The diversity of sheep production systems in Aragón (Spain): characterisation and typification of meat sheep farms

Abstract

The general aim of the present study was to characterise and typify a group of meat sheep farms that form part of the record data network of an Aragonese co-operative using different variables: sociological, structural, technical, income and costs and economic results. The sample was formed by 56 Aragonese farms. In order to avoid inter-annual variations, data used were the mean data of a five-year period running from 2000 to 2004. A factor analysis was used to reveal the interrelations between different variables that characterise farms. The results of this analysis served as the basis for a subsequent segmentation by applying a cluster analysis. After the establishment of groups, a variance analysis was performed to identify statistical differences in a set of additional variables that were considered necessary to gain practical significance in the typology. Four groups of farms were differentiated, mainly based on structural, technical and economic variables. According to the variables that characterise the defined typologies, the different possibilities of evolution of each of them were analysed to adapt to changing contexts in terms of costs, income, labour and agricultural policy measures.Additional key words: economic results, multivariate analysis, productivity.

Characterisation and typification of the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) game farms in Spain

“…The model fitted to typify the red-legged partridge game farms according to their structure and marketing was satisfactory because total inertia explained by MCA solution was higher than in other similar studies using MCA (Castel et al, 2003;Milán et al, 2006;Pardos et al, 2008). Dimension 1 was mainly influenced by the farm diversification strategies related to products and services offered to the market; dimension 2 depends largely on size and age of the farm (Table 3).…”

“…The classification of structures methodology (Borbouze, 1995), widely and successfully used for the typification of other livestock sectors (Castel et al, 2003;Pardos et al, 2008;Ruiz et al, 2008), has been used because enables us to classify the farms on the basis of their situation, structure, and operation (Borbouze, 1995).…”

“…The farms characterisation and its typifying using multivariate analysis techniques have been widely used in livestock research for rural development and planning (Castel et al, 2003;Pardos et al, 2008;Ruiz et al, 2008), and have revealed itself as very useful tools for enhancing knowledge of the production sector and for helping technicians, managers and the Administration to make decisions aimed at a better implementation and management of farm support programs (Pardos et al, 2008). Despite the importance of the red-legged partridge game farms in Spain, until nowadays only few studies deal with the historical genesis of the production sector (González-Redondo, 2004), as well as the analysis of its situation (Flores, 1979;Sánchez García-Abad et al, 2009) and its evolution (González-Redondo, 2005;Sánchez García-Abad et al, 2009) have been carried out using only descriptive methodologies or informative approaches.…”

Changes in the pastoral sheep systems of semi-arid Mediterranean areas: association with common agricultural policy reform and implications for sustainability

“…The large between-farms heterogeneity in surface areas, grasslands, crops and flock size (Table 1) coincides with others found elsewhere in Spain as the Ripollesa sheep system of Catalonia (Milán et al, 2003), meat sheep in Aragón (Pardos et al, 2008) and dairy sheep in Castilla-La Mancha (Rivas et al, 2014). Meat sheep systems are characterized by low stocking rates, scarce inclusion of cattle and low irrigated areas.…”

Creating a typology of tobacco farms according to determinants of diversification in Valle de Lerma (Salta-Argentina)

“…Andersen et al (2007) classified farms with different environmental performance. Quantitative techniques have been applied to build typologies to understand the variety of farming systems (Köbrich et al, 2003;Milán et al, 2006;Nahed et al, 2006;Usai et al, 2006;Pardos et al, 2008;Senthilkumar et al, 2009). This article aims at building a typology to identify typical tobacco farms according to determinants of diversification in the main departments for tobacco production in the Valle de Lerma. The results will provide representative farms which will be used in subsequent research to develop prospective models and evaluate potential diversification alternatives.…”