Dairy farm profit according to the herd size, milk yield, and number of cows per worker

Abstract

Th e study evaluates the associations of the farm herd size (HERD), the milk yield (MY, kg/cow per year), and cows per worker (CW) with the production, reproduction, and economic traits in 60 commercial dairy herds (34 633 cows) in the Czech Republic. Each parameter was split into 3 groups. Th e largest herds (≥ 750 cows) had the highest profi tability of costs without subsidies (−3.8 ± 4.3%), the lowest cost for roughages (1.2 CZK/L milk), and the lowest cost for breeding operations (0.17 CZK/L milk), but the highest costs for the cereal grains and concentrates (2.4 CZK/L milk). Herds with the lowest MY (≤ 7 499) had the lowest profi tability of costs without subsidies (−15.8 ± 3.93%), the highest total costs (9.27 CZK/L milk), the highest labour costs (1.6 CZK/L milk), and the highest cow depreciation costs (0.97 CZK/L milk). Herds with the lowest CW (≤ 39) had the highest mean labour costs (1.51 CZK/L milk) and the highest costs for breeding operations (0.22 CZK/L milk). Herds with the highest CW (≥ 60) and the lowest CW (≤ 39) also diff ered in the total feed costs (4.1 vs. 3.73 CZK/L milk) and the costs of cereals and concentrates (2.34 vs. 1.96 CZK/L milk). Th e increasing herd size tended to be accompanied by higher milk yields and the overall effi ciency.

Associations between milking technology, herd size and milk production parameters on commercial dairy cattle farms

“…Herd size can also have an impact on milk production. Krpálková et al (2016) found that the highest milk producing herds (≥9000 kg/lactation) had the largest size (809.07±100.11 cows). Milk protein and milk fat content did not differ significantly by herd size.…”

Effects of Breed, Calving Season and Parity on Productive and Economic Indices of Dairy Cows

“…All the calculated costs based on the prevailing prices during the period of the study and were calculated on the basis of Egyptian pound (EGP). Total costs included total feed costs, labour costs, the miscellaneous costs, the costs for veterinary services and breeding operations, depreciation of fixed assets, cow depreciation costs according to, (Krpalkova et al, 2016).…”

Decomposing Dynamics in the Farm Profitability: An Application of Index Decomposition Analysis to Lithuanian FADN Sample

“…Savickienė and Miceikienė [18] utilised the financial indicators to measure financial sustainability of Lithuanian farms. Krpalkova et al [19] and Naglova and Gurtler [20] concluded that Czech small farms were the least profitable farms, while the best results were achieved by large farms. Similarly, Poczta and Sredzińska [21] showed that Polish large farms were more profitable than small farms.…”