Comparative study on the production parameters, animal health status and drug costs on a commercial dairy farm

Abstract

The ever-changing economic criteria system of the last 25 years proved to be a challenge for the Hungarian husbandry. The Regime Change, entry into the European Union, and the current trend of market globalisation cause changes and uncertainty. This results in significant tasks for experts working in the farm management. The vet profession prefers prevention instead of the classic curative activities. Knowing the technological solutions of farms is required for all these. Also, production indices and costs have to be followed in order to realise animal health management that produces an income. The dairy farm in the current analysis can be said to be sufficient in terms of animal health, taking the domestic level of herd health into consideration - and excluding calf healthcare. Furthermore, the costs of livestock drugs generate a return quickly. Based on the data of the analysis, the total specific costs of drugs are an average 23,582 HUF for each cow annually. This generated a return for an excess milk of 237.8 per cow annually. Naturally, the continuously growing market price of milk also influenced the return, which is a somewhat confusing economic circumstance, in regards to the financial efficiency of drug usage.