page 000. Data from 273 Wisconsin dairy farms were used to examine the extent to which 2 technical efficiency is related to practices commonly used by dairy farmers and the effect of 3 intensification on the performance of the farms. The empirical analysis showed that at a 4 commercial level the administration of bovine somatotropin hormone to lactating cows increases 5 milk production. In addition, farm efficiency is positively related to farm intensification, the 6 level of contribution of family labor in the farm activities, the use of a total mixed ration feeding 7 system and the milking frequency. The US dairy sector is facing structural changes including a geographical shift in dairy 25 production and a tendency towards the implementation of more intensive production systems. 26These changes might significantly affect farm efficiency, profitability and the long-term 27 economic sustainability of the dairy sector, especially in more traditional dairy production areas. 28Consequently, the goal of this study was to examine the impact of practices commonly used by 29 dairy farmers and the effect of intensification on the performance of the farms. We used a sample activities, the use of a total mixed ration (TMR) feeding system and the milking frequency.

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During recent decades the dairy sector has shown a global tendency towards intensification. This structural change may have significant effects on farm efficiency. The goal of this study is to offer an empirical analysis of the effect of intensification on dairy farming. To do this, we first classify our sample of dairy farms according to their level of intensification using a cluster analysis. We then estimate independent stochastic cost frontiers for each group of farms and calculate their levels of efficiency. The methodology used in this article allows for the presence of different technologies within the sample, a methodological issue frequently avoided in the empirical literature. The empirical results show that intensive farms are closer to their cost frontier than the extensive ones, suggesting a positive relation between intensification and efficiency.

Football fields of artificial turf are in constant evolution. The resulting improvements have given rise to a large diversity of structural components. There are various types of infill and fibre for artificial turf and different designs and materials for the support structure (sub-base and elastic layer). The design of the sub-base and the presence or absence of the elastic layer can influence turf performance and the surface’s useful lifetime. The aim of this study was to assess in situ the effect of the various support structures on the mechanical properties of artificial turf after deterioration caused by wear for a year. The assessed properties were force reduction (%), standard vertical deformation (mm), rotational traction (N·m), vertical ball rebound (%), and ball roll (m), according to the requirements in norm EN 15330-1:2007. The results demonstrate the effect of the structural base on the mechanical and functional performance of football fields of artificial turf, as well as the significant deterioration of the properties over a year which varied between 3.14% and 8.92% with regard to the installed system. These results show that the support structure that provides the greatest durability and adequate behaviour of the mechanical properties over time is that which has a sub-base of compacted gravel under an elastic layer.

A growing literature examines adverse behavior as unintended consequences of incentives. We test Lazear's hypothesis that states that if rewards were dependent solely on relative performance then an increase in rewards would induce agents to engage in sabotage activity to reduce rivals' output. We test this hypothesis using the natural experiment of a rule change in Spanish football, the increase in points for winning a league match from two to three. We find, consistent with Lazear's hypothesis, that teams in a winning position were more likely to commit offences punishable by dismissal of a player after this change.