As part of an initiative aimed at reducing the number of cattle deaths in Northern Ireland, a survey of bovine mortality on a stratified random sample of farms and veterinary practices was carried out during 1992. In the farm survey, over 3500 deaths were reported from 1069 farms, with a further 237 farms reporting no deaths during the year. The estimated numbers of deaths of suckler cows and dairy cows were 5997 and 4246, respectively, giving an estimated annual mortality rate of 2.36 per cent for suckler cows and 1.55 per cent for dairy cows. One third of the suckler cows and 19 per cent of the dairy cows were found dead with no previous signs of illness. In the cows in which clinical signs were observed and which received veterinary attention, hypomagnesaemia (20.3 per cent) was the main cause of death in suckler cows and coliform mastitis (12.3 per cent) was the single most important cause of death in dairy cows. Conditions associated with calving accounted for approximately 30 per cent of the deaths in both types of cow.

A study of bovine mortality involving a stratified random sample of farms and veterinary practices was carried out in Northern Ireland during 1992. In the farm survey over 3500 deaths were reported from 1069 farms and 237 farms reported no deaths. The estimated total number of deaths of cattle up to two years old was 12,332, a figure which excludes an estimated 7921 stillbirths. The estimated annual mortality rates for six- to 24-month-old cattle, one- to five-month-old calves and neonatal calves were 0.79 per cent, 0.82 per cent and 1.02 per cent respectively. The stillbirth rate was 1.86 per cent. Respiratory syndromes were associated with 37 per cent of the deaths of six- to 24-month-old cattle and gastrointestinal syndromes were associated with 22 per cent; in one- to five-month-old calves these syndromes were associated with 37 and 33 per cent of the deaths, respectively. Stillbirths accounted for 62 per cent of all the deaths of calves under one month old, and the neonatal disease complex accounted for 39 per cent of the deaths of calves which were born alive but died within one month of birth.

n this study we show that forest areas contribute sign$icantly to the estimated bent$Ftsfrom outdoor recreation in Northern Ireland. Secondly we Fouide emp;+;ml evidence of the gains in the statistical efficiency of both benefit and parameter estimates obtained by analysing follow-up responses with Double Bounded interval data analysis. As these gains are considerable, it is clearly worth considering this method in CYM survey design men when moderately large sample sires are used. Finally we demonstrate that estimates of means and medians of WTP distributions for access to fmest recreation show plausible magnitude, are consistent With ~e v i o u s UK studies, and converge across parametric and non+arametric methods of estimation.' As over 98% of Visitors at the sites surveyed are estimated to arrive by car or other forms of private transport, values were obtained only for these visitors. I14 W George Hutchison, Riccasdo Scarpa, Susan M. Chilton and 7: McCallion by Poe et af., (1994), this method is more conservative than the classic t-test for testing differences between sample means in that it tends to produce less overlap between distributions. Hence the stated significance of the test is in fact higher than indicated and the null of no difference between welfare estimates tends to be rejected more often than the nominal significance of the test indicates (Poe et al., 1994(Poe et al., , 1995. Figure 4 Single Bound Dichotomous Choice Linear Logistic Models (Mean WTP) C-€9 s.e. 95% C.I. Somerset 0.68 0.11 0.49 0.93 Hillsborough 1.01 0.05 0.89 1.07 NS Crawfordsburn 1.10 0.06 0.99 1.21 J NS Belvoir 1.14 0.08 0.99 1.31 J NS NS Ballypatrick 1.37 0.14 1.15 1.69 J J NS NS Florericrcoiirt 1.37 0.18 1.10 1.80 J J NS NS NS DrumManor 1.40 0.10 1.23 1.62 J J NS NS NS NS Gortin 1.60 0.09 1.43 1.80 J J J NS NS NS NS Gosford 1.61 0.08 1.47 1.78 J J J NS NS NS NS NS CaxJewrllan 1.75 0.08 1.61 1.91 J J J NS NS NS NS KS NS Casdearchdale 1.78 0.08 1.63 1.96 J J J NS NS J NS NS NS NS LoughNavar 1.90 0.13 1.67 2.19 J J J NS NS J NF NS-NS -NS NS Tollymore 2.06 0.10 1.89 2.27 J J J J J J J J NS NS NS NS Glenariff 2.25 0.10 2.08 2.46 J J J J J J J J J J NS NS NS Significance Test.$ For Differences in Truncated Mean (C f9) WTP for Access to Recreation Sites. Using the Non Overlapping Confidence Interval Criterion (Park Loomis and Creel 1991). NS represenu no significant differences between WTP for access to the pair of sites given in the row and column headings. while . ' represents a significant difference in W P . Parametric and Nm-Parametnr Estimates of Willingness to Pay fwFwest Recreation in Northern Ireland 115 figure 5 Double Bounded Dichotomous Choice Linear Logistic Models (Mean WTP) C f9 s.e. 95% C.1. Somerset 0.60 0.07 0.46 0.74 Belvoir 0.75 0.05 0.66 0.85 NS Hillsborough 0.75 0.05 0.66 0.85 J J Crawfordsburn 0.98 0.05 0.89 1.07 J J NS Ballpatrick 1.18 0.09 0.99 1.34 J J NS NS L k g h Navar 1.20 0.07 1.06 1.33 J J NS NS NS Rorencecourt 1.24 0.10 1.04 1.45 J J NS NS NS NS DrumManor 1.29 0.06 1.18 1.41 J J J J NS NS NS Cosford ...

The development of rural business-support policy depends on the proper identification of those factors that have a differential impact on the success of rural as opposed to urban businesses. A number of studies have pointed to differences between urban and rural businesses in the business constraints and opportunities they face, and how they respond to them. This issue is investigated by use of a multivariate econometric model to analyse data generated by a survey of almost 800 businesses in all areas of Northern Ireland. The locations of the businesses in the study were mapped carefully according to an urban, accessible-rural, and remote-rural spatial typology. There is particular interest in the shape and form that rural business support policy might take in order to assist businesses in rural areas where there will be a reduction in traditional EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) assistance as well as a phased withdrawal of Objective 1 Structural Fund support. This is currently the case in Northern Ireland. The research should be seen as a pilot study designed to demonstrate how further work might be undertaken in an area where the search for appropriate interventions is likely to be a continuing theme in policy debate. Further research might usefully be directed towards examining the factors that are responsible for causing some of the differences observed. The research suggests that the business areas that will have the greatest impact on rural business competitiveness, relative to their more urban counterparts, are training, business-service provision, transport and communication infrastructure, costs of production, and the environment. This complex set of factors cuts across traditional departmental and national boundaries and highlights the importance of ensuring customised rural business support responses and the effective ‘rural proofing’ of strategically important public policies in general.

This is the third survey of control practices for ectoparasites on sheep farms in Northern Ireland, providing data comparative to those recorded in previous surveys in 1981 and 1988. Data relating to all aspects of ectoparasite control were collected from 210 farms representing 4% of the total sheep population. Quantitative data have been adjusted to provide accurate estimates of total pesticide usage.Since the previous survey in 1988, the number of sheep farms in Northern Ireland has increased by 10% to 11 692 with a consequent 39% increase in sheep population to 2.9 million. Despite this level of expansion, the total quantity of organophosphorus compounds used for ectoparasite control has remained approximately constant at 7±8 tonnes. The report considers that compulsory sheep-dipping, prescribed since 1970 and revoked in 1993, impacted signi®cantly on subsequent ectoparasite control practices and consequent pesticide usage. During 1997, approximately 20% of sheep farmers relied on alternative methods to control ectoparasites, including injectable formulations of avermectins and pour-on formulations of insect growth regulators and pyrethroids. Dipping formulations containing pyrethroid compounds, which accounted for`1% of treatments in 1988, increased to 9% in 1997. Previously, regulatory sheep-dipping periods were speci®ed during the autumn months, which tended to increase dipping frequency. The majority of farmers dipping sheep during the summer strictly for blow¯y maggot (Diptera: Calliphoridae) control were required to perform additional compulsory sheep-dipping during the autumn. Withdrawal of compulsory sheep-dipping has allowed farmers to synchronise dipping practices to control the major ectoparasites of sheep at a single dipping occasion. An estimated 7.5 Â 10 6 litres of surplus dipwash required disposal and there were approximately equal numbers of farmers disposing dipwash immediately after sheep-dipping or on occasions up to and including subsequent dipping. The decline in the number of farmers who allowed dipwash to runoff into soakaways or surrounding soil observed in 1988 continued in 1997. The majority of farmers used tractor-operated pumps to dispose of dipwash into slurry tanks for subsequent disposal onto permanent pasture.