Special Issue "Dairy Production Systems: Efficiency, Profitability, Technology and Sustainability"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal System and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Sergio C. Garcia
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Interests: forages; ruminant nutrition; feeding; dairy cow; robotics and technology/automation in dairying
Dr. Cameron Clark
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Livestock Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
Interests: animal behavior and welfare; data-driven agriculture; advanced livestock
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Rafiq Islam
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Interests: livestock production system; animal nutrition; forages; food security
Dr. Sabrina Lomax
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Interests: livestock production and welfare; pain mitigation; animal behaviour and welfare science; best practice livestock production; industry and stakeholder engagement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dairy farmers around the world are facing unprecedented challenges to produce milk, included increased costs, climate variability and extreme weather events; competition for resources and markets; and changing community expectations due to climate change, animal health and welfare, and public health issues.

In this context, the question of how dairy production systems, whether intensive or extensive, indoor or  pasture-based, conventional or robotic, or any of the existing variants within these; will evolve or adapt to address these challenges, is more relevant than ever. The focus of this special edition revolves around that question.

We invite original manuscripts on any aspect concerning the efficiency, profitability, application of technology and sustainability of all types of dairy production systems.

In particular, studies that focus on overcoming limitation/s of production systems or that address aspects that may differentiate systems or increase their competitiveness (e.g. animal productivity and welfare, efficiency; environmental impact; application of technology; and factors affecting profitability), are welcome.

Prof. Sergio C. Garcia
Dr. Cameron Clark
Dr. Rafiq Islam
Dr. Sabrina Lomax
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Dairy Production Systems
  • Pasture-based systems
  • Indoor-dairy systems, Conventional milking
  • Automatic milking
  • Extensive/intensive dairy systems
  • Farm profitability
  • Climate change
  • Animal welfare
  • Dairy systems competitiveness

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Article
Does Small-Scale Livestock Production Use a High Technological Level to Survive? Evidence from Dairy Production in Northeast-ern Michoacán, Mexico
Animals 2021, 11(9), 2546; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092546 - 30 Aug 2021
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Abstract
The objective of this study was to identify the technological level used by dairy farmers in the northeastern region of Michoacán, Mexico, through a characterisation of small-scale dairy production units, as well as to learn about the socioeconomic conditions that have enabled them [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to identify the technological level used by dairy farmers in the northeastern region of Michoacán, Mexico, through a characterisation of small-scale dairy production units, as well as to learn about the socioeconomic conditions that have enabled them to survive in the current context. A semi-structured interview was applied to 114 production units, chosen by stratified random sampling. The interview included technological, production and socioeconomic aspects. Twenty-eight variables were initially explored and 12 were used for multivariate analysis, which included Principal Component Analysis, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and K-means Cluster. The characterisation carried out showed that the production units that predominate in northeastern Michoacán have survived with a low technological level, having as strengths the diversification of their activities and the use of family labour. On the contrary, production units with a high technological level and high productivity are few and less diversified. This shows the need to generate differentiated public policies for each cluster, aimed at strengthening the aspects that have allowed them to survive and guaranteeing a market for their production, before promoting the use of technologies. Full article
Article
Predicting Immediate Marginal Milk Responses and Evaluating the Economics of Two-Variable Input Tactical Feeding Decisions in Grazing Dairy Cows
Animals 2021, 11(7), 1920; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071920 - 28 Jun 2021
Viewed by 348
Abstract
Feed is the largest variable cost for dairy farms in Australia, and dairy farmers are faced with the challenge of profitably feeding their cows in situations where there is significant variation in input costs and milk price. In theory, the addition of 5.2 [...] Read more.
Feed is the largest variable cost for dairy farms in Australia, and dairy farmers are faced with the challenge of profitably feeding their cows in situations where there is significant variation in input costs and milk price. In theory, the addition of 5.2 MJ of metabolisable energy to a lactating cow’s diet should be capable of supporting an increase in milk production of one litre of milk of 4.0% fat, 3.2% protein and 4.9% lactose. However, this is almost never seen in practice, due to competition for energy from other processes (e.g., body tissue gain), forage substitution, associative effects and imbalances in rumen fermentation. Pasture species, stage of maturity, pasture mass, allowance and intake, stage of lactation, cow body condition and type of supplement can all affect the milk protein plus fat production response to additional feed consumed by grazing dairy cows. We developed a model to predict marginal milk protein plus fat response/kg DM intake when lactating dairy cows consume concentrates and pasture + forages. Data from peer reviewed published experiments undertaken in Australia were collated into a database. Meta-analysis techniques were applied to the data and a two-variable quadratic polynomial production function was developed. Production economic theory was used to estimate the level of output for given quantities of input, the marginal physical productivity of each input, the isoquants for any specified level of output and the optimal input combination for given costs and prices of inputs and output. The application of the model and economic overlay was demonstrated using four scenarios based on a farm in Gippsland, Victoria. Given that feed accounts for the largest input cost in dairying, allocation of pasture and supplements that are based on better estimates of marginal milk responses to supplements should deliver increased profit from either savings in feed costs, or in some cases, increased output to approach the point where marginal revenue equals marginal costs. Such data are critical if the industry is to take advantage of the opportunities to use supplements to improve both productivity and profitability. Full article
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Article
Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061704 - 07 Jun 2021
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Abstract
The economics of grazing dairy cows offered a range of herbage allowances and fed supplements as a partial mixed ration (PMR) were examined where profit was defined as the margin between total milk income and the cost of pasture plus PMR supplement. The [...] Read more.
The economics of grazing dairy cows offered a range of herbage allowances and fed supplements as a partial mixed ration (PMR) were examined where profit was defined as the margin between total milk income and the cost of pasture plus PMR supplement. The analysis made use of milk production and feed intake data from two dairy cow nutrition experiments, one in early lactation and the other in late lactation. In early lactation and at a PMR intake of 6 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows with access to a medium herbage allowance (25 kg DM/cow per day) was AUD 1.40/cow per day higher than that for cows on a low allowance (15 kg DM/cow per day). At a higher PMR intake of 14 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows on a medium herbage allowance was AUD 0.45/cow per day higher than the cows on a low allowance; there was no additional profit from increasing the herbage allowance from medium to high (40 kg DM/cow per day). In late lactation, the profit from the cows fed a PMR with a medium herbage allowance (20 kg DM/cow per day) was only higher than the cows on a low allowance (12 kg DM/cow per day) when the PMR intake was between 6 and 12 kg DM/cow per day. There was also a difference of AUD +0.50/cow per day between the PMR with medium and high herbage allowance (32 kg DM/cow per day). It was concluded that farmers who feed a PMR to dairy cows should offer at least a medium herbage allowance to optimize profit. While feeding additional PMR increases milk production and profit, further gains would be available by offering a higher herbage allowance. These findings provide an estimate of the net benefits of different herbage allowances when feeding a PMR and will enable farmers to manage their feeding systems more profitably. Full article
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Article
The Impact of Age at First Lambing on Milk Yield and Lactation Length in a Population of Istrian Sheep under Semi-Intensive Management
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061604 - 29 May 2021
Viewed by 1182
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the impact of ewe’s age at first lambing (AFL) on days in milk (DIM), average daily milk yield (DMY), and total milk yield (TMY). Symmetrical bimodal distribution of AFL enabled classification of maidens in those mated in the [...] Read more.
This study aimed to examine the impact of ewe’s age at first lambing (AFL) on days in milk (DIM), average daily milk yield (DMY), and total milk yield (TMY). Symmetrical bimodal distribution of AFL enabled classification of maidens in those mated in the first (47%) or second year of life (53%). After accounting for all available sources of phenotypic variability with the linear mixed model for repeated records, it was estimated that AFL had a statistically significant effect only on DIM (p < 0.001). The litter size had a significant effect only on TMY (p < 0.001), while the effect of the parity was significant for all the examined traits (p < 0.001). The results of the study suggest that prolongation of age at first mating to the second year of life is not justified in dairy-orientated sheep farms. However, more evidence on this issue is needed for generalization, especially considering some other traits that can impact profitability of dual-purpose sheep farms (reproduction traits, growth rate of lambs, etc.). Full article
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