Authors: J A Rhone S Koonawootrittriron M A Elzo
Publish Date: 2008/01/19
Volume: 40, Issue: 7, Pages: 475-482
Abstract
A survey was performed to characterize the dairy production educational experiences decision making practices and income and expenses of dairy farms and to determine any differences of these practices among two dairy farm populations Farm groups were identified as farms from the Muaklek dairy cooperative Muaklek farms and farms from other dairy cooperatives NonMuaklek farms In April 2006 questionnaires were distributed to 500 dairy farms located in Lopburi Nakhon Ratchisima and Saraburi provinces A total of 85 farms completed and returned questionnaires Means and frequencies were calculated for questions across categories and Chisquare tests were performed to determine differences among Muaklek and NonMuaklek farms Results showed that most farms from both groups had a primary or high school educational level used a combination confinement and pasture production system gave a mineral supplement raised their own replacement females milked approximately 16 cows/day used crossbred Holstein cows 75 Holstein or more and mated purebred Holstein sires to their cows More NonMuaklek farms P 005 80 used a combination of genetic and phenotypic information when selecting sires than Muaklek farms 54 Monthly profit per lactating cow were 1641 and 1029 baht for Muaklek and NonMuaklek farms respectively Overall information from the study should be useful for dairy cooperatives and other dairy organizations when training farmers in the future and furthering dairy production research in ThailandThe authors highly appreciate support from the Muaklek Dairy Cooperative Limited for their cooperation in this study and funding from the Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute KURDI under project code number KS D 950 Other contributors to the study came from faculty and graduate students at Kasetsart University and the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization
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