Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, 1992.

Thesis (M.C.M.)--Lincoln University, 2009. / Also available via the World Wide Web.

Fifty-nine mature "Western" (Suffolk x Rambouillet) and 71 mature ¼ - Finn (Suffolk x Finn-Rambouillet) ewes were bred to Suffolk-Hampshire rams to lamb in either spring (March) or fall (September). Effects of ewe breed type and lambing season on ewe fertility (ewes lambing/ewes exposed), prolificacy (lambs born/ewe lambing) and lambing date, and on lamb birth weight, 30-d survival, and average daily gain (ADG) to 55 d and to weaning were evaluated. Fertility was higher in spring than in fall (94 vs 64%, P<.01). Use of %-Finn ewes tended to increase fertility in fall lambing (69 vs 59%, P<.25) but not in spring (94 vs 93%). Use of ¼ -Finn increased prolificacy by .36 lambs; fall lambing reduced prolificacy by .49 lambs. Lambs of Western ewes were born 5 d later (P<.01) and .6 Ib heavier (P<.001) than lambs of ¼ -Finn ewes. Lamb survival and ADG to 55 d and to weaning were not affected by ewe breed. Season affected ADG: fallborn lambs grew faster to 55 d (P< .05) and to weaning (P< .001) than spring-born lambs, attributable to differences in environmental factors. Effect of weaning on growth of spring-born lambs grazing summer pasture was analyzed. Spring lambs weaned at 90 d of age to graze independently grew more slowly and were older at market weight than lambs remaining with their dams on native perennial pastures (.24 vs .42 lb/d, P<.001; 201 vs 186 d of age, P<.001). Use of millet (Pennisetum americanum [L.] Leeke) as annual mid-summer forage and turnip (Brassica rapa L.) as annual late-fall forage were investigated. Dry ewes grazing millet lost weight in one yr, but averaged .23 Ib/d gain in a second yr; weaned lambs grazing pearl millet averaged .32 lb/d gain over 2 yr. Lactating and dry ewes grazing turnip had average weight changes of -.37 and +.11 lb/d, respectively. Budgets for production systems were constructed. Variable revenues and expenses for all combinations of ewe breed type, lambing season, weaning treatment, and annual forage use were integrated into an annual production system. The most profitable production systems were those that exhibited the greatest reproductive efficiency, required the least drylot time to finish lambs, and maximized use of perennial pastures. / Master of Science

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Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T18:33:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Manoel Joao Ramos.pdf: 888607 bytes, checksum: 93bba9f4d2e59d834e2848d72881c978 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-21 / This study presents an analysis of how institutional, organizational, technological and competitive environments, as well as strategies and performance of companies may influence the agribusiness system of lamb meat on western Paraná. To do that, the Prospective Structural Analysis was applied; it is a method under the matrix form of analysis of relations between the variables that constitute the studied system and those that belong to its explanatory context. This method aims to emerge the main essential variables to the evolution of the system. The theoretical concepts of New Institutional Economics were applied in combination with the Model of Systemic Relations, important analysis tools from the point of view of the importance of institutions and their influence in the transaction costs and alternative ways of organizing production. The practical application of the study occurs in three successive stages comprising the survey of variables that possibly affect the system, the identification of relationships between these variables and finally the selection of the relevant variables. The results derived from the analysis suggest that lamb meat industry rests under an environment of instability, having the illegal slaughter as variable of greatest influence and at the same time highly dependent which presents itself as an unstable variable and any action on it may cause significant impacts on the entire system. Although rated in the group of moderate influence, variables legislation and taxation / evasion were positioned in the quadrant of the input variables, indicating that they are, at the same time, very influential and little dependent, and should be targeted for priority actions. In this sense, the institutional environment should begin the process of improving the system of lamb meat because of the lack of specific legislations, the incidence of high taxes followed by tax evasion, has great influence on the lamb agro industrial system, undermining the competitiveness of the sector. Finally, it is observed that there are great challenges and opportunities for articulation of lamb meat agro industrial system in the Western Parana in order to promote better coordination between the agents involved in the system and the final consumer. / Este estudo apresenta uma análise de como os ambientes institucional, organizacional, tecnológico e competitivo, assim como as estratégias e o desempenho das empresas podem influenciar no sistema agroindustrial da carne ovina na região Oeste do Paraná. Para isso, aplicou-se a Análise Estrutural Prospectiva, um método sob a forma matricial de análise das relações entre as variáveis constitutivas do sistema estudado e aquelas que pertencem ao seu contexto explicativo, que tem por objetivo fazer emergir as principais variáveis essenciais à evolução do sistema estudado. Também foram aplicados os conceitos da Nova Economia Institucional aliado ao Modelo de Relações Sistêmicas, importantes instrumentos de análise sob o ponto de vista da importância das instituições e sua influência nos custos das transações e nos modos alternativos de organização da produção. A aplicação prática do estudo ocorre em três fases sucessivas compostas pelo levantamento das variáveis que possivelmente interferem no sistema, a identificação das relações existentes entre elas e, por fim, a seleção das variáveis relevantes. Os resultados derivados dessa análise sugerem que a ovinocultura de corte repousa sob um ambiente de grande instabilidade, tendo como variável de maior influência e, ao mesmo tempo, altamente dependente, o abate clandestino, uma variável instável em que qualquer ação sobre ela pode causar impactos significativos em todo o sistema. Embora classificadas no grupo de influência moderada, as variáveis legislação e tributação/sonegação posicionam-se no quadrante das variáveis de entrada, indicando ser, ao mesmo tempo, muito influentes e pouco dependentes, devendo ser alvo de ações prioritárias. Neste sentido, é no ambiente institucional que se deve iniciar o processo de melhorias, pois a falta de legislações específicas, a incidência de carga tributária elevada acompanhada pela sonegação de impostos, exerce grande influência no sistema agroindustrial da carne ovina, prejudicando a competitividade do setor. Por fim, observa-se a existência de grandes desafios e de oportunidades para a articulação do Sistema Agroindustrial da carne ovina na região Oeste do Paraná, no intuito de promover a coordenação entre todos os agentes e o consumidor final.