RESUMO

A strong aptitude for making sound decisions on a farm is closely linked to favorable farm outcomes, and this finding has been observed across diverse types of farm businesses and geographic locations. Traditionally, research in farm management has addressed the drivers of decision-making and performance as separate entities; however, this article presents novel evidence on the relationship between farmers' decision-making and farm performance. We also examine this association in various contexts of farm decision-making, spanning the past decade. Our comprehensive review encompasses 24 empirical studies conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The analysis focuses on research topics, performance measures, and methodological perspectives. The findings reveal seven key research topics: farmers' management capacity; the influence of management and farm structure; farmers' emotional attachment to their businesses; personal aspects, farm characteristics, and institutional settings; the significance of farm recordkeeping; joint decisions in farm decision-making processes; and rational inefficiencies in farm decisions. Most studies employed conventional farm performance measures, including financial indicators, technical efficiency, and productivity indicators. Existing studies have predominantly used quantitative methodologies. We also identified research gaps and provide suggestions for future investigations in this field. Our results underscore the pivotal role of decision-making ability in shaping farmers' managerial capacity and, consequently, farm performance.

RESUMO

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential risk factors for clinical and subclinical mastitis in smallholder dairy farms in Brazil. A prospective, repeated cross-sectional study was carried out between May 2018 and June 2019 on 10 smallholder dairy farms. Potential risk factors for subclinical and clinical mastitis at the herd and cow level were recorded through interviewing the owner and by observation. A combination of clinical udder examination and the Tamis (screened mug with a dark base) test (Tadabras Indústria e Comércio de Produtos Agrovetereinário LTDA, Bragrança Paulista, SP, Brazil) were applied to observe clinical mastitis, and the California Mastitis Test (Tadabras Indústria e Comércio de Produtos Agrovetereinário LTDA, Bragrança Paulista, SP, Brazil) was used to determine subclinical mastitis. A total of 4567 quarters were tested, 107 (2.3%) had clinical mastitis, while 1519 (33.2%) had subclinical mastitis. At the cow level, clinical mastitis risk was highest in mid-lactation (50-150 days in milk) with OR 2.62 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.03-6.67, while subclinical mastitis was highest in late lactation (> 150 days in milk) with OR 2.74 (95% CI 2.05-3.63) and lower in primiparous (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41-0.71) than multiparous cows. At the herd level, using dry-cow treatment (OR 4.23, 95% CI 1.42-12.62) was associated with an increased risk of clinical mastitis. Milking clinical (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.24-0.56) and subclinical cases last (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09-0.47) and cleaning the milking parlor regularly (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.15-0.46) had decreased odds for subclinical mastitis, while herds with optimized feed had greater odds (OR 9.11, 95% CI 2.59-31.9). Prevalence of clinical mastitis was at its lowest at the first visit in June/July and highest at the last visit in April/June (OR 3.81, 95% CI 1.93-7.52). Subclinical mastitis also presented increased odds in the last visit (OR 2.62, 95% CI 2.0-3.36). This study has identified some risk factors for mastitis on smallholder farms but further research on more farms across more areas of Brazil is required to develop a targeted mastitis control program for smallholder farms.

RESUMO

How to improve habitat quality for wildlife is of particular importance in areas dedicated to food production, due to increasing pressures of global demands associated to human population growth. Semi-intensive aquaculture ponds can provide a potentially important foraging habitat for migratory shorebirds throughout the non-breeding season. Therefore, understanding the availability of benthic invertebrates in aquaculture ponds will help to identify proper management decisions for shorebird conservation. We used an exclosure experiment during the first three days after shrimp harvesting at semi-intensive aquaculture ponds in north-west Mexico to assess shorebird predation on benthic invertebrates. We found that shorebird predation did not deplete total benthic invertebrate density (particularly polychaete worms), but significantly affected the prey size distributions and biomass in the ponds during a short-time window of just three days. Shorebirds removed 0.6 g ash-free dry weight m-2, equivalent to 43% of the initial biomass and showed high selectivity for polychaetes larger than >40 mm as prey, potentially explaining the absence of large polychaetes at the end of the experiment. This depletion was the likely cause of the daily decrease observed in overall density of foraging shorebirds at recently harvested ponds. These results can serve to identify management actions that allow an extended use of semi-intensive aquaculture ponds as foraging sites for migratory shorebirds during the non-breeding season, with potential applications to develop standards for a friendlier aquaculture management.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform in the European Union introduced a new element: greening. The aim of greening is to support the environment and create non-productive value in agriculture. The main element of greening is the Ecological Focus Area (EFA) meaning that a portion of farmland area has to be designed for environmental purposes. This article consists of an evaluatation of greening and its elements in the first year CAP reform has come into force. Surveys were used as a tool to gather information about farm characteristics, ways to meet greening requirements as well as the opinions of farmers as to changes in direct subsidies and greening obligations. The research was conducted in 2015 directly interviewing 290 farmers from the whole of Poland. The farmers interviewed lived in different parts of the country and had different size farms. Data was prepared with the use of spreadsheets and were analysed using the R statistical program and the gmodel and vcd statistical packages were used during the calculations. Polish farmers are against greening. Greening does not significantly change the way farmers run their farms. They choose the cheapest options of EFA which are usually not the best for the environment. Furthermore, farmers have to bear the cost of introducing the new elements themselves. Despite a high number of environmental and agricultural advantages offered by new farming methods, crop rotation and after-crop sowing duty, CAP reform is assessed in a negative light. As a result of negative opinions held by farmers due to the lack of subsidies, farmers may not continue greening practices in the future.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform in the European Union introduced a new element: greening. The aim of greening is to support the environment and create non-productive value in agriculture. The main element of greening is the Ecological Focus Area (EFA) meaning that a portion of farmland area has to be designed for environmental purposes. This article consists of an evaluatation of greening and its elements in the first year CAP reform has come into force. Surveys were used as a tool to gather information about farm characteristics, ways to meet greening requirements as well as the opinions of farmers as to changes in direct subsidies and greening obligations. The research was conducted in 2015 directly interviewing 290 farmers from the whole of Poland. The farmers interviewed lived in different parts of the country and had different size farms. Data was prepared with the use of spreadsheets and were analysed using the R statistical program and the gmodel and vcd statistical packages were used during the calculations. Polish farmers are against greening. Greening does not significantly change the way farmers run their farms. They choose the cheapest options of EFA which are usually not the best for the environment. Furthermore, farmers have to bear the cost of introducing the new elements themselves. Despite a high number of environmental and agricultural advantages offered by new farming methods, crop rotation and after-crop sowing duty, CAP reform is assessed in a negative light. As a result of negative opinions held by farmers due to the lack of subsidies, farmers may not continue greening practices in the future.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

This study aimed to investigate the effects of husbandry system on the technical and economic performance of dairy farming. Samples included data from 61 dairy farms from the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, which were collected between 2002 and 2011. Farms were categorized by type-pasturebased (PB), semi-confinement (SC), and confinement (C)-and technical and economic indexes were compared. In general, the results indicated indexes that are higher than the average for Brazilian farms but lower than those in other countries or technological farms in other Brazilian regions. Milk production was mainly determined by farm size rather than by productivity indexes. Components of the total and effective operational costs that were most significant were feeding followed by labor. The comparative analysis indicated that, although C systems have technical indexes that are superior to those of the PB and SC systems, economic performance was independent of the intensification level. Thus, pasture systems are potentially competitive, provided that the producers are efficient.(AU)

Objetivou-se com este estudo investigar o efeito do sistema de criação sobre o desempenho técnico e econômico da atividade leiteira. A amostra incluiu dados reais de 61 rebanhos leiteiros localizados no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, durante os anos de 2002 a 2011. As fazendas foram agrupadas em função do nível de intensificação em pasto (PAST), semiconfinamento (SEMI) ou confinamento (CONF) e os índices técnicos e econômicos foram comparados. De forma geral, os resultados mostraram índices técnicos maiores do que a média de fazendas brasileiras, porém inferiores a índices internacionais ou de fazendas tecnificadas de outras regiões do Brasil. A produção de leite foi mais determinada pelo tamanho da fazenda do que pelos índices de produtividade e os itens do custo total e operacional efetivo que tiveram maiores representatividades foram, em ordem decrescente, alimentação e mão de obra. A análise comparativa mostrou que, embora sistemas CONF apresentaram índices técnicos superiores a PAST e SEMI, o desempenho econômico independeu do nível de intensificação. Portanto, sistemas a pasto são potencialmente competitivos, desde que os produtores sejam eficientes.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

This study aimed to investigate the effects of husbandry system on the technical and economic performance of dairy farming. Samples included data from 61 dairy farms from the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, which were collected between 2002 and 2011. Farms were categorized by type-pasturebased (PB), semi-confinement (SC), and confinement (C)-and technical and economic indexes were compared. In general, the results indicated indexes that are higher than the average for Brazilian farms but lower than those in other countries or technological farms in other Brazilian regions. Milk production was mainly determined by farm size rather than by productivity indexes. Components of the total and effective operational costs that were most significant were feeding followed by labor. The comparative analysis indicated that, although C systems have technical indexes that are superior to those of the PB and SC systems, economic performance was independent of the intensification level. Thus, pasture systems are potentially competitive, provided that the producers are efficient.

Objetivou-se com este estudo investigar o efeito do sistema de criação sobre o desempenho técnico e econômico da atividade leiteira. A amostra incluiu dados reais de 61 rebanhos leiteiros localizados no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, durante os anos de 2002 a 2011. As fazendas foram agrupadas em função do nível de intensificação em pasto (PAST), semiconfinamento (SEMI) ou confinamento (CONF) e os índices técnicos e econômicos foram comparados. De forma geral, os resultados mostraram índices técnicos maiores do que a média de fazendas brasileiras, porém inferiores a índices internacionais ou de fazendas tecnificadas de outras regiões do Brasil. A produção de leite foi mais determinada pelo tamanho da fazenda do que pelos índices de produtividade e os itens do custo total e operacional efetivo que tiveram maiores representatividades foram, em ordem decrescente, alimentação e mão de obra. A análise comparativa mostrou que, embora sistemas CONF apresentaram índices técnicos superiores a PAST e SEMI, o desempenho econômico independeu do nível de intensificação. Portanto, sistemas a pasto são potencialmente competitivos, desde que os produtores sejam eficientes.

Assuntos

RESUMO

This study evaluates the available on-farm resources of five case studies typified as small-scale dairy systems in central Mexico. A comprehensive mixed-integer linear programming model was developed and applied to two case studies. The optimal plan suggested the following: (1) instruction and utilization of maize silage, (2) alfalfa hay making that added US$140/ha/cut to the total net income, (3) allocation of land to cultivated pastures in a ratio of 27:41(cultivated pastures/maize crop) rather than at the current 14:69, and dairy cattle should graze 12 h/day, (4) to avoid grazing of communal pastures because this activity represented an opportunity cost of family labor that reduced the farm net income, and (5) that the highest farm net income was obtained when liquid milk and yogurt sales were included in the optimal plan. In the context of small-scale dairy systems of central Mexico, the optimal plan would need to be implemented gradually to enable farmers to develop required skills and to change management strategies from reliance on forage and purchased concentrate to pasture-based and conserved forage systems.

Assuntos

RESUMO

It is evident at field conditions the necessity to develop simple management technology, easy to be dealt by the farmers and growers, and also usefuld for agronomic extension. The index makes possible the monitoration of the farm performance in a large series of periods, and to fallow the performance of similar properties, and also posicionate the farm in large context trough regional index.  

Evidencia-se, a nível de campo, a necessidade de se desenvolver tecnologias gerenciais simplificadas, de fácil manuseio pelo produtor rural, útil também nos trabalhos de assistência agronômica. Os índices possibilitam o acompanhamento do desempenho das propriedades rurais numa série de períodos, permitindo ainda comparações entre propriedades semelhantes, bem como posiciona a propriedade num contexto maior, através de índices regionais.    

RESUMO

It is evident at field conditions the necessity to develop simple management technology, easy to be dealt by the farmers and growers, and also usefuld for agronomic extension. The index makes possible the monitoration of the farm performance in a large series of periods, and to fallow the performance of similar properties, and also posicionate the farm in large context trough regional index.

Evidencia-se, a nível de campo, a necessidade de se desenvolver tecnologias gerenciais simplificadas, de fácil manuseio pelo produtor rural, útil também nos trabalhos de assistência agronômica. Os índices possibilitam o acompanhamento do desempenho das propriedades rurais numa série de períodos, permitindo ainda comparações entre propriedades semelhantes, bem como posiciona a propriedade num contexto maior, através de índices regionais.

RESUMO

A rural property is administred by formulating programs, coordinating its execution, evaluating the results and proposing changes with the objective of increasing the production and reducing the costs. A series of endogenous and exogenous variables interfere in rural production process. Administering these variables is considered a dynamic context and risk. Administration of these variables requires a simple and systamatic instrument that can be used easyly by rural farmer to facilitate the identification of critical points in the system function and presents alternative proposals. The proposed instrument was already tested in thirty rural properties with appropriate changes. Fundamentally it consists the following steps: lsf Step: Survey of agricultural capital; to scrutinize capital hindered as land, improvement, instalattions, machinery, livestock and circulating capital. 2n

  Administrar uma propriedade rural ê formular programas, coordenar sua execução, avaliar resultados e propor mudanças. É combinar os recursos objetivando o aumento de produtividade com diminuição de custos. Uma série de variáveis endógenas interfere no processo produtivo rural. Assim, administrar é manejar essas variáveis consideradas num contexto dinâmico e de risco. A administração dessas variáveis requer um instrumental sistematizado e simples, de fácil utilização pelo produtor rural, que possibilite a identificação de pontos de estrangulamento no funcionamento do sistema e apresente propostas alternativas. O instrumental proposto já foi testado em cerca de trinta propriedades da região, passando por diversos aperfeiçoamentos. Consiste fundamentalmente nas seguintes etapas: 1a. etapa: levantamento do capital agropecuário; apurar o capital empatado em terras, benfeitorias, instalações, maquinários, animais e o capital circulante; 2a. etapa: levantamento dos recursos administrativos; 3a. etapa: levantamento do processo produtivo atual: levantar o uso atual do solo, manejo do solo, tecnologias utilizadas na produção vegetal e animal; 4a. etapa: levantamento da situação econômica atual; apuração das receitas e custos do período, índices econômicos e financeiros; 5a. etapa: análise dos resultados; 6a. etapa: definição da problemática; 7. etapa: sistema produtivo proposto; 8a

RESUMO

A rural property is administred by formulating programs, coordinating its execution, evaluating the results and proposing changes with the objective of increasing the production and reducing the costs. A series of endogenous and exogenous variables interfere in rural production process. Administering these variables is considered a dynamic context and risk. Administration of these variables requires a simple and systamatic instrument that can be used easyly by rural farmer to facilitate the identification of critical points in the system function and presents alternative proposals. The proposed instrument was already tested in thirty rural properties with appropriate changes. Fundamentally it consists the following steps: lsf Step: Survey of agricultural capital; to scrutinize capital hindered as land, improvement, instalattions, machinery, livestock and circulating capital. 2n

Administrar uma propriedade rural ê formular programas, coordenar sua execução, avaliar resultados e propor mudanças. É combinar os recursos objetivando o aumento de produtividade com diminuição de custos. Uma série de variáveis endógenas interfere no processo produtivo rural. Assim, administrar é manejar essas variáveis consideradas num contexto dinâmico e de risco. A administração dessas variáveis requer um instrumental sistematizado e simples, de fácil utilização pelo produtor rural, que possibilite a identificação de pontos de estrangulamento no funcionamento do sistema e apresente propostas alternativas. O instrumental proposto já foi testado em cerca de trinta propriedades da região, passando por diversos aperfeiçoamentos. Consiste fundamentalmente nas seguintes etapas: 1a. etapa: levantamento do capital agropecuário; apurar o capital empatado em terras, benfeitorias, instalações, maquinários, animais e o capital circulante; 2a. etapa: levantamento dos recursos administrativos; 3a. etapa: levantamento do processo produtivo atual: levantar o uso atual do solo, manejo do solo, tecnologias utilizadas na produção vegetal e animal; 4a. etapa: levantamento da situação econômica atual; apuração das receitas e custos do período, índices econômicos e financeiros; 5a. etapa: análise dos resultados; 6a. etapa: definição da problemática; 7. etapa: sistema produtivo proposto; 8a