The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations

This study investigates the financial cost of increasing the diversity of cereal grains in livestock feed rations. We first develop a nonlinear mathematical programming model that determines the least-cost composition of livestock feed rations of one metric ton that have at least the same energy and...

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Autores principales: Komarek, Adam M., Robinson, Sherman, Mason-D’Croz, Daniel
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141191
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author Komarek, Adam M.
Robinson, Sherman
Mason-D’Croz, Daniel
author_browse Komarek, Adam M.
Mason-D’Croz, Daniel
Robinson, Sherman
author_facet Komarek, Adam M.
Robinson, Sherman
Mason-D’Croz, Daniel
author_sort Komarek, Adam M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This study investigates the financial cost of increasing the diversity of cereal grains in livestock feed rations. We first develop a nonlinear mathematical programming model that determines the least-cost composition of livestock feed rations of one metric ton that have at least the same energy and nutrient content as a reference feed ration. We then add into the model a diversity constraint using the Simpson Index of diversity to examine how changes in the diversity of the commodities in the ration affect the cost of the ration while maintaining the ration’s energy and nutrient content at a reference ration value. We apply the model to cereal grain feed rations for livestock in 153 countries, using reference rations that depict the historical composition of cereal grain feed rations offered to livestock in each country. Results suggest that a one percent change in ration diversity changed the ration cost (i.e., the cost-diversity elasticity) from −0.67% to 1.41% (average = −0.02%) across all countries. Our results suggest that changes in ration diversity can come at a financial cost, but this financial cost appears negligible in many countries. This negligible cost could provide the feed sector more encouragement to diversify its feed supply and potentially become more resilient to price and production shocks.
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spelling CGSpace1411912025-10-26T13:01:45Z The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations Komarek, Adam M. Robinson, Sherman Mason-D’Croz, Daniel costs production commodities cereals diversity livestock feed livestock grain prices This study investigates the financial cost of increasing the diversity of cereal grains in livestock feed rations. We first develop a nonlinear mathematical programming model that determines the least-cost composition of livestock feed rations of one metric ton that have at least the same energy and nutrient content as a reference feed ration. We then add into the model a diversity constraint using the Simpson Index of diversity to examine how changes in the diversity of the commodities in the ration affect the cost of the ration while maintaining the ration’s energy and nutrient content at a reference ration value. We apply the model to cereal grain feed rations for livestock in 153 countries, using reference rations that depict the historical composition of cereal grain feed rations offered to livestock in each country. Results suggest that a one percent change in ration diversity changed the ration cost (i.e., the cost-diversity elasticity) from −0.67% to 1.41% (average = −0.02%) across all countries. Our results suggest that changes in ration diversity can come at a financial cost, but this financial cost appears negligible in many countries. This negligible cost could provide the feed sector more encouragement to diversify its feed supply and potentially become more resilient to price and production shocks. 2022-11-17 2024-04-12T13:37:26Z 2024-04-12T13:37:26Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141191 en Open Access Komarek, Adam M.; Robinson, Sherman; and Mason-D’Croz, Daniel. 2022. The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations. PLoS ONE 17(11): e0277817. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277817
spellingShingle costs
production
commodities
cereals
diversity
livestock feed
livestock
grain
prices
Komarek, Adam M.
Robinson, Sherman
Mason-D’Croz, Daniel
The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations
title The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations
title_full The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations
title_fullStr The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations
title_full_unstemmed The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations
title_short The cost of diversity in livestock feed rations
title_sort cost of diversity in livestock feed rations
topic costs
production
commodities
cereals
diversity
livestock feed
livestock
grain
prices
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141191
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