A regional model of sheep lice management practices to examine the impact of managing straying sheep combined with other management choices

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 726
Author(s):  
Peri G. Lucas ◽  
Brian J. Horton ◽  
David Parsons ◽  
Anna L. Carew
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Eradication Rate ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Intervention Level ◽  
Effective Option ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Effective Part ◽  
The Impact

A model of lice management systems was used to investigate the potential benefits of improved fencing against straying sheep, used in conjunction with other management options for lice control. The impact of combined strategies was simulated over a 20-year period. Management options included in the model were: lice eradication rate, lice detection, intervention level, improved fencing to reduce straying sheep, and biosecurity of purchased sheep. The modelling found it was cost-effective to improve fences for an initial average cost of $20 000/property if the number of properties from which strays could enter was reduced by ≥40%, but for average Australian properties this represents less than 20% of the boundary replaced. In order for fencing to be a cost-effective part of lice management, the fencing must target sections of boundary fence that will provide the greatest protection from contact with neighbouring flocks. The model showed that improved biosecurity against straying sheep combined well with improved eradication rates. However, biosecurity for purchased sheep may be the most cost-effective option.

A regional model of sheep lice management practices for predicting the impact of treatment for lice when no lice are detected

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Horton ◽  
Andrew Bailey ◽  
Anna L. Carew
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Previous Treatment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Regional Model ◽  
Treatment Costs ◽  
Risk Level ◽  
Sheep Industry ◽  
Intervention Level ◽  
The Impact

A model of sheep lice management incorporating different assumed levels of lice prevalence in different regions of Australia was used to determine the conditions under which it would be cost-effective to treat sheep for lice at shearing when no lice had been detected. The probability that a flock might be infested was calculated from the probability that the previous treatment had failed to eradicate lice, purchased sheep may have introduced lice, or lice may have entered on straying sheep. The model showed that a flock should be treated if the probability of infestation is greater than 10%. It was projected that acceptance of a risk level greater than 10% would reduce treatment of flocks where no lice were present, thus reducing treatment costs. This higher risk level, however, would increase the proportion of louse-infested flocks that remained untreated, resulting in increased direct lice costs and an increase in the regional prevalence of lice, but little overall change in costs to the sheep industry. The model indicated that treatment of sheep at lower levels of risk (less than 10%) would incur unnecessary costs due to treatment of flocks where no lice were present and would not reduce the regional prevalence of lice more effectively than a 10% intervention level. The model suggested that more accurate methods of detecting lice at shearing would allow higher levels of risk, reduce the use of treatment and hence reduce overall costs associated with managing lice, without increasing the prevalence of lice.

A regional model of sheep lice to study the effect on lice prevalence and costs for Australian farms using a range of treatment efficacy in combination with other lice control strategies

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 1931
Author(s):  
Peri G. Lucas ◽  
Brian J. Horton ◽  
David Parsons ◽  
Anna L. Carew
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Financial Return ◽  
Intervention Level ◽  
Sheep Production

Using a previously developed predictive model, three different management practices were examined in combination with post-shearing chemical treatments for lice, to determine which combinations could provide cost-effective reductions in lice prevalence over a 20-year period. The model included nine sheep production regions across Australia, all of which have different regional flock prevalence of lice and mean numbers of sheep/property. The lice prevalence model simulated the effects of four management options on Australian lice prevalence and on financial return (expressed as net present value) over a 20-year period. Management options modelled in this study were: treatment for eradication, inspection for lice detection, intervention level, and biosecurity of purchased sheep. The costs and benefits of these management options were calculated on the basis of published data or standard industry costs. Combinations of eradication achieved through treatment and biosecurity of purchased sheep provided the greatest modelled reductions in Australian flock lice prevalence at the lowest cost. With current management practices, lice prevalence was estimated as 16.3% of Australian properties infested and lice costs were estimated at 902 cents per sheep over 20 years. The model estimated that with appropriate management, lice prevalence could be reduced to less than 1.5% of properties infested and costs could be halved to 435 cents per sheep over 20 years. With further development, the modelling described herein offers potential guidance for Australian sheep producers in selecting the most effective and cost-efficient combination of management strategies to reduce lice infestation.

Ontologies in Expertise Finding Systems

2013 ◽  
pp. 158-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Fazel-Zarandi ◽  
Mark S. Fox ◽  
Eric Yu
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Requirements Engineering ◽  
Modeling Technique ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Knowledge Management Systems ◽  
Organizational Settings ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Right ◽  
Expertise Finding ◽  
The Impact

Knowledge Management Systems that enhance and facilitate the process of finding the right expert in an organization have gained much attention in recent years. This chapter explores the potential benefits and challenges of using ontologies for improving existing systems. A modeling technique from requirements engineering is used to evaluate the proposed system and analyze the impact it would have on the goals of the stakeholders. Based on the analysis, an ontology-based expertise finding system is proposed. This chapter also discusses the organizational settings required for the successful deployment of the system in practice.

scholarly journals Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercedes Fernández-Fernández ◽  
Pedro Naves ◽  
Dmitry L. Musolin ◽  
Andrey V. Selikhovkin ◽  
Michelle Cleary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Pitch Canker ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Pine Trees ◽  
Insect Populations ◽  
The Impact

Pine pitch canker (PPC), caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg and O’ Donnell), is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The recent introduction of the pathogen to Southern Europe and its spread in Mediterranean region is alarming considering the immense ecological and economic importance of pines in the region. Pines in forests and nurseries can be infected, resulting in severe growth losses and mortality. The pathogen is known to spread in plants for planting and in seeds, and results from recent studies have indicated that F. circinatum may also spread through phoretic associations with certain insects. With this review, we aim to expand the current understanding of the risk of insect-mediated spread of PPC in different parts of Europe. Through the joint action of a multinational researcher team, we collate the existing information about the insect species spectrum in different biogeographic conditions and scrutinize the potential of these insects to transmit F. circinatum spores in forests and nurseries. We also discuss the impact of environmental factors and forest management in this context. We present evidence for the existence of a high diversity of insects with potential to weaken pines and disseminate PPC in Europe, including several common beetle species. In many parts of Europe, temperatures are projected to rise, which may promote the activity of several insect species, supporting multivoltinism and thus, further amplifying the risk of insect-mediated dissemination of PPC. Integrated pest management (IPM) solutions that comply with forest management practices need to be developed to reduce this risk. We recommend careful monitoring of insect populations as the basis for successful IPM. Improved understanding of environmental control of the interaction between insects, the pathogen, and host trees is needed in order to support development of bio-rational strategies to safeguard European pine trees and forests against F. circinatum in future.

scholarly journals Lean Management Practices’ Effects on Brazilian Firms: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 84-108
Author(s):  
Filipe Lage de Sousa ◽  
Mauricio Canêdo-Pinheiro ◽  
Bernardo Pereira Cabral ◽  
Glaucia Estefânia de Sousa Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Lean Management ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Innovation Outcomes

One of the key drivers for a firm's productivity growth is management. One lean management practice considered cost-effective is Kaizen. Originally from Japan, the Kaizen basic concept is continuous improvement with the involvement of the full workforce. Using a firm-level dataset from Brazil's innovation and manufacturing surveys, this paper evaluates quantitatively whether Kaizen has impacted the performance of domestic firms. Our initial results suggest a productivity premium on Kaizen adopters, yet when it materializes is not detectable in the short term. Moreover, the impact on innovation is observable after Kaizen implementation. Understanding these outcomes with a qualitative approach, our analysis highlights the importance of Kaizen on innovation, especially by improving worker's time at the production line as well as the long-term vision of Kaizen on productivity. In summary, Kaizen is not a magic wand that improves firms’ performance in a wide array of indicators yet it may boost innovation outcomes in the short term aiming to improve productivity in the long term if it is implemented carefully and persistently, as established by its basic principles.

Adoption of environmental management tools: the dynamic capabilities contributions

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moez Essid ◽  
Nicolas Berland
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Organizational Capabilities ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Societal Pressure ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze the organizational capabilities involved in the adoption of environmental management tools in eight large French firms. The analysis also examines the antecedents that contributed to the emergence of those capabilities and the consequences of their involvement in terms of environmental management.Design/methodology/approachTo analyze the organizational capabilities deployed when environmental management tools are adopted, this paper takes an exploratory approach based on a qualitative study of eight large French firms.FindingsThe findings show how organizational capabilities, dynamic and ordinary, are operationalized in the adoption of environmental management tools. This operationalization is made possible by internal and external antecedents and simple and complex routines. The findings also identify two possible configurations of organizational capabilities, each one leading to a specific form of environmental management. The first configuration leads to stand-alone environmental management systems, while the second succeeds in engendering integrated management systems. This study shows that this difference is explained by heterogeneous endowments in terms of antecedents across firms.Practical implicationsThe study provides useful information for managers about the conditions that favor and facilitate adoption of environmental management tools and the ways these conditions operate.Social implicationsThe study illustrates the impact of society on large firms’ adoption of certain environmental management practices. It shows that external visibility – which has created strong societal pressure – is one of the external antecedents that led eight large French firms to develop specific organizational capabilities.Originality/valueIn analyzing the antecedents, routines and capabilities involved in the adoption of environmental management tools, the study adds some original, innovative contributions to current knowledge on the conditions for adoption of such tools.

Multivariate classification of farming systems for use in integrated pest management studies

1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 647-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Y. Leeson ◽  
J. W. Sheard ◽  
A. G. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Minimum Variance ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Organic Systems ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

On-farm studies provide a realistic setting to examine the impact of interactions of management practices on weed communities within various farming systems. Clustering farm units into groups that use similar management practices enables the replication of farm management systems within on-farm studies. The goal of this study is to objectively classify farm units into management systems on the basis of quantitative variables describing aspects of cropping history and chemical input levels using multivariate techniques. Twenty-eight Saskatchewan farmers provided details of their management practices from 1990 to 1997 through a series of questionnaires. Twelve variables derived from the questionnaires were used to describe cropping history, pesticide, tillage and fertilizer use on each farm unit. These variables were used to cluster farm units using minimum variance classification and NMS ordination. Both techniques identified seven farm management systems. The greatest differences were observed between organic and non-organic systems. Farm management systems that used annual fallow and continuous annual cropping histories were most similar. The consistent results obtained by use of the two unrelated methodologies indicate the utility of this approach for the classification of farm management systems. Key words: Farm management system, classification, cropping history, chemical input level, on-farm

scholarly journals Impact of Energy Monitoring and Management Systems on the Implementation and Planning of Energy Performance Improved Actions: An Empirical Analysis Based on Energy Audits in Italy

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4723
Author(s):  
Carlos Herce ◽  
Enrico Biele ◽  
Chiara Martini ◽  
Marcello Salvio ◽  
Claudia Toro
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Energy Monitoring ◽  
Energy Audits ◽  
The Impact

The implementation of monitoring tools and energy management systems (EnMSs) supports companies in their long-term energy efficiency strategies, and they are essential to analyse the effectiveness of energy performance improvement actions (EPIAs). The first fundamental step towards increasing energy efficiency is the development of energy audits (EAs). EAs provide comprehensive information about the energy usage in a specific facility, identifying and quantifying cost-effective EPIAs. The crucial role of these tools in clean energy transition is remarked by the European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), which promotes the implementation of EAs and EnMS programmes. The purpose of this work is to better understand the link between EnMSs (specifically ISO 50001) and EAs in the EED Article 8 implementation in two industrial and two tertiary sectors in Italy. Moreover, the impact of company size, energy monitoring systems, and EnMSs on planned and/or implemented EPIAs is analysed. Our findings show that, albeit the complexity of the variables involved in energy efficiency gap, the “energy savings/company” and “EPIA/site” ratios are higher in enterprises with an EnMS and monitoring system. Thus, a correct energy audit must always be accompanied by a specific monitoring plan if it is to be effective and useful to the company decision maker.

scholarly journals Soil Physical Quality in Sugarcane Field Under Cover Crop and Different Soil Tillage Systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 489
Author(s):  
C. V. V. Farhate ◽  
Z. M. Souza ◽  
W. S. Guimarães Jr ◽  
A. C. M. Sousa ◽  
M. C. C. Campos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crop ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Tillage Systems ◽  
Physical Quality ◽  
Minimum Tillage ◽  
Soil Physical Quality ◽  
Incremental Rate ◽  
The Impact

Currently, the management practices employed in Brazilian sugarcane plantations have contribute to soil physical degradation and, few studies considering the effect of cover crop associated with conservationist soil tillage systems to control or even reverse this process. Therefore, with the aim to assess the impact of cover crop and tillage systems on the least limiting water range (LLWR) and the S index in two soils of different textures used for sugarcane production, a fieldwork was carried out in two sugarcane plantations in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design is a split-plot with four repetitions. The main factor consisted of soil cover vegetation: cover crop and fallow, and the second factor, the tillage system: minimum tillage and conventional tillage. The data of this study demonstrated that clayey and medium-textured soil are sensitive to the management systems used. The use of cover crop promoted an increase of LLWR (average incremental rate of 105% for clayey and 100% for medium-textured soil) and S index (average incremental rate of 16% for clayey and 10% for medium-textured soil). The maintenance of soil under fallow represented restrictive conditions for the growth/development of the plants due to the degradation of the soil structure. In addition, conservation management systems, such as minimum tillage, resulted in better soil physical quality when associated with cover crop. Finally, the clayey and medium-textured soil, show good S index during the first cycle of sugarcane cultivation.

scholarly journals Modelling Support Mechanism Impact on Electric Vehicle Registration in Latvia

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-139
Author(s):  
Gustavs Gudzuks ◽  
Sarma Cakula
Keyword(s):  
Electric Vehicle ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Charging Infrastructure ◽  
Support Mechanism ◽  
Theoretical Literature ◽  
Effective Option ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Globalization has led to an increased anthropological impact on the climate, and transport is one of the most greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive sectors that is facilitating it. Transport generated around 14 percent of global GHG emissions in 2010. Transport decarbonization is vital for limiting climate change, and electric vehicle (EV) is one of the solutions. EV prevalence in Latvia after Climate Financial Instrument (CCFI) funding has steadily increased and the average yearly EV growth has remained at 0.09 percent among newly registered light-duty passenger vehicles. The aim of this research is to model the impact of different direct and indirect support mechanisms on EV growth in Latvia taking into account the costs of the given support mechanisms. Accordingly, theoretical literature and research on vehicle decarbonization, EV support mechanisms, and barriers were analyzed. In order to obtain the data related to individual attitude towards EVs and their support policies a survey of different age groups was conducted. Based on the theoretical literature, a model was devised using STELLA software. The model was verified and validated. The results of the model indicate that until 2030 direct subsidies of at least 45 percent will have the largest impact on EV registration, while decreasing VAT by at least 9 percent is the most cost-effective option. The results regarding indirect support mechanisms show that free charging and development of charging infrastructure, as well as improvements to EV related technologies would increase EV registration. However, to ensure sustainable support to EVs it is advisable to combine direct incentives with indirect support mechanisms. Combining different policies lowers incentive costs and increases their efficiency.

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