IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i15p11499-d1201983.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Novel Resilient and Sustainable Farm Profiles in Small Ruminant Production Systems Using Mathematical Programming Model

Author

Listed:
  • Alexandros Theodoridis

    (Laboratory of Livestock Production Economics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Athanasios Ragkos

    (Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization—DIMITRA, Kourtidou 56-58, 11145 Athens, Greece)

  • Sotiria Vouraki

    (Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Georgios Arsenos

    (Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Antonis Kominakis

    (Laboratory of Animal Breeding & Husbandry, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece)

  • Stephanie Coppin

    (Institut de l’Elevage, 31321 Auzeville-Tolosane, France)

  • Vincent Thenard

    (AGIR, Institut National de La Recherche Agronomique, Université de Toulouse, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France)

  • Tim J. Byrne

    (AbacusBio International Limited, Roslin Innovation Centre, University of Edinburgh Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK)

Abstract

In this study, a farm-scale mathematical programming model for sheep and goat farms is proposed to simulate economic performance, including new resilience sheep traits that allow animals to counteract the presence of infectious and noninfectious diseases. The model was developed in the Small Ruminants Breeding for Efficiency and Resilience (SMARTER) Horizon 2020 project. The SMARTER model is a comprehensive and adaptable linear programming model that enables the assessment of hypothetical scenarios/challenges related to animal traits that prevent infectious and noninfectious diseases. The optimal performance and the structure of the farm are modeled under the presence of infectious and noninfectious diseases (disease plan) and under conditions where no diseases occur (future plan). A comparison of the model solutions, between presence and absence of diseases, provides suggested adjustments to the farming system and insights into the potential shape of new sustainable farm system profiles for the sheep and goat sector. Technical and economic data from five different sheep farms and one goat farm in Greece and France were used in this empirical application to assess different scenarios in the presence of mastitis, parasitism, and lameness in the flocks. The results showed that the profitability and sustainability of the farms are significantly improved when the resilience of animals reduces the impact of the diseases (the highest increase in gross margin was 23.5%). However, although there is substantial improvement in the economic performance of the farms that rear healthy animals, this does not affect the production and management plan of the farmer and does not alter the farm’s structure.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandros Theodoridis & Athanasios Ragkos & Sotiria Vouraki & Georgios Arsenos & Antonis Kominakis & Stephanie Coppin & Vincent Thenard & Tim J. Byrne, 2023. "Novel Resilient and Sustainable Farm Profiles in Small Ruminant Production Systems Using Mathematical Programming Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:11499-:d:1201983
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11499/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11499/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Annelin Molotsi & Bekezela Dube & Simon Oosting & Tawanda Marandure & Cletos Mapiye & Schalk Cloete & Kennedy Dzama, 2017. "Genetic Traits of Relevance to Sustainability of Smallholder Sheep Farming Systems in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Sintori, Alexandra & Rozakis, Stelios & Tsiboukas, Kostas, 2009. "Multiple goals in farmers’ decision making: The case of sheep farming in Western Greece," 83rd Annual Conference, March 30 - April 1, 2009, Dublin, Ireland 51075, Agricultural Economics Society.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sèyi Fridaïus Ulrich Vanvanhossou & Luc Hippolyte Dossa & Sven König, 2021. "Sustainable Management of Animal Genetic Resources to Improve Low-Input Livestock Production: Insights into Local Beninese Cattle Populations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Stelios Rozakis & Alexandra Sintori & Konstantinos Tsiboukas, 2009. "Utility-derived Supply Function of Sheep Milk: The Case of Etoloakarnania, Greece," Working Papers 2009-11, Agricultural University of Athens, Department Of Agricultural Economics.
    3. Alberto Stanislao Atzori & Roberto Furesi & Fabio A. Madau & Pietro Pulina & Pier Giacomo Rassu, 2015. "Sustainability of Dairy Sheep Production in Pasture Lands: A Case Study Approach to Integrate Economic and Environmental Perspectives," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(1), pages 117-134.
    4. Marandure, Tawanda & Dzama, Kennedy & Bennett, James & Makombe, Godswill & Mapiye, Cletos, 2020. "Application of system dynamics modelling in evaluating sustainability of low-input ruminant farming systems in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 438(C).
    5. Tawanda Marandure & James Bennett & Kennedy Dzama & Godswill Makombe & Cletos Mapiye, 2021. "Drivers of low-input farmers’ perceptions of sustainable ruminant farming practices in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 8405-8432, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:11499-:d:1201983. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.