Costs, income and economic efficiency of dairy sheep flocks

Abstract

Article Details: Received: 2020-10-12 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31

https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.98-101

The objective of this study was to analyse costs and incomes from milk/cheese and lamb production in dairy sheep flocks and to evaluate their economic efficiency by calculating the profit/loss that is expressed as the difference between these two economic indicators. Costs were calculated taking into account their individual item structure, revenues were calculated taking into account sales of milk/cheese and lamb production. The analysis included three-year period i.e. years 2017, 2018 and 2019. The object of investigations were twelve and thirteen dairy sheep flocks per year, respectively. Economic indicators were expressed in Eur per feeding day (costs) and/or in Eur per ewe and year (costs, sales, subsidies, profit/loss). Milk and lamb sales did not cover up costs spent on production and accounting for subsidy improved economic efficiency of dairy sheep only to a lower extent. Sheep farming thus produced with the loss. Across years, milk and lamb sales almost unchanged, whereas costs notably increased. No ability to cover up costs with revenues could become an obstacle for further survival of this livestock sector. The increase of both milk yield and lamb production is therefore needed.

Keywords: small ruminants, expences, revenues, profit/loss 

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