The Impact of Feeding Factors on Holstein Dairy Farms Costs in Kosovo

Abstract

One-year investigation is carried out aimed at evaluating all incomes and costs with a specific focus on the impact of feeding factors in 12 Holstein dairy farms (in total 284 cows) in Kosovo. The cost of on-farm produced feeds; the price of purchased feeds and the price of milk were used for the analysis. All costs created during this period are duly registered and considered in the analysis. Economic analysis showed that prices of on-farm produced feed were much lower (30 €/ton for silages and for hay). Average daily feed cost was 2.33 €/cow/day, while milk income was only 4.9 €/d. Individual feed groups contributed to total milk cost as follows: silages with 0.04 €/kg, dry roughages with 0.02 €/kg, and concentrates with 0.10 €/kg, while all other factors taken 0.13 €/kg of milk price. This study showed that feed was the largest farm expense making 68% of total farm costs.