Evaluation of energy efficiency of broiler production farms using data envelopment analysis technique, case study: Isfahan Province

In this study, energy consumption pattern, efficiency and the percentage of saved energy and inputs of poultry production farms in Isfahan, Nain and Najafabad townships with different capacities were evaluated. The average of net energy gain per 1000 bird for capacities less than 10, 10-30 and more than 30 thousand pieces was calculated as -143.66, -129.58 and -94.99 GJ/1000 bird, respectively. Technical efficiency for different capacity groups was 88, 92 and 96 %, respectively, and pure technical efficiency was 97, 98 and 99 %, respectively. The optimized input energy by the returns to variable scale model for capacities less than 10, 10-30 and more than 30 thousand pieces was 146.90, 136.80 and 117.77 GJ/1000 birds, respectively.