Profitability of milk production on a 1200-cow complex planned within the Lenin state farm, Moscow region

Ermolenko, V. I.

An attempt was made to predict probable levels of profitability of milk production on a planned farm complex, using a computer program including the following variables: (i) farm size, 755, 1000, 1200 cows; (ii) annual milk yield/cow, 3700, 4200, 4500 kg; (iii) 3 variants of ration structure; (iv) 4 variants of yield and production costs for each type of fodder; (v) 4 methods of husbandry: tie-up housing with pipeline milking; tie-up housing with herringbone parlour milking; deep-litter loose-housing; cubicle housing; (vi) different systems of mechanized milking, fodder distribution and manure removal. Approx. 2000 predicted values for profitability levels were printed out by the computer in readily legible tables (an example of which is shown). The results indicated that under optimum conditions the capital investment in the complex could be recovered within 7 yr, with a profitability level of more than or equal to 40%, based e.g. on cows in cubicle housing yielding 4500 kg milk on rations with 35% concentrates and 65% haylage.