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THE PROFITABLE USE OF GRASSLAND IN MILK PRODUCTION
Author(s) -
Wynne A. J.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1969.tb01081.x
Subject(s) - herd , production (economics) , yield (engineering) , milk production , agricultural science , grassland , variable cost , environmental science , zoology , agronomy , business , biology , economics , microeconomics , materials science , accounting , metallurgy
The most profitable use of grass in feeding a dairy herd is considered. Provided that the quality of the grass and grass products is sufficiently high for it to be used for part of the production ration, it is possible either to maintain a larger herd by buying concentrates, or to keep a smaller herd, feed less concentrates and use part of the grass for production. The potential herd size will depend both on the level of concentrate feeding and on the milk yield of the herd. When account is taken of the extra costs involved with larger herds (labour, capital charges and some variable costs) the optimum system depends on the level of milk yield. For herds yielding below 900 gallons average, the most profitable system is that which obtains the maximum production from grass. With herds of over 1000 gallons average it is more profitable to use concentrates for the production ration and to keep the maximum number of cows.