The QPLU$ Merino breeding project began in the early 1990s. The aim of the project was to demonstrate the efficiency of using a selection index to achieve breeding objectives. A number of selection lines were created from three strains of Merino sheep. During the ten-year course of the project,...

Mounter et al. (2007) developed an equilibrium displacement model (EDM) of the Australian sheepmeat and wool industries. In this paper the EDM is used to estimate the potential annual returns and their distribution among the various industry sectors for nine hypothetical investment scenarios....

Existing econometric models for Australian broadacre agricultural production are few and have become dated. This paper estimates a multi-product restricted cost function using a unique quasi-micro farm level dataset from the Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey. Both the...

In this paper, the dual approach to ex ante research evaluation in a multiple-input, multiple-output industry is explained and demonstrated. A simplified, illustrative model is developed based on a number of fundamental characteristics of the Australian wool industry and output-augmenting...

Given the increasing concentration in numerous markets recent interest in market structure and performance has grown dramatically. The empirical research revolves around theories of industrial organization and non-cooperative game theory. Research in this area uses participant strategic action...

Effective socio-economic service delivery is vital for alleviating poverty in developing countries. Increased financial support without complementary investment in service delivery mechanisms often results in little or no impact. This paper contributes to the discussion on how to maximize the...

Governments are under increasing pressure to deliver results. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and relevance of the public service in implementing policies and programmes for social betterment. Without such evaluations, it is difficult to ensure that evidence...

The occurrence of low night temperatures during reproductive development is one of the factors most limiting rice yields in southern Australia. Yield losses due to cold temperature are the result of incomplete pollen formation and subsequent floret sterility. Researchers have found that in 75%...

Nitrogen is a crucial input for the efficient production of rice and is generally applied in two split treatments, before flooding the rice paddocks at sowing time and within a week after the beginning of the panicle initiation stage. There is no pre-sowing test to estimate nitrogen requirements...

It is pointed out that the Chebychev confidence intervals and maximum p-values advocated by Davis and Espinoza for sensitivity analysis of equilibrium displacement models are unnecessary. Desired probability intervals and probabilities can be accurately estimated without resorting to gross...