School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/11343/427

Filters

1999 2
Reset filters

Settings
Statistics
Citations
Start date: 1980 × End date: 1999 × Type: Masters Research thesis × Author: Kelly, Hugh D. ×

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Item
    No Preview Available
    Economic evaluation of feeding grain to dairy cows in Western Victoria
    Kelly, Hugh D. (University of Melbourne, 1999)
    This study is set in Western Victoria, where the dairy farming systems are characterized by springdominant pasture growth, low pasture growth in summer and moderate growth of pasture in autumn. This, coupled with either late winter calving or early autumn calving, creates pasture deficits, which occur in early and late lactation. The challenge for farmers in Western Victoria is to fill those feed gaps with supplements with the aim of maintaining or increasing profitability. Over a production year, feed supply is provided by a mix of fixed and variable inputs. Variable inputs such as working capital, fertilizers, seed, rainfall, irrigation, conserved fodders and concentrate feeds are added to the land, cows, labour and capital infrastructure. The worth of any one of these variable inputs is determined by the amount it contributes to the farm profitability during the production year. The aim of this study is to evaluate the economic effects of different grain feeding regimes on dairy farms in Western Victoria and determine whether net benefits could be gained from implementing a range of possible grain feeding regimes. Pasture based animal production systems are complicated because of the way the animals, water, pasture, fodder and concentrates interact during different stages of the production year. This means that both a short and medium term view has to be taken to make decisions about feed supply. There is also a need to evaluate the effect of unexpected changes to variable input supply and contingency measures that can be adopted to minimise negative impacts on the system. Further complications arise when trying to evaluate the changes to dairy farming systems because the production response function of each cow and the herd cannot be exactly known with great accuracy before the feed decisions are taken. As well, the law of diminishing marginal returns is at work all the time. The research undertaken in this project was based on a series of case studies of dairy farms in different areas throughout Western Victoria. These farms were selected to represent the different types of farming systems and areas within the region. The operation of the farms was studied at considerable depth to gain a thorough understanding of how each farming system operated. The operation of the farm was modeled using the dairy farm simulation program called UDDER, which can be used to simulate water-animal-pasture- fodder-concentrate interactions for different types of feeding strategies. Their effects on milk production over a year can be evaluated. A series of changes to the grain feeding regime were simulated on each farm to evaluate whether gains could be achieved from altering the timing and quantity of grain fed during the year. The technical information from the model UDDER was then analysed in an economic context using a partial budget model that was developed. This partial budget decision support tool helps farmers identify the essential feeding factors that affect the viability of a farming system and the relative merit of alternative grain feeding tactics and strategies. In this project it was identified that net gains could be made with strategic increases in grain feeding on the individual farming systems. Generally, if the grain fed to the dairy herd was increased during early and late lactation, extra gains were predicted to be achievable. However, substantial gains were also predicted if extra grain was fed to the herd during mid-lactation. When grain feeding levels were reduced, large losses were experienced. This indicates the reliance of the case study dairy herds on grain to produce milk if they are to maintain their current levels of profitability. This study shows that farmers may be able to earn larger profits with greater precision in quantity and timing of grain feeding. However, increases in some grain feeding will not always provide immediate extra gains. Like farm management in general, dairy feed management involves finding and mastering the key pieces of information and processing it in the whole farm context with both tactical and strategic perspectives in mind.
  • Item
    No Preview Available
    Economic evaluation of feeding grain to dairy cows in Western Victoria
    Kelly, Hugh D. (University of Melbourne, 1999)
    This study is set in Western Victoria, where the dairy farming systems are characterized by springdominant pasture growth, low pasture growth in summer and moderate growth of pasture in autumn. This, coupled with either late winter calving or early autumn calving, creates pasture deficits, which occur in early and late lactation. The challenge for farmers in Western Victoria is to fill those feed gaps with supplements with the aim of maintaining or increasing profitability. Over a production year, feed supply is provided by a mix of fixed and variable inputs. Variable inputs such as working capital, fertilizers, seed, rainfall, irrigation, conserved fodders and concentrate feeds are added to the land, cows, labour and capital infrastructure. The worth of any one of these variable inputs is determined by the amount it contributes to the farm profitability during the production year. The aim of this study is to evaluate the economic effects of different grain feeding regimes on dairy farms in Western Victoria and determine whether net benefits could be gained from implementing a range of possible grain feeding regimes. Pasture based animal production systems are complicated because of the way the animals, water, pasture, fodder and concentrates interact during different stages of the production year. This means that both a short and medium term view has to be taken to make decisions about feed supply. There is also a need to evaluate the effect of unexpected changes to variable input supply and contingency measures that can be adopted to minimise negative impacts on the system. Further complications arise when trying to evaluate the changes to dairy farming systems because the production response function of each cow and the herd cannot be exactly known with great accuracy before the feed decisions are taken. As well, the law of diminishing marginal returns is at work all the time. The research undertaken in this project was based on a series of case studies of dairy farms in different areas throughout Western Victoria. These farms were selected to represent the different types of farming systems and areas within the region. The operation of the farms was studied at considerable depth to gain a thorough understanding of how each farming system operated. The operation of the farm was modeled using the dairy farm simulation program called UDDER, which can be used to simulate water-animal-pasture- fodder-concentrate interactions for different types of feeding strategies. Their effects on milk production over a year can be evaluated. A series of changes to the grain feeding regime were simulated on each farm to evaluate whether gains could be achieved from altering the timing and quantity of grain fed during the year. The technical information from the model UDDER was then analysed in an economic context using a partial budget model that was developed. This partial budget decision support tool helps farmers identify the essential feeding factors that affect the viability of a farming system and the relative merit of alternative grain feeding tactics and strategies. In this project it was identified that net gains could be made with strategic increases in grain feeding on the individual farming systems. Generally, if the grain fed to the dairy herd was increased during early and late lactation, extra gains were predicted to be achievable. However, substantial gains were also predicted if extra grain was fed to the herd during mid-lactation. When grain feeding levels were reduced, large losses were experienced. This indicates the reliance of the case study dairy herds on grain to produce milk if they are to maintain their current levels of profitability. This study shows that farmers may be able to earn larger profits with greater precision in quantity and timing of grain feeding. However, increases in some grain feeding will not always provide immediate extra gains. Like farm management in general, dairy feed management involves finding and mastering the key pieces of information and processing it in the whole farm context with both tactical and strategic perspectives in mind.