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Copyright of Annals of the Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists is the property of Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The price of broiler chickens at the consumer level varies daily. The price can be very low or otherwise. The price has resulted from the imbalance between the availability of chicken from suppliers and the market demand. As a result, demand will also fluctuate because it is influenced by consumer purchasing power. When the price of live chickens is low, the carcass company will usually buy in large quantities and expect to sell them at a higher price. The problem arises when the chicken overstock company will risk product damage due to product buildup in the refrigerated warehouse, so rework is necessary. In this paper, we will be developed a multi-item inventory model that considers material prices that vary to time, probabilistic demand, and rework costs. The aim is to determine the right policy for controlling frozen chicken products' inventory to minimize losses and total inventory costs. This model can evaluate the best time to order broiler chickens, how much to order, how long the interval between orders, and the optimal number of orders, resulting in minimum total inventory cost per period. The model solution is carried out with an optimization approach based on the parameters that affect the model. A numerical example is given at the end of this paper for model validation and illustrates the model solving algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock holdings in rural areas of the West African semiarid tropics are often substantial, yet the evidence for livestock sales in response to shocks is mixed. This paper revisits farm households' ability to cope with adverse shocks via livestock sales. Based on data covering Burkina Faso's 2004 drought, we find that livestock sales increase significantly in response to drought, with households citing the need to finance food consumption. At the same time, we find no effects of rainfall shocks on revenues from livestock sales. We show that this seemingly contradictory finding is largely due to a decrease in livestock prices during droughts. Our findings suggest that precautionary saving, while costly as a coping strategy in poorly integrated markets, is nevertheless common in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated types, grades and prices of edible palm weevil larvae in Port Harcourt. Sixty (60) respondents were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires in addition to interviews of five key informants for data on larvae types, grades, weight and prices. Similar data was collected from food vendors selling stewed chicken meat. Larvae and stewed chicken meat weights were sampled using a battery-powered digital scale. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results indicated that two types of larvae sold include Rhychophorous ferrugineus and Oryctes nasicornis. R. ferrugineus larvae were the most supplied, demanded, sold and preferred by consumers. O. nasicornis larvae weighed more than R. ferrugineus. A stick of R. ferrugineus sold for N 116.67.00 ± 3.33, while a stick of O. nasicornis sold for N 100.00 ± 2.99. One kilogramme of R. ferrugineus was costlier than that of O. nasicornis. R. ferrugineus larvae was sold in three grades (large, medium and small) and sold for different prices by weight. Price of a kilogramme of larvae (N 6,927.00 ± 48.04) was higher (p<0.05) than that of stewed chicken meat (N 2,040.00 ± 11.22) by 237.75 %. The study concludes that sellers of R. ferrugineus could make more money selling per stick while buyers could gain by buying per worm. Also, consumers prefer and could pay more for R. ferrugineus though there is no financial or weight advantage in preferring medium to small grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock are expectedly at one point or the other transported from one place to another for breeding, sale or slaughter. Conditions of handling, loading and transportation, stress encountered during the journey and when off-loading are a major factor of recumbency and/ bruising. A survey on recumbency in cattle was conducted at the animal market of the Kumasi Abattoir Company Limited (KACL) in Kaase, in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area of Ghana. The study involved 7960 cattle transported to the slaughterhouse from local towns in Ghana as well as from neighbouring countries. Recumbent and moribund cattle were identified and information was compiled based on the regions (sources) they were transported from, as well as the varying conditions of their handling and transportation. A total of 109 cases of recumbent and moribund cattle were recorded, with an average of 5 recumbent cases per day. Study results showed that cases of recumbency involved 1.4% of the total number of cattle (7960) counted in the animal market and 5.3% of the number of cattle (2069) transported from sources with registered cases of recumbency. The study also revealed higher frequency of recumbency where animals were transported over long distances of >500km (68%); or in relatively larger batch loads of >20 animals (76%). Calculating at an assumed loss of 50% value for each case of affliction, the financial implication of cattle recumbency at the animal market of the KACL is estimated at a loss of GH¢ 54500 per month or GH¢ 654000 (approx. USD 163500) per annum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Grassland Ecological Protection Award Policy (GEPAP) is the largest payment for ecosystem services (PES) program targeting grasslands in China. It subsidizes households to reduce livestock numbers or ban the grazing of livestock to restrict the large-scale degradation of grasslands. While the GEPAP has drawn attention to these issues, questions regarding the performance of the GEPAP have still not been clearly answered. This research used a balanced dataset of 726 surveyed households from 5 regions of Inner Mongolia to assess the impacts of the policy on stocking rate and household income. Results indicated that contrary to the aim of the GEPAP, the overall stocking rate marginally significantly increased. Net household income extremely significantly decreased even though total income increased. Income from animals still formed the major proportion of household income, and off-farm income only played a complementary role in household income even though there was an increase in the amount and its proportion in total household income. Regression results indicated that the households with a lower subsidy level tended to have higher stocking rates and incomes. Stocking rate was unrelated to the policy or market price for livestock, while the household income was positively affected by livestock price. Results from this research have implications for the design, implementation and enforcement of conservation programs of grasslands in China and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: I examine the environmental and economic effects of pricing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock in Canada. Using a partial equilibrium model, I consider three different pricing policies: a consumer level tax, a producer level tax, and a producer subsidy. All policies price emissions at $50 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent. The producer level tax generates the greatest reduction in emissions at the lowest social cost per unit of emissions abatement. The producer subsidy results in a smaller reduction in emissions at a higher social cost, relative to the producer tax. However, the subsidy provides a substantial increase in producer surplus, which may make it a politically feasible second‐best policy. The consumer level tax results in a trivial reduction in emissions, at a social cost that is greater than the price placed on emissions. J'examine les effets environnementaux et économiques de l'imposition d'un prix sur les gaz à effets de serre provenant des animaux d'élevage canadiens. Au moyen d'un modèle d'équilibre partiel, je tiens compte de trois différentes politiques d'imposition de prix : taxer le consommateur, taxer le producteur, et subventionner le producteur. Toutes les politiques imposent les émissions au prix de 50$ par tonne en équivalent de dioxyde de carbone. Taxer l'éleveur génère la plus grande réduction des émissions au plus bas coût social par unité de réduction des émissions. Subventionner l'éleveur entraéne une plus petite réduction des émissions à coût social plus élevé, en comparaison û la taxe imposée à l'éleveur. Par contre, le choix de subventionner fournit une augmentation substantielle de surplus pour l'éleveur, faisant de cette option un bon deuxième choix envisageable au niveau politique. Taxer le consommateur ne produit qu'une réduction négligeable des émissions, à coût social plus élevé que le taux imposé sur les émissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grassland classification management model is considered to be a sustainable approach for grassland resources use. However, it is difficult to accurately calculate the index of classification management of grasslands ( ICG ) due to high variability of grassland productivity and livestock prices. Inaccurate ICG indices may lead to adoption of unreliable grassland management strategies. To overcome the problem, this article introduces a risk-based ICG model accounting for sheep prices, grassland productivity, and their variability. In this model, grassland forage dry biomass and coverage from 2001 to 2016 were estimated with enhanced vegetation index ( EVI ) of each pixel in MODIS using the power model and logarithmic model, respectively. A simple linear regression model was employed to estimate sheep prices. Finally, the ICG m was estimated by variability of grassland productivity and sheep prices derived from the models. A test of the performance of the model showed that the area of conservative and moderately productive grassland predicted with the risk-based model fits very well with the observed area. This risk-based ICG model thus provides a reliable tool for classification management of grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial market integration ensures price discovery, market efficiency and market competition. Price integration in fed cattle markets is a significant subject of research due to perishable nature of fed cattle, geographical distance between production and consumptions areas, and considerable transportation cost. This study examines United States fed cattle market integration using weekly price series of live steer and heifer for five major fed cattle markets in the era of Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting Act. Results indicate that all markets are cointegrated with sharing a common stochastic trend suggesting the Law of One Price. Causal relationship was found among most of the regional markets in case of steer prices, while the relationship was absent among most of the markets for heifer prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to examine the short-run and long-run relationship between beef consumption and beef prices, chicken meat prices, and per capita income for the period of 1994-2014 in Turkey by employing the ARDL/bounds test approach. After deciding on the presence of cointegration between the related variables, a parsimonious VECM model was estimated to conduct the structural analyses of the impulse response function and variance decomposition. The results of the bounds test suggest a long-run equilibrium relationship between beef consumption and its selected determinants. In addition, the empirical findings indicate that chicken meat prices and per capita income level have a positive effect on beef consumption. The results of variance decomposition reveal that the portion of beef prices in explaining beef consumption is large, whereas chicken meat prices have decreasing impact and income level has increasing impact on beef consumption in the long run. The results of the impulse response function are also consistent with the theory. The findings suggest that beef consumption is sensitive to beef prices and responds negatively to a shock in beef prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pastoral communities in the Borana rangelands of southern Ethiopia mainly rely on cattle (Bos indicus) for their livelihoods. The reproductive performance of cattle is affected by environmental variability and mobility practices that affect fodder availability. This study was conducted to investigate the reproductive performances and herd growth potentials of cattle reared in three ecologically varied zones of Golbo, Malbe and Dirre in the Borana rangelands with different levels of mobility constraints. Using the progeny history technique we gathered life histories of 95, 44, and 138 breeding females and their 411, 203, and 448 calves from the pastoral zones of Golbo, Malbe and Dirre, respectively. The average number of breeding females per household showed a declining trend over the past 10 years. The age at first calving was 53 ± 1 (mean ± s.e.), 52 ± 2 and 56 ± 1 months for the cows from Golbo, Malbe and Dirre, respectively. The mean calving interval was 18. ± 0 for Golbo, 17 ± 0 for Malbe and 19 ± 0 for Dirre. The average number of calves per cow was 3.8 ± 0.1 and was highest in Golbo. Dirre had the lowest calving rate and higher calf mortality than Malbe and Golbo. A simulation of herd growth showed that in Golbo and Malbe the average number of females were 100% higher after 20 years than in Dirre. It is concluded that reduced pastoral mobility that affected resource access across ecological zones can compromise the reproductive performance and hence the growth potential of cattle populations. These findings underscore the importance of policy frameworks such as those by the African Union that call for upholding of pastoral land rights and enabling of mobility practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world meat market demands competitiveness, and optimal livestock replacement decisions can help to achieve this goal. In the article, there is introduced a novel discrete stochastic dynamic programming framework to support a manager's decision-making process of whether to sell or to keep fattening animals in the beef sector. In particular, the presented proposal uses a non-convex value function, combining both economic and biological variables, and involving uncertainty with regard to price fl uctuations. Th e methodology is very general, so the practitioners can apply it in diff erent regions around the world. Th ere is illustrated the model convenience with an empirical application, fi nding that the methodology generates better results than actions based on the empirical experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carcass and price traits of 72,969 Hanwoo cows, bulls and steers aged 16 to 80 months at slaughter collected from 2002 to 2013 at 75 beef packing plants in Korea were analyzed to determine heritability, correlation and breeding value using the Multi-Trait restricted maximum likelihood (REML) animal model procedure. The traits included carcass measurements, scores and grades at 24 h postmortem and bid prices at auction. Relatively high heritability was found for maturity (0.41±0.031), while moderate heritability estimates were obtained for backfat thickness (0.20±0.018), longissimus muscle (LM) area (0.23±0.020), carcass weight (0.28±0.019), yield index (0.20±0.018), yield grade (0.16±0.017), marbling (0.28±0.021), texture (0.14±0.016), quality grade (0.26±0.016) and price/kg (0.24±0.025). Relatively low heritability estimates were observed for meat color (0.06±0.013) and fat color (0.06±0.012). Heritability estimates for most traits were lower than those in the literature. Genetic correlations of carcass measurements with characteristic scores or quality grade of carcass ranged from -0.27 to +0.21. Genetic correlations of yield grade with backfat thickness, LM area and carcass weight were 0.91, -0.43, and -0.09, respectively. Genetic correlations of quality grade with scores of marbling, meat color, fat color and texture were -0.99, 0.48, 0.47, and 0.98, respectively. Genetic correlations of price/kg with LM area, carcass weight, marbling, meat color, texture and maturity were 0.57, 0.64, 0.76, -0.41, -0.79, and -0.42, respectively. Genetic correlations of carcass price with LM area, carcass weight, marbling and texture were 0.61, 0.57, 0.64, and -0.73, respectively, with standard errors ranging from ±0.047 to ±0.058. The mean carcass weight breeding values increased by more than 8 kg, whereas the mean marbling scores decreased by approximately 0.2 from 2000 through 2009. Overall, the results suggest that genetic improvement of productivity and carcass quality could be obtained under the national scale breeding scheme of Korea for Hanwoo and that continuous efforts to improve the breeding scheme should be made to increase genetic progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making for future products based on the current input prices, variability and fluctuations in the price of products in the livestock subdivision, as well as the high cost of support decisions made by the government in this field, causes sensitivity and distortions in the policies for the inputs supply chain and production in this subsection. So, analysing the concept of these fluctuations and measurement of the basic inputs price behaviour is needed for the Iran's livestock subsection. Present study analyse the monthly retail price behaviour pattern of livestock subsector basic inputs, include local and foreign com, local and foreign soybean meal, local and foreign fish meal and local and foreign barley, during 2004-2012 using national market data sets. Two types of seasonal unit root tests include FH and Taylor was used to investigate price behaviour pattern for mentioned inputs. The results indicated that among the analysed inputs; only the price behavioural patterns of the local and foreign barley have a complete resemblance with each other. In addition, the price behaviours of the local and foreign com markets are similar. On the other hand, the price behavioural patterns of the local and foreign soybean meal and fish meal markets are different from one another. Based on this, the adoption of measures and presenting of separate policy packages are required to regulate the market of the two groups of local and foreign inputs, soybean and fish meal; as well as supporting the domestic production of these two commodities. Additionally, similar policies regarding the two local and foreign input groups of com and barley could reduce the cost of supporting policies in the livestock subsection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of evidence shows a causal relationship between extreme weather events and civil conflict incidence at the global level. We find that this causality is also valid for droughts and local violent conflicts in a within-country setting over a short time frame in the case of Somalia. We estimate that a one standard deviation increase in drought intensity and length raises the likelihood of conflict by 62%. We also find that drought affects conflict through livestock price changes, establishing livestock markets as the primary channel of transmission in Somalia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Argentina, beef cattle prices decrease as slaughter weight increases regardless of animal age or carcass maturity, and this decrease is significantly greater in heifers (15%) than in steers (5%). The objectives of the present study were to (1) determine whether shear force and tenderness differ between heifers of different slaughter weight, and between heifers, steers and cull cows of similar slaughter weight; (2) evaluate whether such differences, if any, could be overcome by extending beef aging period; and (3) understand the main causes of such differences in beef shear force and tenderness. Meat from heavy heifers (H-HEIFER, 381–420kg BW) was compared to meat from light heifers (L-HEIFER, 300–340kg BW), steers (STEER, 391–450kg BW) or cull cows of similar weight (COW). At slaughter, carcass characteristics were determined and Longissimus thoracis (LM) and Gluteus medius (GM) muscle samples collected for shear force determination. Total and insoluble collagen, sarcomere length and intact troponin-T content, and sensory panel scores, were evaluated for LM. Aging effect was evaluated for shear force and sensory panel scores. Irrespective of muscle or aging period, increasing heifer slaughter weight did not impact negatively on beef shear force or tenderness levels; heifers and steers of similar slaughter weight had similar beef shear force and tenderness levels; whereas heifer beef was more tender (P<0.05) than that from cow of similar slaughter weight. Tenderness differences were not overcome by extending the aging period. Based on a principal component analysis, shear force and tenderness differences appear to be associated to the variation in chilling rate and sarcomere length. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine and contrast the risk mitigating effectiveness from optimal multiproduct time-varying hedge ratios, applied to the margin of a cattle feedlot operation, over single commodity time-varying and naive hedge ratios. Design/methodology/approach – A parsimonious regime-switching dynamic correlations (RSDC) model is estimated in two-stages, where the dynamic correlations among prices of numerous commodities vary proportionally between two different regimes/levels. This property simplifies estimation methods for a large number of parameters involved. Findings – There is significant evidence that resulting simultaneous correlations among the prices (spot and futures) for each commodity attain different levels along the time-series. Second, for in and out-of-sample data there is a substantial reduction in the operation's margin variance provided from both multiproduct and single time-varying optimal hedge ratios over naive hedge ratios. Lastly, risk mitigation is attained at a lower cost given that average optimal multiproduct and single time-varying hedge ratios obtained for corn, feeder cattle and live cattle are significantly below the naive full hedge ratio. Research limitations/implications – The application studied is limited in that once a hedge position has been set at a particular period, it is not possible to modify or update at a subsequent period. Practical implications – Agricultural producers, specifically cattle feeders, may profit from a tool using improved techniques to determine hedge ratios by considering a larger amount of up-to-date information. Moreover, these agents may apply hedge ratios significantly lower than one and thus mitigate risk at lower costs. Originality/value – Feedlot operators will benefit from the potential implementation of this parsimonious RSDC model for their hedging operations, as it provides average optimal hedge ratios significantly lower than one and sizeable advantages in margin risk mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests an increase in committed procurement can result in lower cash market prices for livestock. There is a paucity of research that ascertains prices received by market agents trading in a prior bargaining session via alternative marketing arrangements versus those who have not. We use laboratory market experiments to analyze the potential impacts of committed procurement on privately negotiated transactions when some traders have two windows of negotiation and others have one. Results illustrate that those who do not engage in prior trading are at a bargaining disadvantage due to matching and inventory loss risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]