LUCRATIVIDADE DA ATIVIDADE LEITEIRA EM GOIÁS

Abstract

This is a study of the milk production profitability in the State of Goiás, Brazil. It is based on data from a sample of 48 dairy farmers. They take notes of their daily income e expenditures and the research team processes the data monthly. The results are presented to the farmers every second week of the following month. The main results from the first year of the project show: a) small farmers (defines as those producing less than 200 liters per day) as well as large farmers (more than liters per day) presented negative average gross margin during some months of the year. The Intermediate farm size farmers (from 201 to 500 liters per day) did not. This group has shown to be the most efficient so far; b) all tree classes of farm size depend on sales of cull cows, heifers and other by-products of the dairy enterprise, to make positive gross margin. Milk price, alone, does not cover their production (cash costs).