Economic Analysis of Calving Interval of Hungarian Dairy Cattle

Abstract

Safiullah, A.M., Prabaharan, R., Sadasivam, P. 2001. Economic analysis of calving interval of Hungarian dairy cattle. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 19: 237–246.

The impact of various lengths of calving interval (CI) was analysed by budgeting analysis using Quatro spreadsheet program. The lifetime milk yield and profit per day was used as a basis on various milk yields, milk prices and culling strategy either on age of cow or lactation. Another locally developed biometrical program package was also used to analyse the distribution of herds using frequency table. Milk production level over different lengths of CI and average lactational Clin comparison with each lactation were analysed. Greater portion of herds were distributed within the CI of 360 days. Annual milk yield got reduced from 4500 to 2272 kg as the CI increased from 360 to 450d. Average CI was found to be higher for high yielding cows in expectation to have more lactational yields by keeping them for longer days open. The CI increased as the lactation progressed upto the fourth and then started decreasing. Increasing CI from 360 to 420 or 450d resulted in a loss of 0.70 to 2.33 or 0.94 to 3.15 USD. From these findings, it could be concluded that optimum CI should be adjusted between 360d and 390d.

Keywords:

• Calving interval
• profit per day
• days open
• loss per day
• income over costs