Technical efficiency of sheep farming in the West Mediterranean Region (TR61) of Turkey

The West Mediterranean Region is suitable for small ruminant breeding in terms of its natural resources, and it constitutes employment for small family farms. The material of the research was the primary data obtained by the survey method from sheep farmers. Also, we used data obtained from TURKSTAT and Breeding Sheep Goat Breeders' Association about the West Mediterranean Region. We applied the stratified sampling method to the population of the research region and calculated the sample volume as 102 farmers for sheep farms. We used Stochastic Frontier Analysis to measure the efficiency of enterprises. Average technical efficiency of sheep farms was determined to be 0.77 in the region. We determined that there was a positive and significant relationship between meat production and concentrated feed cost, operating capital, veterinary costs and marketing costs. In the technical inefficiency model, the feeding system and additional feeding variables were found to be positive and significant. However, the frequency of meeting with technical staff and the farms' activity field variables were determined to be meaningful and negative. It was observed that the sheep farms which were examined in the research area could increase their enterprises' efficiency by making better use of their existing resources.