Characterization and Typification of Sheep Farms Oriented Towards Meat Production in Aragon (Spain)

The general aim of the present study is to characterize a group of meat sheep farms that form part of the management network of an Aragonese co-operative using a series of different variables: sociological, structural, technical, income and costs and economic results. The Factor Analysis has proved to be extremely useful in revealing the interrelations between different variables that characterize farms. Moreover has served as the basis for a subsequent segmentation by applying a Cluster Analysis. Having defined the groups, a Variance Analysis was performed to see if they were also statistically different in a set of additional variables that was necessary to obtain a practical significance. Economic results are not linked to certain feed costs but rather it would appear that productivity is the variable that is most closely related to results. In order to achieve high economic results, productivity must be high or at least average, if feed costs are low. On the other hand, low economic results are related to low productivity or average productivity if feed costs, in this latter case, are high.