The relative profitability and environmental impacts of different sheep systems in a Mediterranean environment
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-9-2007
Journal Title
Agricultural Systems
ISSN
ISSN 0308-521X eISSN 1873-2267
Keywords
Sheep, Wool, Bio-economic model, Farm management, Profit-maximization, Environmental impacts
Disciplines
Agribusiness | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources Management and Policy
Abstract
The implications of agricultural commodity price scenarios upon the profitability and environmental impacts of various sheep systems in a main agricultural region of southern Australia are assessed using a whole-farm bio-economic model. A range of sensitivity analyses reveals that Merino flocks that specialise in crossbred lamb production are in many situations the most profitable flocks. This finding means that the most profitable sheep system emphasises crossbred prime lamb and wool production and represents a shift away from the traditional Merino wool sheep system in the study region. Moreover, farming systems with Merino flocks based on purchase of replacement ewes for crossbred lamb production generate much less adverse environmental outcomes, including less greenhouse gas emissions and reduced groundwater recharge to slow the onset of dryland salinisation.
Recommended Citation
Emma Kopke, John Young, Ross Kingwell, The relative profitability and environmental impacts of different sheep systems in a Mediterranean environment, Agricultural Systems, Volume 96, Issues 1–3, 2008, Pages 85-94, ISSN 0308-521X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2007.06.003.
