Total productivity index of dual-purpose cattle in Colon County, Zulia State-Venezuela.

The objective of this research was to determine an average technical efficiency (ET) index for dual-purpose cattle farms located in Colon County, Zulia State, Venezuela, and to identify the factors explaining the variation in efficiency among farms to address public policies and managerial decision of producers. A Cobb-Douglas stochastic production function was designed to generate the efficiency values for each farm. In a second stage, technical efficiency indexes were related with socioeconomics, technical, and demographics variables through a Logit model. Data from 39 farms showed that the average technical efficiency of this system was around 0.7 and 45 percent of farmers had ET values less than the average. Results from Logit model indicate that animal productivity, farm size, stocking rate, and labor productivity were the variables explaining efficiency changes in this system. Demographic variables such as education, experience, and producer age, as well as, frequency of technical assistance, tenure, and access to credit were not significant. Efficiency of these farms could be considered high and susceptible to improve trough public policies and managerial decision dealing with the main determinants.