Efficiency Analysis as a Tool for Revealing Best Practices and Innovations: The Case of the Sheep Meat Sector in Europe

Abstract

The slow adoption of innovations is a key challenge that the European sheep sector faces for its sustainability. The future of the sector lies on the adoption of best practices, modern technologies and innovations that can improve its resilience and mitigate its dependence on public support. In this study, the concept of technical efficiency was used to reveal the most efficient sheep meat farms and to identify the best practices and farm innovations that could potentially be adopted by other farms of similar production systems. Data Envelopment Analysis was applied to farm accounting data from 458 sheep meat farms of intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems from France, Spain and the UK, and the structural and economic characteristics of the most efficient farms were analyzed. These best farmers were indicated through a survey, which was conducted within the Innovation for Sustainable Sheep and Goat Production in the Europe (iSAGE) Horizon 2020 project, the management and production practices and innovations that improve their economic performance and make them better than their peers.

Entrepreneurship in Dairy Cattle Sector: Key Features of Successful Administration and Management

“…Many studies on the dairy cattle sector use the same input and/or output variables in their efficiency models. Indicatively, gross revenue has been used as output by Náglová and Rudinskaya [18], Theodoridis et al [19], Theodoridis and Ragkos [23], Mitsopoulos et al [25], and Spička and Smutka [34]; human labor has been used as input in Alvarez and Arias [17], Náglová and Rudinskaya [18], Madau et al [21], Theodoridis and Ragkos [23], Siafakas et al [24], Mitsopoulos et al [25] and Areal [35]; while variable capital cost and fixed capital cost have been used as inputs by Alvarez and Arias [17], Náglová and Rudinskaya [18], Madau et al [21],. Theodoridis and Ragkos [23], Mitsopoulos et al [25], Areal [35] and Kovács and Szücs [36].…”

“…Currently, there is an ongoing debate regarding the solutions that will help meet the expected efficiency in the dairy sector and overcome recurring sustainability challenges [4,12]. In this context, the measurement of efficiency can be a useful tool for revealing the key conditions that are essential for a successful and sustainable business model in European dairy farming [19]. But what are the main features of efficient and profitable dairy farms?…”

A Comparative Study on Microbiological and Chemical Characteristics of Small Ruminant Carcasses from Abattoirs in Greece

“…In terms of sheep and goat meat, there is a large variation in demand and quality depending on production systems and methods of rearing throughout the year, with the latter being subjected to climate and topographical differences [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Thus, the characterization of meat quality relies mostly on empirical characteristics that vary among consumers [ 6 , 8 ].…”

Effect of Alpha-lipoic Acid on Productive Parameters and Ruminal VFA Profile in Sheep

“…Trends in the world context indicate that lamb production will remain stable, however, in recent years the small ruminants sector is experiencing economics, structural, technical, market, and financial challenges; the lamb production sector must find solutions to problems like the low technological advances in the lamb productions, poor structures, low profitability compared with other agricultural enterprises, poor management training, and lack of innovation culture [12]. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce biotechnological advances that allow achieving products with excellent quality and that offer greater opportunities to increase their productivity and competitiveness both in the national and international markets [11].…”