Farm systems - Impact of stocking rate on dairy farm efficiency

Abstract

Two years of results from a 10 farmlet, farm systems trial (ending May 2001) are presented. The trial was designed to determine the efficiency and profitability of milksolids production when annual drymatter intake/cow and subsequent milksolids production/cow is increased within a whole farm system. Operating within the trial were five levels of feed intake and two farm management systems. The data presented show that with increasing kg liveweight/tonne of drymatter/ha, there was an increase in efficiency of pasture utilisation but a decrease in per cow efficiency. Extremes in increasing kg liveweight/tonne of drymatter were inclined to decrease the Economic Farm Surplus. Keywords: allowance, dairying, efficiency, milksolids, model