Energy consumption optimization of broiler farms in Alborz province using data envelopment analysis approach

The aim of this study was to examine the energy inputs and outputs for the broiler production farms in Alborz province, Iran. A non-parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique was used to determine the energy efficiency of broiler production farms. Data used in this study were obtained randomly from 30 poultry production farms using a face to face questionnaire method during October-December 2013. The results indicated that total input energy was 189805.48 MJ/(1000 bird), while the output energy was 28151.17 MJ/(1000 bird). Net energy is negative, -161654.31 MJ/(1000 bird), indicating that in the broiler production, energy is being lost. Also, the energy use efficiency (energy ratio) was calculated as 0.15, showing the inefficiency use of energy in the broiler production. The fuel energy (energy content of the fuel) by 58.35% had the highest value of input energy and the feed energy by 29.71% was next. Two basic input-oriented DEA models, namely, CCR and BCC, were adopted to optimize the energy inputs in this study. The average values of technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency of broiler farms were computed as 0.90, 0.93 and 0.96, respectively. The analysis of DEA results showed that the farmers could save up to 62% in fuel consumption and 22% in electricity without any reduction in output by adopting the recommendations based on the present study.

Keywords:

Broiler , Energy efficiency , Energy consumption , Data envelopment analysis , Optimization , Energy Savings