Publication Date

1989

Location

Nice France

Description

Dairy farming is a relatively new agricultural industry in Thailand and has shown a rapid and dramatic development over the past decade. During this period dairy cattle numbers have trebled (from approx. 20,000 to 60,000) and the number of dairy farmers has quadrupled (approx. 2,000 to 8,000). With the present positive support from the Government this explos­ive development is likely to continue. While the price of milk paid to the farmers over this period had been good there has, nevertheless, been a substantial increase in the variable on-farm costs of production which is squeezing the farmer profit margin significantly and forcing him to look very closely at reducing his on-farm costs. The biggest on-farm cost of production is the purchase of meal concentrate representing 60% of the farmers variable costs (Pravee, 1988). One of the most promising methods of reducing such costs is by the development and use of improved pastures, as has occurred in many countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil etc. A further common practice on Thai dairy farms is the « cut­and-carry » system of feeding pasture to dairy stock kept per­manently indoors under shade and shelter. For the small «mixed» farmer with 3 to 5 cows this system is probably the most convenient, but as herd size increases to a solely dairying operation of 20 or 30 cows and beyond, this can result in heavy demands on time and labour and, more significantly, lead to a rapid and serious depletion of soil fertility. The following data brings together only the daily milk yield per cow from several experiments recently conducted at D.P.O. related to the feeding and feeding system of dairy cows in Thai­land and the major associated economic considerations. Further details on milk fat percent, animal liveweight, rectal temperatures, grazing behaviour and animal health are presented elsewhere (Hongyantarachai et al., 1989; Witaya et al., 1989).

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The Use of Improved Pastures by Grazing Dairy Cows for Economic Milk Production in Thailand

Nice France

Dairy farming is a relatively new agricultural industry in Thailand and has shown a rapid and dramatic development over the past decade. During this period dairy cattle numbers have trebled (from approx. 20,000 to 60,000) and the number of dairy farmers has quadrupled (approx. 2,000 to 8,000). With the present positive support from the Government this explos­ive development is likely to continue. While the price of milk paid to the farmers over this period had been good there has, nevertheless, been a substantial increase in the variable on-farm costs of production which is squeezing the farmer profit margin significantly and forcing him to look very closely at reducing his on-farm costs. The biggest on-farm cost of production is the purchase of meal concentrate representing 60% of the farmers variable costs (Pravee, 1988). One of the most promising methods of reducing such costs is by the development and use of improved pastures, as has occurred in many countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil etc. A further common practice on Thai dairy farms is the « cut­and-carry » system of feeding pasture to dairy stock kept per­manently indoors under shade and shelter. For the small «mixed» farmer with 3 to 5 cows this system is probably the most convenient, but as herd size increases to a solely dairying operation of 20 or 30 cows and beyond, this can result in heavy demands on time and labour and, more significantly, lead to a rapid and serious depletion of soil fertility. The following data brings together only the daily milk yield per cow from several experiments recently conducted at D.P.O. related to the feeding and feeding system of dairy cows in Thai­land and the major associated economic considerations. Further details on milk fat percent, animal liveweight, rectal temperatures, grazing behaviour and animal health are presented elsewhere (Hongyantarachai et al., 1989; Witaya et al., 1989).