The impact of commercial concentrated feedingstuffs usage on the profitability of milk production

Abstract

Intensification of milk production is associated with an increase in the number of dairy cows and milk yielding. In order to maintain high milk yield and quality of the produced raw material it is very important to adjust the appropriately balanced dose of feeds. Production of good quality own roughage is a valuable and cheap source of food for animals, but it may be insufficient to provide high milk yielding. As a result, it is necessary to buy commercial concentrated feedingstuffs (mainly protein concentrates and concentrated compounds) which may lead to an increase of production costs. Intensification of milk production in the economic aspect is justified only in the case of a simultaneous increase in the profitability of this production, which is the relation of the production value and incurred costs. For the economic purpose of milk production the way of feeding the dairy cows should also result from economic calculation and the purchase of commercial feedingstuffs must be economically justified. This article attempts to answer the question whether the increased consumption of commercial concentrated feedingstuffs and increased direct costs are justified by achieved economic results from milk production. The accountancy data were collected according to the methodology of the AGROKOSZTY and Polish FADN system among dairy farms. Grouping of the surveyed farms concerned a level of commercial feedingstuff quantity which (as shown by statistical analysis) was strongly correlated with milk yielding. The designated groups (with small level and high level of usage of commercial feedingstuffs) were analysed in terms of direct costs and labour input as well as the level of income from the activity. The economic results of the surveyed farms showed that the higher costs incurred for the purchase of commercial feedstuffs in the group with high usage of commercial feedingstuffs (average herd in the group was 30 dairy cows with milk yielding of 6,000 liters per cow) did not allow to achieve much better economic results than in the group with small usage of commercial feedstuffs (average herd in group was 15 cows with milk yielding of 5,200 litres per cow).