Life Sciences Commons^™

Irrigation-As-A-Service For Smallholder Farmers, Ishani Lal

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Irrigation is a crucial management practice that can help increase food security among smallholders globally while mitigating climate change impacts. High-efficiency irrigation technologies such as drip kits and sprinkler systems are relatively expensive and smallholder farmers cannot afford them to buffer crop yields against low precipitation. In many developing countries, farmers participate in robust informal markets for renting and sharing of irrigation equipment. Such services may be operated by farmers or via a third party such as irrigation start-ups, water user associations, non-governmental organizations, or even government agencies. These services are referred to collectively as Irrigation-as-a-Service (IaaS).

The objective of …

Field Validation Of A Farmer Supplied Data Approach To Close Soybean Yield Gaps In The Us North Central Region, José F. Andrade, Spyridon Mourtzinis, Juan I. Rattalino Edreira, Shawn P. Conley, John Gaska, Herman J. Kandel, Laura E. Lindsey, Seth Naeve, Scott Nelson, Maninder P. Singhi, Laura J. Thompson, James E. Specht, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

CONTEXT: Producer-reported data can be used to identify suites of management practices that lead to higher yield and profit. However, a rigorous validation of the approach in relation to its potential impact on farmer yield and profit is lacking.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate a producer-data approach on its capability to guide on-farm evaluation of management practices with greatest potential for increasing producer yield and profit. We show proof of concept using soybean in the North Central US region as a case study.

METHODS: We used a combination of regression tree analysis and a spatial framework to determine practices …

Drought Decisions: Profit Maximizing Decisions During And After Drought Conditions, Robert Tigner, Elliott James Dennis

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

In summary, using available price risk management tools can effectively reduce some of the market price risk variability that is inherent in agricultural production that are caused by either production or price risk.

Ecological And Economic Benefits And Risks Of Using Botanical Insecticides In Tanzanian Farms, Lilia Garcia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Insect damage is a major concern for smallholder farmers in developing countries like Tanzania. Synthetic insecticides can tame infestations, however they can be expensive, inaccessible, and their misuse can threaten farmer health and ecological conditions. Botanical insecticides are cheap alternatives to treat infestations while preserving beneficial insects such as pollinators, predators, and parasitoids. This study assesses how both synthetic and botanical insecticides affect beneficial insects, crop yield and profit/costs. This study finds botanical insecticides slightly less harmful towards non-target insects. Botanical insecticides seldomly improve crop yields but usually result in a higher profit/lower cost. Due to high variation in ecological …

Legumes, Livestock And Livelihoods In The Australian Mixed Farming System, E. C. Wolfe

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

This Howard Oration describes the pathway that I have taken towards my specialisation in ‘big picture’ agriculture. A simple protocol is presented for the analysis of agricultural systems by using descriptive or quantitative indicators of five system properties: productivity, sustainability, profitability, social wellbeing and political acceptability. These properties are further illustrated by considering four important issues in the Australian sheep-wheat belt, a distinctive world food production system. The issues are the supply of and demand for legume nitrogen for crops, reconciling agricultural and natural resource objectives, the low profitability of farms in relation to production and marketing risks, and the …

Can Ratoon Cropping Improve Resource Use Efficiencies And Profitability Of Rice In Central China?, Shen Yuan, Kenneth G. Cassman, Jianliang Huang, Shaobing Peng, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Identifying cropping systems with small global warming potential (GWP) per unit of productivity is important to ensure food security while minimizing environmental footprint. During recent decades, double-season rice (DR) systems in central China have progressively shifted into single-crop, middle-season rice (MR) due to high costs and labor requirements of double-season rice. Ratoon rice (RR) has been proposed as an alternative system that reconciliates both high annual productivity and relatively low costs and labor requirements. Here we used onfarm data collected from 240 farmer fields planted with rice in 2016 to evaluate annual energy balance, environmental impact, and net profit of …

Evaluation Of A Commercial Model For Predicting Growth Performance Of Pigs With Varying Diet Composition And Stocking Density, M. B. Menegat, F. Wu, J. C. Woodworth, M. D. Tokach, J. M. Derouchey, S. S. Dritz, R. D. Goodband

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this study was to validate the growth performance predictions of a commercial model (CAMERA®; INTL FCStone, New York, NY) by comparing the optimally-solved estimates with observed growth performance from published studies. Three studies were selected to create 3 feeding scenarios: 1) variation in dietary energy concentrations and fiber sources (Nitikanchana et al., 2015); 2) variation in dietary lysine level (Menegat et al., 2017); and 3) variation in space allowance (Carpenter et al., 2018). For each validation scenario, the growth performance of pigs from the best-performing treatment group was first estimated, calibrated using the observed performance, and used …

Determining Profitable Forage Rotations, J. Holman, A. Obour, A. Schlegel, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Annual forages are an important crop in the High Plains, yet the region lacks recommended annual forage rotations compared to those developed for grain crops. Forages are important for the region’s livestock and dairy industries and are becoming increasingly important as irrigation capacity and grain prices decrease. Forages require less water than grain crops and may allow for increased cropping system intensity and op-opportunistic cropping. A study was initiated in 2012 at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Garden City, KS, comparing several 1-, 3-, and 4-year forage rotations with no-tillage and minimum-tillage. Data presented are from 2013 through 2018. Tillage …

Determining Profitable Annual Forage Rotations, J. D. Holman, A. Obour, I. Kisekka, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing annual forages, yet western Kansas lacks proven recommended crop rotations such as those for grain crops. Forage production is important to the region’s livestock and dairy industries and is becoming increasingly important as irrigation-well capacity declines. Forages require less water than grain crops and may allow for increased cropping intensity and opportunistic cropping. A study was initiated in 2012 at the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City, KS, comparing several 1-, 3-, and 4-year forage rotations with no-tillage and minimum-tillage (min-tillage). Data presented are from 2013 through 2016. Winter triticale yields were increased by tillage. …

Characterizing Genotype X Management Interactions On Soybean Seed Yield, David A. Marburger, Bryson J. Haverkamp, Randall G. Laurenz, John M. Orlowski, Eric W. Wilson, Shaun N. Casteel, Chad D. Lee, Seth L. Naeve, Emerson D. Nafziger, Kraig L. Roozeboom, William J. Ross, Kurt D. Thelen, Shawn P. Conley

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Increased soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] commodity prices in recent years have generated interest in high-input systems to increase yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of current, high-yielding cultivars under high- and low-input systems on soybean yield and yield components. Research trials were conducted at 19 locations spanning nine states from 2012 to 2014. At each location, six high-yielding cultivars were grown under three input systems: (i) standard practice (SP, current recommended practices), (ii) high-input treatment consisting of a seed treatment fungicide, insecticide, nematistat, inoculant, and lipo-chitooligosaccharide (LCO); soil-applied N fertilizer; foliar LCO, fertilizer, …

Economic Benefits Of Using Prebiotic And Probiotic Products As Supplements In Stimulation Feeds Administered To Bee Colonies, Silvia Patruica, Ioan Hutu

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Spring stimulation feeding of honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera carpatica) is a very important technique for the encouragement of productive foraging. In addition to improving bee health by creating favorable conditions for the development of a beneficial intestinal bacterial flora, the use of prebiotic and probiotic supplements in the feed promotes good colony development, thus increasing the forager population. This paper presents the results for the economic benefit measured following use of supplements with acidifying substances (acetic and lactic acids) and probiotic products (Enterobiotics and Enterolactis Plus), as well as the synergism between them. A total of 110 bee colonies were …

Functional Foods And Ingredients: Opportunities For Health And Profit, Linda C. Tapsell

L. C. Tapsell

The National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods (NCEFF) is developing well with strategic research projects underway. This report outlines progress to date.

Turning Packaging Into Profit, Rihaz Z. Chughatta

Rihaz Z Chughatta

Packaging can be an expensive function to maintain, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, Packaging can be a source of income for a company. More accurately, what if you took a look at your company’s Profit and Loss and saw Packaging as a negative expense? That’s right, you can turn packaging into profit for your company. How do you accomplish this feat? Glad you asked … read on to find three simple ways to start this process (and satisfy your curiosity) …

The Economic Effects Of Sorting Cattle By Weight And Time Of Year Into Different Production Systems1, D. R. Adams, T. J. Klopfenstein, G. E. Erickson, D. R. Mark, Matt K. Luebbe, W. A. Griffin

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A 2-yr study using 288 steers each year was conducted to determine the economic effects of sorting and feeding genetically similar cattle in different production systems. Steers were purchased at weaning in November and assigned randomly into sorted or unsorted groups. Unsorted steers were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 production systems: calf-fed steers (enter feedlot after weaning), summer yearling, or fall yearling; n = 48 steers per system yearly. For sorted steers, the heaviest third were calf fed and the remaining steers grazed cornstalks during winter. After winter grazing, the heaviest half of those steers were fed as summer …

Mulched Cover Crops As An Alternative To Conventional Weed Management Systems In Vineyards, Scott J. Steinmaus, C. L. Elmore, R. J. Smith, D. Donaldson, E. A. Weber, J. A. Roncoroni, P. R.M. Miller

Biological Sciences

Conventional methods of weed management in vineyards rely primarily on herbicides and tillage. The desire to adopt alternatives to these methods is driven by environmental and economic reasons. Weed suppression and grape yield under mulched cover crop systems at two rainfed northern California vineyards were similar to, and at times exceeded, those under conventional tillage or herbicide management. Cover crop productivity was positively correlated with weed suppression and mulch decomposition rates and seemed to be determined primarily by location and then by cover crop type. The mulch from mowed cover crops averaged 603(± 94) gm⁻² at the two sites. …

Crop Updates 2008 - Farming Systems, John De Majnik, Paul Meibusch, Vince Logan, Louise Barton, Wahid Biswas, Daniel Carter, Nicolyn Short, Jodie Bowling, Glen Riethmuller, James Fisher, Moin Salam, Stephen Davies, Jim Dixon, Dennis Van Gool, Alison Slade, Bob Gilkes, Megan Abrahams, Caroline Peek, Daniel Gardiner, Kari-Lee Falconer, David Hall, Jeromy Lemon, Harvey Jones, Yvette Oliver, Tania Butler, Michael Robertson, Stephen Carr, Chris Gazey, David York, Joel Andrews, Michael Simeoni, G. Peter Mangano, Svetlana Micic, Dave Gartner, Adam Clune, Matthew Morell, Adam Umbers, Angelo Loi, Brad Nutt, Clinton Revell, Geoff Kew, Vivien Vanstone, Ali Bhatti, Ming Pei You, Imma Farre, Bill Bowden, Henry Smolinski, Jane Speijers, John Bruce, David Mccarthy, Gary Lang, David Rees, Rob Grima, John Young, Ross Kingwell, Chris Oldham, Derk Bakker, Ian Foster, David Beard, Wen Chen, Richard Bell, Ross Brennan, Art Diggle, Reg Lunt, Qifu Ma, Zed Rengel, Tim Hilder, Dusty Severtson, Shahajahan Miyan, Sam Clune, Barb Sage, Tenielle Martin, Chris Newman, Neal Dalgliesh, Caroline Peak, Andrew Blake, Megan Ryan, Richard Bennett, Tim Colmer, Daniel Real, Jiyan Pang, Lori Kroiss, Dion Nicol, Tammy Edmonds-Tibbett, Ron Mctaggart, Sean Kelly, Helen Hunter

Crop Updates

This session covers thirty nine papers from different authors:

PLENARY

1. Developments in grain end use, Dr John de Majnik, New Grain Products, GRDC, Mr Paul Meibusch, New Farm Products and Services, GRDC, Mr Vince Logan, New Products Executive Manager, GRDC

PRESENTATIONS

2. Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: A life cycle assessment, Louise Barton1, Wahid Biswas2 and Daniel Carter3, 1School of Earth & Geographical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 2Centre of Excellence in Cleaner Production, Division of Science and Engineering, Curtin University of Technology, 3Department of Agriculture and …

Sustainable Management, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Management for the future must include a broader and more complex view of the world. Sustainable management of business can be profitable and provide benefits for workers, shareholders as well as communities, nations and the planet.

Outsourcing The Packaging Function, Rihaz Z. Chughatta

Rihaz Z Chughatta

If you are currently working in the packaging department of a major corporation in the pharmaceutical, food or consumer products industry, you have probably been exposed to some form of outsourcing, which is a global trend that has emerged over the past decade, and continues to evolve, within the packaging field.

Sheep Updates 2006 - Part 2, Darryl Smith, Kathryn Kemper, David Rutley, R. R. Woolaston, D. J. Brown, K. D. Atkins, A. E. Casey, A. J. Ball, David Hopkins, David Stanley, Leonie Martin, Arthur Gilmour, Remy Van De Ven, Geoff Duddy, Steve Semple, David Kessell, Andrew Thompson

Sheep Updates

This session covers six papers from different authors:

GENETICS

1. Novel selection traits - what are the possible side effects?, Darryl Smith, Kathryn Kemper, South Australian Research and Development Institute, David Rutley, University of Adelaide.

2. Genetic Changes in the Australian Merino since 1900, Sheep Genetics Australia Technical Committee, R.R. Woolaston Pullenvale, Queensland, D.J. Brown, Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit*, University of New England, K.D. Atkins, A.E. Casey, NSW Department of Primary Industries, A.J. Ball, Meat and Livestock Australia, University of New England

3. Influence of Sire Growth Estimated Breeding Value (EBV0 on Progeny Growth, David Hopkins, David Stanley, Leonie …

Sheep Updates 2005 - Part 4, Lucy Anderton, John Young, Rob Davidson, Keith Croker, Ken Hart, Tim Wiese, B. M. Thomson, I Williams, J. R. Briegel, J. C. Greeff, N. R. Adams, E. N. Bermingham, Sue Hatcher, Gordon Refshauge, Emma Kopke, Ross Kingwell, K. E. Kemper, M. L. Hebart, F. D. Brien, K. S. Jaensch, R. J. Grimson, D. H. Smith, Melanie Dowling, A. (Tony) Schlink, John Karlsson

Sheep Updates

This session covers twelve papers from different authors: REPRODUCTION 1. Is it worth increasing investment to increase lambing percentages? Lucy Anderton Department of Agriculture Western Australia. 2. What value is a lamb? John Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service, Kojonup, WA 3. Providing twin-bearing ewes with extra energy at lambing produces heavier lambs at marking. Rob Davidson WAMMCO International,, formerly University of Western Australia; Keith Croker, Ken Hart, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Tim Wiese, "Chuckem", Highbury, Western Australia. GENETICS 4. Underlying biological cause of trade-off between meat and wool. Part 1. Wool and muscle glycogen, BM Thomson, I Williams, University …

Crop Updates 2005 - Katanning, Brian Mcalpine, David Stephens, Nicola Telcik, K. Jayasena, R. Loughman, G. Thomas, C. Beard, B. Paynter, Colin Mann, Ross Kingwell, Frances Hoyle, D. V. Murphy, N. Milton, M. Osman, L. K. Abbott, W. R. Cookson, S. Darmawanto, Bill Bowden, Blakely Paynter, K. Regan, P. White, K. Siddique, K. Adhikari, M. Harries, Ian Pritchard, Angelo Loi, Phil Nichols, Clinton Revell, David Ferris, Bill Roy, Sally Peltzer, Dave Minkey, Michael Walsh, Alexandra Douglas, Meredith Fairbanks, Ian Foster, Geraldine Pasqual, David Tennant, Belinda Barr, Heather Bray, Steve Penny, Narelle Hill, Ron Mctaggart, Wal Anderson, Ray Tugwell, Svetlana Micic, Phil Michael, Roy Butler, Keith Croker

Crop Updates

This session covers twenty five papers from different authors

KEYNOTE

How Farmers Can Work Together for a More Sustainable and Profitable Business, Brian McAlpine Farmer, Nuffield Scholar

GENERAL

1. 2005 Seasonal Outlook, David Stephens and Nicola Telcik, Department of Agriculture

2. Essentials for cereal leaf disease management, K. Jayasena, R. Loughman, G. Thomas, C. Beard, and B. Paynter, Department of Agriculture

3. Benefits to the grower of grain licensing, Colin Mann, Grain Licensing Authority SOIL & NUTRIENTS

4. The effect of higher nitrogen fertiliser prices on rotation and fertiliser strategies in cropping systems, Ross Kingwell …

   ---

   Go to article

Crop Updates 2005 - Farming Systems, David Stephens, Nicola Telcik, Ross Kingwell, Wayne Pluske, Bill Bowden, Mike Collins, Frances Hoyle, D. V. Murphy, N. Milton, M. Osman, L. K. Abbott, W. R. Cookson, S. Darmawanto, Bill Crabtree, Geoff Anderson, Darren Kidson, Ross Brennan, Nick Drew, Craig Scanlan, Lisa Sherriff, Bob French, Reg Lunt, Jeff Russell, Angie Roe, Ian Maling, Matthew Adams, George Yan, Mohammad Hamza, Glen Riethmuller, Wal Anderson, Angela Loi, Phil Nichols, Clinton Revell, David Ferris, Phil Ward, Andrea Hills, Sally-Anne Penny, David Hall, Michael Robertson, Don Gaydon, Tress Walmsley, Caroline Peek, Megan Abrahams, Paul Raper, Richard O'Donnell, Trevor Lacey, Meredith Fairbanks, David Tennant, Cameron Weeks, Richard Quinlan, Alexandra Edward, Chris Carter, Doug Hamilton, Peter Tozer, Renaye Horne, Tracey Gianatti, Paul Carmody, Ian Foster, Michele John, Ross George, Imma Farré, Ian Kininmonth, Dennis Van Gool, Neil Coles, Bill Porter, Louise Barton, Richard Harper, Peter Ritson, Tony Beck, Chris Mitchell, Michael Hill, Fiona Barker-Reid, Will Gates, Ken Wilson, Rob Baigent, Ian Galbally, Mick Meyer, Ian Weeks, Traci Griffin, D. Rodriguez, M. Probust, M. Meyers, D. Chen, A. Bennett, W. Strong, R. Nussey, I Galbally, M. Howden

Crop Updates

This session covers forty four papers from different authors:

PLENARY

1. 2005 Outlook, David Stephens and Nicola Telcik, Department of Agriculture

FERTILITY AND NUTRITION

2. The effect of higher nitrogen fertiliser prices on rotation and fertiliser strategies in cropping systems, Ross Kingwell, Department of Agriculture and University of Western Australia

3. Stubble management: The short and long term implications for crop nutrition and soil fertility, Wayne Pluske, Nutrient Management Systems and Bill Bowden, Department of Agriculture

4. Stubble management: The pros and cons of different methods, Bill Bowden, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia and Mike Collins, …

Functional Foods And Ingredients: Opportunities For Health And Profit, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods (NCEFF) is developing well with strategic research projects underway. This report outlines progress to date.

Effect Of Barleys Having Different Liter Weights On Performance, Economicvalue, Ruminal Fermentation Of Lambs, And Nutrient Digestibility, Talat Güler, Kazim Şahi̇n, İ. Hali̇l Çerçi̇, O. Ni̇hat Ertaş

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of diets containing barleys having different liter weights (It wt) on average daily gain, feed efficiency, profit margins, ruminal fermentation, and carcass characteristics of lambs and diet digestibility. 16 Akkaraman lambs approximately 8 mo old (averaging 30 kg) were used in a randomized design. Treatment groups consisting of barley grains and barley grains were classified to liter weights as follows: 1. Barley has 643 g lt wt (Group 643). 2. Barley has 570 g lt wt (Group 570). Lambs were fed a diet of 80 % concentrate feed (98 % barley, 2% …

Gophers Eat Into Ag Prophits, Dennis Hinkamp

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Overview Of Federal Technology Transfer, Lawrence Rudolph

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Mr. Rudolph reviews approximately thirteen years of legal and political developments that have contributed to laws governing the extent to which private firms may secure rights in technology at least partly developed with federal funds.

Ec92-887 Pricing For Profit, Carol Thayer

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Pricing is systematically determining the "right" price for a product or service. Setting a price is easy, but determining the "right" price is more difficult. Pricing can be an educated guess or an orderly analsis.

This extension circular discusses the proper way of setting pricing goals in a business and determining a pricing strategy.

Maximizing Expected Profits In Competitive Bidding, Steven H. Bullard

Faculty Publications

Forest products firms often buy much of their raw material through competitive bidding. The bidding process is vital to such companies, yet models are often used which merely help predict winning bids. Managers should consider expected returns from potential timber buying contracts-the product of profit and the prob· ability of realizing that profit. A general approach is summarized for maximizing expected profit in competitive bidding. For timber buying, profits are net returns minus stumpage costs. The probability of obtaining the profit is the probability a given bid will be accepted, and can be represented by a probability density function. The …

A Linear Programming Analysis Of Several Determinants Of Profit On A Simulated Northern Utah Dairy Farm, Jay Dee Atwood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of the study was to analyze several determinants of profit on a simulated northern Utah dairy farm. A linear programming model was developed to accomplish this. Optimal conditions on the farm were estimated and then other model applications were made to evaluate the importance of milk price, cropland ownership, and corn silage production and feeding. The significance of cow quality also was estimated.

Optimal conditions on the farm gave rates of return to capital between savings rates and loan rates obtainable at a financial institution. Marginal values derived for land did not support the current asking price of …

Beef Cattle - At What Weight Should They Be Sold?, Franz Schwarz, J. B. Hassler

Historical Research Bulletins of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station

Specific objectives of this study are: (1) To evaluate the recent historical price relationships of the beef sector indicative of profit and loss conditions caused by disorderly aggregate performance in production and marketing. (2) To analyze the risks involved at various positions in the chain of production and marketing activities. (3) To suggest information and action programs which could reduce the amount of disorderly production and marketing.