Quantitative Sustainability Assessment Applied to Dairy Farms

2020 ◽  
pp. 11-20
Author(s):  
Leila Hassani ◽  
Mahmoud Daneshvar kakhki ◽  
Mahmoud Sabuhi sabouni ◽  
Peter Fantke
Keyword(s):  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Dairy Farms

scholarly journals Financial Ratios as Indicators of Economic Sustainability: A Quantitative Analysis for Swiss Dairy Farms

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Zorn ◽  
Michele Esteves ◽  
Ivo Baur ◽  
Markus Lips
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Analysis ◽  
North American ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Financial Ratios ◽  
Economic Sustainability ◽  
Financial Indicators ◽  
Farm Accountancy Data Network ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Sustainability Assessments

In agriculture, a rising number of sustainability assessments are available that also comprise financial ratios. In a literature review of farm management textbooks, taking account of the differences between European and North American practices and considering prevalent sustainability assessment approaches, we identified frequently used financial ratios. Five ratios relate to the indicator profitability and four to the indicator liquidity. Another eight financial indicators refer to the indicators financial efficiency, stability, solvency and repayment capacity. Based on more than 14,000 accountancies of dairy farms from the Swiss Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), we carried out a Spearman correlation analysis for normalised and harmonised financial ratios. The correlation analysis revealed mostly positive correlations. To assess the implementation of a quantitative economic sustainability assessment we compare an aggregated indicator compound of all 17 ratios with two selections of financial ratios–first, a compound European and, second, a compound North American economic sustainability indicator. The correlation between the complete and the reduced sets of indicators suggest that both aggregate economic indicators can be reasonably applied to estimate the economic sustainability for Swiss dairy farms.

scholarly journals Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Dairy Farms Rearing the Italian Simmental Dual-Purpose Breed

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Baldini ◽  
Francesco Da Borso ◽  
Andrea Rossi ◽  
Mario Taverna ◽  
Stefano Bovolenta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Real Data ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Environmental Footprint ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Scenario Analyses

This study aimed to assess the environmental footprint of dairy farms rearing a dual-purpose breed, and to evaluate, through alternative scenario analyses, the fattening of calves and the cultivation of hemp as strategies for reducing the environmental impact of these farms. Eleven farms were evaluated for global warming (GWP), acidification (AC) and eutrophication (EUP) potential. The Life Cycle Assessment method with three scenarios, REAL, based on real data, BEEF, where calves were fattened in farm, and HEMP, where hemp was cultivated in farms, were considered. If referred to 1 m2 of utilizable agricultural land, the GWP, AC and EUP were 1.6 kgCO2eq, 21.7 gSO2eq and 7.1 gPO43−eq, respectively. If referring to 1 kg of fat and protein corrected milk, the emissions were 1.1–1.4 kgCO2eq, 14.8–19.0 gSO2eq, and 5.0–6.4 gPO43−eq, depending on the allocation method adopted. The emissions were associated positively with culling rate and negatively with production intensity. In BEEF and HEMP scenarios, the emissions were reduced by 8–11% and by 1–5%, respectively. Fattening the calves, evaluating the cultivation of alternative plants and improving the productive and reproductive efficiency of animals could be effective strategies for reducing the environmental footprint of the farm.

scholarly journals Embedding animal welfare in sustainability assessment: an indicator approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Brennan ◽  
T. Hennessy ◽  
E. Dillon
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Farm Level ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Farm Accountancy Data Network ◽  
The Impact

In line with growing consumer interest in sustainable food production, a number of farm-level sustainability indicator studies have been published in recent years. Despite the importance of animal welfare, many such frameworks fail to adequately take account of it, mostly due to difficulties in accessing suitable data. This paper demonstrates that it is possible to develop indicators of animal welfare that can be embedded within a wider sustainability framework using a representative farm-level dataset such as the European Union (EU) Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) for Ireland, the Teagasc National Farm Survey. The paper presents a set of sustainability indicators for dairy farms in Ireland for the 2014–2017 period and examines the impact of policy reform on sustainability performance. Headline results show that welfare standards on dairy farms in Ireland have remained stable over the period despite the considerable intensification of the dairy sector following EU milk quota removal. Furthermore, dairy farms that have expanded herd size significantly have improved welfare standards more than farms that have not increased production. An analysis of synergies and trade-offs between the various aspects of sustainability reveals that positive correlations exist between welfare standards and economic and environmental performance. The analysis facilitates the identification of win-win farm-level strategies that can be adopted to improve economic, environmental and animal welfare outcomes. The framework developed here presents opportunities for evaluating policy impacts at the farm level on various aspects of sustainability. The use of the FADN demonstrates the capacity to extend such an approach across the EU.

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Fugitive Dust Control Methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 147 (3) ◽  
pp. 04020181
Author(s):  
Alena J. Raymond ◽  
Alissa Kendall ◽  
Jason T. DeJong ◽  
Edward Kavazanjian ◽  
Miriam A. Woolley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Dust Control ◽  
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Control Methods ◽  
Fugitive Dust

Characteristics, Features of Development, Regional and Sectoral Determinants of High-tech Business in Russia

2017 ◽  
pp. 142-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Yusupova ◽  
S. Khalimova
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Business Development ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Assessment Data ◽  
High Tech Sector ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
High Level

The paper deals with the research devoted to characteristics of high tech business development in Russia. Companies’ performance indicators have been analyzed with the help of regression analysis and author’s scheme of leadership stability and sustainability assessment. Data provided by Russia’s Fast Growing High-Tech Companies’ National Rating (TechUp) during 2012-2016 were used. The results have revealed that the high tech sector is characterized by high level of uncertainty. Limited number of regions and sectors which form the basis for high tech business have been defined. Relationship between innovation activity’s indicators and export potential is determined.

337. Occupational Health Services Showing Effect on Finnish Dairy Farms

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Kalliokoski ◽  
J. Kangas ◽  
M. Kotimaa ◽  
K. Louhelainen
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Occupational Health Services

Effects of integrated cropping and pasture renewal on the performance and profit of dairy farms

2010 ◽  
pp. 29-34
Author(s):  
J.R. Bryant ◽  
M.G. Lambert ◽  
R. Brazendale ◽  
C.W. Holmes ◽  
T.J. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Forage Crops

Pasture renewal on the milking platform of dairy farms may or may not involve growing forage crops in the transition from old to new pasture.

Automatic Milking Systems: an option to address the labour shortage on New Zealand dairy farms?

2002 ◽  
pp. 39-43
Author(s):  
J.G. Jago ◽  
M.W. Woolford
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dairy Industry ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Labour Shortage ◽  
Commercial Farms ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Automatic Milking Systems

There is a growing shortage of labour within the dairy industry. To address this the industry needs to attract more people and/or reduce the labour requirements on dairy farms. Current milk harvesting techniques contribute to both the labour requirements and the current labour shortage within the industry as the process is labour-intensive and necessitates long and unsociable working hours. Automated milking systems (AMS) have been in operation, albeit on a small scale, on commercial farms in Europe for a decade and may have the potential to address labour issues within the New Zealand dairy industry. A research programme has been established (The Greenfield Project) which aims to determine the feasibility of automated milking under New Zealand dairying conditions. A Fullwoods MERLIN AMS has been installed on a protoype farmlet and is successfully milking a small herd of 41 cows. Progress from the prototype Greenfields system offers considerable potential for implementing AMS in extensive grazing systems. Keywords: automated milking systems, dairy cattle, grazing, labour

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