Determination of the effective factors on sheep-feedlot units' efficiency in Kurdistan province.

In order to investigate management of industrial and semi industrial sheep-feedlot units, and estimation of their production function (PF) and efficiency (E), 34 active and 84 non active units were studied by completing questionnaires and 18 active units by direct control from 2002 to 2005. In each unit dietary and body weight changes of selected lambs and chemical compositions of feedstuff were measured. After data setting, descriptive parameters of quantitative and qualitative traits were computed. To compare means, non parametric tests (Chi-square and Kolmogorov_ Smirnov tests) and parametric tests (paired_samples and independent_ samples T tests) were used. Production function was estimated by using Cobb_Douglas model and efficiency was calculated by using deterministic production frontier and COLS method. Direct control of active units showed that fattening period (day),initial body weight (kg),final body weight (kg), daily weight gain (gr), feed conversion ratio and non_discounted benefit_cost ratio averages were 67±22/3, 37/5±5/2, 45/77±4/9,127/94±25/5,12/8±2/1and1/038±0/07respectively.Evaluationof lambs feeding showed that consumed and required dry matter and metabolizable energy unlike crude protein had significant difference. Consumed dry matter and metabolizable energy were significantly(p 0.01) less than what was required. In this survey meat production was affected by herd size, feeding and labor inputs. Herd size and feeding inputs were used about pleasure boundary contrary to labor that was used more than pleasure boundary. Constant returns to scale was observed in feedlot units. Technical, allocate and economic efficiency of them were %85, %49 and %47 respectively. The problems of active unit owners_ in order of priority were: in adequacy of cash (%45/3), unit deficiency (%14/1), feedstuff inflation (%10/9), disproportionate of cast with income (%7.8), inadequacy of security, hygienic problems of housing, fluctuation of prices, lamb and feedstuff providing. The results showed that only %21.6 of initiated sheep fattening capacity in industrial and semi industrial units has been used because of owner_s inadequacy of cash, inadequacy of governmental support policies and non existence of economical profit.