Search

Market failures are the main cause of poor acknowledgement of the true impact of functional sheep traits on the management and economic performance of farms, which results in their omission from the breeding goal or the estimation of non-representative economic weights in the breeding goal. Consequently, stated-preference non-market valuation techniques, which recently emerged to mitigate these problems, are necessary to estimate economic weights for functional traits. The purpose of this paper is to present an example of the use of a choice experiment (CE) in the estimation of economic weights for sheep traits for the design of breeding goals. Through a questionnaire survey the preferences of sheep farmers are recorded and their marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for 10 production and functional traits is estimated. Data are analysed using random parameter logit models. The results reveal unobserved preference heterogeneity for fertility, adaptability to grazing and resistance to disease, thus highlighting that these traits are appreciated differently by farmers, because their needs are diverse. Positive MWTP is found for Greek breeds, high milk production and lambs with low fat deposition, for which there is high demand in Greek markets. On the other hand, MWTP for the cheese-making ability of milk is negative, stemming from the fact that sheep milk prices in Greece are not formulated according to milk composition. In addition, farmers seem to understand differences between udder shapes and attribute different values to various types. This application of the CE method indicates that communication channels among farmers and breeders should be established in order to enhance market performance and to provide orientation to the design of breeding programmes. Non-market valuation can be used complementarily to market valuation techniques, in order to provide accurate estimates for production and functional traits.

In this study, the level of technical efficiency of 58 sheep farms rearing the Chios breed in Greece was measured through the application of the stochastic frontier analysis method. A Translog stochastic frontier production function was estimated using farm accounting data of Chios sheep farms and the impact of various socio-demographic and biophysical factors on the estimated efficiency of the farms was evaluated. The farms were classified into efficiency groups on the basis of the estimated level of efficiency and a technical and economic descriptive analysis was applied in order to illustrate an indicative picture of their structure and productivity. The results of the stochastic frontier model indicate that there are substantial production inefficiencies among the Chios sheep farms and that these farms could increase their production through the improvement of technical efficiency, whereas the results of the inefficiency effects model reveal that the farm-specific explanatory factors can partly explain the observed efficiency differentials. The measurement of technical inefficiency and the detection of its determinants can be used to form the basis of policy recommendations that could contribute to the development of the sector.

The graphene oxide -TiO2 (GO-TiO2) and pre-reduced graphene oxide -TiO2 (rGO-TiO2) nanocomposites were fabricated successfully by hydrothermal method. The microstructure of synthesized nanocomposites was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Moreover, galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods in three electrode system were applied to evaluate electrochemical properties. The results revealed that nanoparticles distributed more uniformly on graphene sheets, at lower concentrations of TiO2. The rGO-TiO2 and GO-TiO2 nanocomposites showed 224 and 32 F/g specific capacitance at 5 mV s-1 scan rate in 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte, respectively. The pre-reduction of graphene oxide is the main reason for the better electrochemical performance of rGO-TiO2 nanocomposite compared to GO-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Water and soil salinity in some regions of Isfahan, East Azerbaijan, and West Azerbaijan provinces and also other parts of Iran are the main hindrance for crop planting. Seeds of the tolerant crops to salinity such as cotton and sugar beet may have optimal germination and give acceptable performance if they become far from salt accumulation area. To evaluate the effects of different sugar beet planting methods on sugar beet quantity and quality in areas with salinity restriction, an experiment was carried out in a split split split plot design in three replications in 2004-05, in Research Station of Rudasht, Isfahan. Irrigation with two salinity levels including 8 ds/m and 12 ds/m were allocated to the main plot, two planting dates to the split plots, and three planting methods including two-rows under irrigation level, one row in flat plot, and on furrow to the split split split plots. Results showed that irrigation with 12 ds/m salinity level caused 17 and 18 % reduction in root yield and sugar content, respectively. Root yield was highly influenced by water salinity compared with other traits. Delay in planting, caused 31, 46 and 30 % reduction in root yield, sugar content and sugar yield, respectively. Reduction in both white sugar yield and sugar yield was owing to root yield reduction. No significant difference was found among three planting methods. White sugar yield and sugar yield percentage were higher in two rows planting method compared with two other methods. Delay in planting caused a significant decrease in sugar yield which is not recommended. Two rows planting is recommended owing to more simplicity in irrigation, mechanized planting and also decrease in production cost compared with two other methods.

It has been found that honey ameliorates cardiovascular risk factors in healthy individuals and in patients with elevated risk factors. The present study investigated the effect of natural honey on total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triacylglycerole, C-reactive protein (CRP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and body weight in overweight individuals. There were 55 patients, overweight or obese, who were randomly recruited into the study and assigned into two groups: control group (17 subjects) and experimental group (38 subjects). Patients in the control group received 70 g of sucrose daily for a maximum of 30 days and patients in the experimental group received 70 g of natural honey for the same period. In the control and experimental groups, body weight, body mass index, body fat weight, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triacylglycerole, FBG, and CRP were measured before treatment and at day 31 after the commencement of treatment. Results showed that honey caused a mild reduction in body weight (1.3%) and body fat (1.1%). Honey reduced total cholesterol (3%), LDL-C (5.8), triacylglycerole (11%), FBG (4.2%), and CRP (3.2%), and increased HDL-C (3.3%) in subjects with normal values, while in patients with elevated variables, honey caused reduction in total cholesterol by 3.3%, LDL-C by 4.3%, triacylglycerole by 19%, and CRP by 3.3% (p < 0.05). It is our conclusion that consumption of natural honey reduces cardiovascular risk factors, particularly in subjects with elevated risk factors, and it does not increase body weight in overweight or obese subjects.