Abstract:

Objective: The aim of this study is the planning of production in dairy farms, and to measure the effect of planning on the gross profit of dairy farms in the provinces of Izmir and Manisa. Material and Methods: Face-to-face surveys were conducted with 117 producers in Odemis district of Izmir province and 30 producers in Salihli district of Manisa province in the scope of the research. Linear Programming was used in production planning. Dairy farms were classified into four groups as 5-15 head of cows, 16-25 head of cows, 26-40 head of cows, and 41 and above head of cows in the analysis of the data. Results: As a result of planning, it was determined that the production pattern of forage crops, amount of feed to be purchased, the status of constraints (family labour force, farm land, the capacity of barn, and capital), and the gross profit obtained by the dairy farms. Accordingly, from the first group to the fourth group, gross profit increased by 63.87%, 40.56%, 13.82%, and 0.37 respectively. Conclusion: The results of the research show that the planning of production can significantly increase the gross profit and therefore, the necessity of planning of production in dairy farms. However, planning has a complicated structure, and needs to be supported by modern technologies. Therefore, R&D investments should be encouraged, and supported in order to develop softwares for planning.

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