Technical efficiency of hybrid maize growers: A stochastic frontier model approach

This study investigated the effect of credit constraints and credit unconstraints on the technical efficiency of hybrid maize growers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province(KPK) of Pakistan. The primary data were collected by a direct elicitation method from 510 maize growers of KPK Province. Stochastic frontier model techniques were used for technical efficiency analyses. The results revealed that the mean technical efficiency difference between the two groups was 10.2%. The results of technical inefficiency effect modeling demonstrated that education of the household head, family size, number of married family members, off-farm income, farming experience, tractor drill, water irrigation through a lined course, certified seed, extension services, household saving variables, and a credit size variable had positive effects on technical efficiency for both credit constrained farmers(CCFs) and credit unconstrained farmers(UCCFs). In addition, age of household head and fragmented land values had negative effects on technical efficiency for both groups. However, the interest rate had positive and negative impacts on the technical efficiency of CCFs and UCCFs, respectively. Our results have significant implications for policies related to land use, interest rate, and banking sector expansion in the rural areas of Pakistan.

Rice Growers' Behavior of Productive Capital Input and the Influencing Factors——A Case Study of the Jiamusi Area in Heilongjiang Province

This article conducts empirical analysis of rice growers' behavior of productive capital input and the influencing factors,using the input-output survey data concerning rice growing by 305 peasant households in 2009 in Huanan County and Huachuan County,Jiamusi City,Heilongjiang Province.I use Logit model to carry out econometric test of factors influencing the possibility of fixed productive investment.The test results show that family size,the proportion of non-agricultural employment,the average educational level of households,farmland area,household farming income,credit level,peasant households' expectation of the minimum purchase price of rice,have significant effect on whether to conduct fixed productive investment,whether there are disasters has no significant effect on the scale of peasant households' productive investment.Then I use Tobit model to carry out econometric test of factors influencing the scale of productive capital input.The results show that family size,the proportion of non-agricultural employment,the average educational level of households,farmland area,household farming income,credit level and family housing value,peasant households' expectation of the minimum purchase price of rice,whether there are disasters,have significant effect on the scale of peasant households' productive investment.On the basis of model test results,in order to promote the rice growers to increase fixed productive input and increase productive capital input,rational recommendations are put forward as follows:raising the minimum purchase price of rice,scaling up rice growing,making every effort to promote the educational level of rice growers,ensuring that the rice growers obtain productive capital input loans timely.

Major Grain Growers in Jiaojiang District,Taizhou City

Based on the survey data of major grain growers in Jiaojiang District,we make a thorough inquiry into the current situation and various problems concerning major grain growers in this district,explore the factors that affect major grain growers' operation behavior,and set forth corresponding countermeasures for solving these problems and promoting further development.

Study on the Production Benefit of Large-scale Tobacco Growers

The tobacco growers with the growing area of greater than or equal to 100 mu,have become an important subject of tobacco production in Weng'an County of Guizhou Province. Regulating and developing the production and business activities of large-scale tobacco growers, plays an important role in stabilizing tobacco production,reducing costs and increasing efficiency in Weng'an County. Through the field survey of large-scale growers' production activities,this article analyzes the input and output levels,and explores the key factors influencing benefit, in order to provide a basis for further regulating the tobacco growing practices and improving the flue-cured tobacco production benefit.

Fruit Growers' Opinions About Bird Conservation in North Part of Tarim Basin

A total of 216 survey interviews were completed in the orchards of the Aksu Region and the outskirts of Korla City, in October, 2009. The questionnaire was structured around fruit growers＇ opinions about insect pest management, bird conservation and included brief profiles of the growers＇ social background. The results showed that pest management was a great concern to all types of orchard growers and more than half of them would like to attract more birds to their orchards. The age, income level, education level and the orchard type of the fruit growers had significant effects on their opinions about bird protection.

Land Scale, Input-Output and Income

Based on the investigation of production, inputs and income of tobacco farmers in 337 families in 10 counties of which the specialty is tobacco in Henan Province in 2010, the differences in the production, inputs and income were discussed. Results suggested that in terms of land yield rate and tobacco growers income, the suitable proportion of land for tobacco production in Henan Province is from 0.33 to 0.67 hm2.

Snake River: A Navigation and Spawning Dilemma

The Snake River in northwestern United States is 1735 km long, the largest tributary of the Columbia River and is the 13th longest river in the United States. The Snake River drainage basin includes parts of six U.S. states. The Snake River Plain was created by a volcanic hotspot that lies beneath Yellow-stone National Park. The previous Ice Age carved out canyons, cliffs and waterfalls along the middle and lower Snake River. The Missoula Flood was to the north and Bonneville Flood to the south altered the Snake River and surrounding landscape. The Snake River has a drainage basin of 282,000 km2 in the states of Oregon, Washington, Utah, Nevada and Idaho. The Snake River drops from mountain elevations of 3000 m to its confluence with the Columbia River. The river is one of the most biologically diverse freshwater systems in the United States with trails designed to promote recreational tourism, increase use of the Snake River and create generations of people who care about the river and are willing to protect and provide environmental stewardship of the river watershed resources.

Effects of long-chain fatty acid supplementation on the growth performance of grower and finisher pigs: a meta-analysis

Background: Supplementation of feed with long-chain fatty acids(LCFAs) during the grower and finisher phases has long been discussed as a growth promotion strategy in pigs, but its effects are inconsistent. The purpose of our study was to comprehensively evaluate its effects on the growth performance based on the average daily gain(ADG), average daily feed intake(ADFI) and gain: feed(G:F) ratio and to unveil the roles of the basal diet, LCFA concentration and LCFA saturation.Results: We searched the Pub Med and Web of Science databases(articles published from Jan 1 st, 2000, to Sep 30 th,2018;restricted to English) and compared LCFA-supplemented diets with control diets. We retrieved 2346 studies, 18 of which(1314 pigs, 26 records) were eligible for our analysis. We used a random-effects model to calculate the weighted mean differences(WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals(CIs). LCFA supplementation in the grower-finisher phase improved the ADG(WMD = 41.74 g/d, 95% CI: 8.81 to 74.66, P = 0.013) and G:F ratio(WMD = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.006 to 0.032, P = 0.003). For supplementation solely in the finisher phase, we found a similar performance in the ADG(WMD = 39.93 g/d, 95% CI: 26.48 to 53.38, P < 0.001) and G:F ratio(WMD = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.006 to 0.032, P < 0.001) but a reduction in the ADFI(WMD =-83.863 g/d, 95% CI:-156.157 to-11.569, P = 0.023). Specifically, approximately 5%LCFA supplementation in the finisher phase had significant effects on the ADG(WMD = 51.385 g/d, 95% CI: 35.816 to66.954, P < 0.001), ADFI(WMD =-102.869 g/d, 95% CI:-189.236 to-16.502, P = 0.02) and G:F ratio(WMD = 0.028, 95%CI: 0.018 to 0.039, P < 0.001), whereas a concentration of approximately 1% exhibited no effects.Conclusions: Overall, regardless of the basal diet and saturation, LCFA supplementation greatly improves the growth performance of grower and finisher pigs, primarily by increasing the energy density.

Dietary substitution of soybean oil with coconut oil in the absence of dietary antibiotics supports growth performance and immune function in nursery and grower pigs

Background:We hypothesized that supplementation of nursery and grower pig diets with coconut oil in the absence of antibiotics would yield maintenance of glucose homeostasis,growth performance,and immune function similar to what is achieved with nursery and grower pig diets containing antibiotics.Pigs received the same base treatment diets from d24(weaning)to d71 of age and had blood and fecal samples collected on d24,d31,d45 and d71 for measurement of whole blood glucose,serum insulin,cortisol and cytokines,and fecal microbiome.Pigs had weekly weights and daily feed consumption measured throughout the study.Animals were euthanized at d71 and subcutaneous fat and ileal contents were collected for assessment for fatty acids and microbiome,respectively.Diet treatments consisted of 2%soybean oil plus antibiotics(ABX;n=22),2%soybean oil without antibiotics(NABX;n=22),and 2%coconut oil without antibiotics(COC;n=22).Statistical analysis examined the effect of diet within each timepoint using a repeated measures ANOVA.Results:Pigs fed COC diet had decreased serum insulin levels,maintained feed intake,feed conversion and weight gain,and,based on serum cytokines and fecal microbiome,were immunologically similar to ABX-fed pigs.However,NABX-fed pigs performed similarly to the ABX-fed pigs in all parameters except for serum cytokines.Additionally,there was no difference in the incidence of diarrhea between any of the diet treatments.Conclusions:This study demonstrates that dietary antibiotics are not necessary to maintain growth performance in nursery and grower pigs.However,dietary antibiotics appear to modulate circulating cytokine levels.Dietary coconut oil is neither harmful nor helpful to growth performance or immune function in nursery and grower pigs but does modulate serum insulin levels.Therefore,while coconut oil fed at 2%by weight is a suitable substitute for dietary antibiotics,this study suggests that no substitute for dietary antibiotics is needed at all.

Understanding the attitudes and practices of paddy farmers for enhancing soil and water conservation in Northern Iran

The objective of this paper was to identify the factors affecting rice growers’attitudes and practices towards water and soil conservation in the Fumanat Plain of Guilan Province,Iran.Data were collected through a survey questionnaire addressing a cross section of 400 rice growers of the Fumanat Plain in four districts.Data were analyzed using both summary statistics and multivariate statistical procedures while content validity of the statements was first determined by a group of experts of water and soil conservation.It was found that more than 23% of the variance of attitudes towards water and soil conservation could be determined by a linear combination of variables included in a regression equation.Identifying the factors affecting rice growers’attitudes is suggested as a way of integrating rice cultivation into rural development.From a practical point of view,the above mentioned implications are of great importance generally for society,policy makers and related economic sectors.

具有改进的Leslie-Grower式的Holling-Tanner模型的稳定性分析

研究一个具有改进的Leslie-Grower式的Holling-Tanner模型.分析了该系统的平衡点性态,利用Dulac函数证明了系统在正平衡点外围不存在极限环,从而证明了正平衡点在第一象限内是全局渐近稳定的.