|
Abstract:
|
The purpose of this study was to analyze the potential of raw milk production management in dairy farmers in Thailand. The information used was from the research project “Milk Industry’s Supply Chain Capacity Improvement” of Research and Community Development Institute at the Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University. Data were collected from interview with 280 dairy farmers in the North, the Northeast and the Central of Thailand. Potential analysis were composed of production and marketing of raw milk production.
The results showed that the process of raw milk production started from farmers buying dairy cattle. The most common breeders were the black-and-white dairy cows or ‘Holstein Friesian’. Dairy cows have an average lifespan of about 12 years, start milking in the age of 2 years and stop milking at the age of 9 years. Most farmers have 18 cattle in average. They make building and have milking machine. The cost of production was composed of food including grass, rice straw, maize, corn, concentrate, food supplements, and other food, labor, equipment. Labor used in average of 3 people. Milking is rolled 2 times daily, morning and evening. Raw milk is producing 224 kg per day, costing about 107,520 baht / month. The farmer will bring the milk to the cooperative where he / she is a member. The cooperative purchase raw milk based on the quality of the raw milk. Raw milk price was 18 baht / kg resulting in an average income of 116,277 baht per month. When coorperative buy raw milk from farmers, the raw milk will be sold to the raw milk processing plant for school milk and commercial milk to sell in the market to consumers.
Keywords: cows, Dairy Farmers, Supply Chain, raw milk, Potential of Raw Milk Production
|