining efficiency while ensuring the specified part quality and lowest possible energy consumption and costs, the optimization of the turning regimes is of great importance. Therefore, a multi-objective optimization model for the multi-pass turning of grey cast iron was developed in the present research. Part production costs and consumed energy were both considered as conflicting objective functions, while several practical constraints related to the part quality, machine tool limitations, and product specifications in finishing and roughing were also included in the optimization model. The formulation of the objective functions was based on the analytical model for the unit production time whose validation was performed using toolpath simulation in SinuTrain and FeatureCAM software. In order to obtain Pareto compromise solutions in a reasonable computational time as well as to avoid getting stuck in local optima in the optimization hyper-space, a deterministic approach based on the application of the brute force optimization algorithm is proposed to solve the developed multi-objective optimization problem with several constraints of the equality and inequality type. The obtained optimization results were validated experimentally and through a comparison with related analytical and empirical turning optimization studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to optimize the aggregate production costs in textile companies sector through production strategies in the medium term. For this, an aggregate production planning model called PLAG is developed, which minimizes labor costs, inventory management costs, and production subcontracting costs. Unlike other models in the literature, the PLAG model considers characteristics of the textile sector related to fabric shrinkage, wastes due to product handling, new employees' efficiency, training time, and manufacturing processes subcontracting, which makes it a comprehensive and effective model for companies in the textile industry. The proposed model is programmed and executed in GAMS, supported by an interface in MSExcel, which generates strategies for the improvement of the production capacity and the optimization of the production plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the high potential for hydrogen production from renewable resources in Argentina, the economic feasibility of employing light complex metal hydrides as hydrogen storage materials for mobile applications in Argentina is explored for the first time. Three main costs are analyzed: green H 2 , H 2 storage system based on Mg(NH 2) 2 –LiH and storage tank. Considering the production of H 2 by electrolysis using wind energy, a cost of ~5 USD/kg H 2 is obtained. The cost of hydride matrix is crucial and competitive values are viable only if the synthesis route starts from Mg0 and Li0, allowing reducing the total hydride matrix cost from ~2200 to ~4900 USD. The cost of a modular configuration tank with 4 kg of H 2 capacity is estimated to be ~5300–6700 USD. A cost ratio higher than of 2:1 is obtained between storage systems based on amides and high pressure systems. Image 1 • Light complex hydrides as H 2 storage materials for mobile applications in Argentina. • Economic feasibility for H 2 production from electrolysis using wind energy. • Synthesis of the Mg(NH 2) 2 -LiH system economically viable only from Mg0 and Li0. • Modular configuration hydride storage tank with a capacity of 4 kg of H 2. • Cost comparison between amides based-H 2 storage and high pressure systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current paper determines reference indexes of dairies in the Agreste region of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and proposed benchmark models for inefficient farms. Production operational costs and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) comprised the methodology used. Results show that producers failed to cover costs at medium and long term periods and were impacted by depreciation and familiar manpower, while investments were equal to high capital rates. Farms 4 and 7 had the best rates and farms 46, 115, 94, 96 and 67 had respectively the worst references for inefficient products. The true characterization of milk-producing systems reveals reference indexes when common factors to production systems are taken into account and may be associated to production efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soilless crops are a farming alternative to marginal soils with limited water availability, which are widespread in the province of Santa Elena (PSE), Ecuadorian coast. This province has semi-arid climate. Hydroponics have worldwide high productivity per unit area, save of water and cultivation cycles throughout the year. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a cold-season crop, the most representative crop in hydroponic cultivation, but it is not currently cultivated in the Ecuadorian coastal area. The aim of this study was to analyze the economic-financial viability of lettuce cultivation under hydroponic system of floating root. Four lettuce cultivation experiments were carried out with cv. Crespa, using the Hoagland and Arnon nutrient solution. Yields and costs were extrapolated to an infrastructure of 1;000 m² equivalent to an effective productive area of 240 m². The assumptions used in the analysis were: all production is sold, working days were calculated according to the law, 5-year projection, stock of inventory for a week, wholesale selling, and profit margin in Year 1 of 30% and increasing in the following periods. Under these criteria, the production cost (in US dollars) per unit amounted to USD 0.49/unit and the sale price to USD 0.70/unit. The total investment USD 27,077.99, the NPV USD 58,581.07, with an IRR of 40% and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.26; thus, the project was considered viable from an economic point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent past, several successful experiences to modify standard efficiency induction motors in premium efficiency class (IE3) machines have been presented, considering simple and low-cost changes in the design and production processes. However, this approach—also known as no-tooling-cost process—seems to have reached its limit without offering appreciable margins above the IE3 efficiency levels. In order to avoid the electromagnetic redesign of entire machine series for an IE4 efficiency class, the authors investigated how to obtain further efficiency gains in the same volumes of IE3 induction motors. The study looked at unconventional modifications in the production process/design procedure that can still be considered to have minimal impact on manufacturers. In particular, stator winding layouts targeted at very low spatial harmonic content, rotor bar skew removal, and rotor slot insulation prior to aluminum cage die casting are investigated as potential low-cost solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to determine the adequate nitrogen (N) dose via fertigation associated with the maximum economic production of maize for silage, in two agricultural crops (summer and winter), in the municipality of Canindé de São Francisco-SE, Brazil. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of four doses of N (0, 80, 160, and 240 kg ha-1) using urea. The cultivar planted was the hybrid Bt Feroz. The evaluated characteristics were as follows: shoot fresh and dry mass productivity, gross and net incomes, the rate of return and net profit margin. There was an interaction between N doses and agricultural crops for all variables. Higher agroeconomic efficiency in the production of maize for silage was obtained from the winter harvest. In the summer crop, the rate of return (1.82) and the net profit margin (45.52%) were highest when the plants were fertigated with 56.04 and 58.92 kg ha-1 of N, respectively. In winter, the yields of fresh mass, gross and net incomes increased linearly with increasing doses of N, with a profit proportional to the invested capital since nitrogen fertigation did not influence the rate of return (2.24) and the net profit margin (55.22%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the technical, economic and structural characteristics of fattening live material from the domestic market and importing enterprises in Kadınhanı and Sarayönü districts affiliated to the province of Konya were compared. For this aim, 58 enterprises (Group I), who supplied the fattening material from the domestic market and 10 enterprises (Group II) that supplied them as imports; A total of 68 enterprises were surveyed and necessary data were obtained. In addition, evaluations were made on the whole enterprises basis. For the enterprises examined; fattening material, feed, labor, veterinary-health expenses, depreciation, maintenance and repair expenses, general administrative expenses, other expenses proportional distribution in total expenses were found respectively, 49.22%, 32.98%, 8.67%, 1.40%, 1.09%, 1.44%, 2.91%, 2.29% for all enterprises; 48.83%, 32.81%, 9.16%, 1.45%, 1.09%, 1.44%, 2.91%, 2.30% in group I enterprises and 51.48%, 33.98%, 5.83%, 1.08%, 1.07%, 1.45%, 2.91%, 2.20% in group II enterprises. One kg carcass cost, one kg live weight increase cost, one kg live weight cost in the enterprises were found as; 24.20 TL, 10.59 TL, 13.03 TL in all enterprises; 24.39 TL, 10.50 TL, 12.98 TL in group I enterprises and 23.06 TL 11.08 TL, 13.36 TL in group II enterprises, respectively. As a result of the study, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of one kg carcass cost and one kg live weight costs (p>0.05). In conclusion, it is determined that there is no difference in terms of unit cost in animal fattening activities wi th imported and domestic origin animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to characterize the dairy cattle farming systems in semi arid region in western Algeria. A typology of the farms was established following the description of livestock dairy farming practices and the assessment of their contribution to farm efficiency. The enquiry was conducted on 60 dairy farms during 2018-2019 agricultural campaign to determine structural, technical and economic parameters. The Results show a large diversity of farmer's strategies, particularly in feeding and economic indicators. The statistical analysis has identified 3 groups of farms. The first group contains 12 farms produce average milk yield about 4120 kg and promote use of forages. The participation of concentrates in total dry matter ingestion (DMI) is about 45.3%, the average costs of milk production is of 37.1 DA/liter?0.52 € and charge of food in total production costs in the order of 62.8%. 32 dairy farms of second group are characterized by average milk yields 3240 kg and the contribution of concentrated foods represents 49.2% of total DMI. The cost of liter of milk is about 42.7 DA?0.60 € and food costs in order of 68.7% of total production costs. The third group contains 16 dairy farms whose illustrates farms with a significant contribution of concentrates in the global feed balance (54.3% of total DMI). These concentrated foods were poorly converted into milk as recorded yields are the lowest (2010 kg). Production costs of liter milk and the percentage price of food in total cost production were respectively highest (49.4 DA?0.69 €) and (80.2%). The results of this typology indicate the diversity of dairy farms systems in semi-arid region in North Africa, which must be taken to ensure the profitability and sustainability of farms identified. The socio-economic factors are behind the genesis of sample farms, the technical feeding and rationing and no diversification of forage calendar make clear the variations in groups of dairy husbandry. To guarantee sustainability development of typological groups, a specific measure, particularly in feeding management, will be applied for different livestock systems identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is an essential input for any agribusiness, used for various purposes such as hygiene procedures, heat exchangers and beverage formulation. Water charging, regulated in Brazil by the National Water Resources Policy (Federal Law 9.433/97), is an important issue for the food industry, since it may change the profile of food production costs. Thus, this article aimed to estimate the price increases in the dairy industry from the use of water charging and evaluate the potential benefit of this collection, comparing it to some planned investments in basins plans. We used a case study of a dairy that produced 1 t/d of mozzarella cheese in the state of Minas Gerais. Results indicated that water charging among the basins with current collection models may vary up to 131%. The increase in price related to water charging was low (0.04-0.09% of production costs), indicating that it can be absorbed by the industry. Conversely, values collected by the basins may be decisive for implementation of several actions aiming an average quantity and quality of water, which is good for the industry, itself. In the current charging collection models in the state of Minas Gerais, it is possible to recognize that collection is a promising initiative for the economical valuation of water. However, charging still seems to lack sufficiency in safety and a rationalization for its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]