Profitability of smallholder dairy farms based on the performance of lactating cows and fresh milk market prices at lowland areas of Yogyakarta

This study was aimed to determine the profitability of smallholder dairy farmers at the lowland areas of yogyakarta related to dairy cow performance (milk production) to be achieved at various fresh milk market prices. thirty lactating holstein cows belonging to the 16 farmers at the lowland areas of yogyakarta province selling milk directly to the consumers were drawn as the samples. profitability was determined by enterprise budgeting (accounting profit and economic profit) and break even point. input and output data were obtained from interview with the farmer samples along with direct observations on the cows performance. the results indicated that under the observed condition of 9.28 liter/day average milk production at idr 4,700 market price,the accounting profit was found to be idr 7,758,862/lactating cow/year. the farmers were able to make an economic profit of idr 1,839,875 with profit margin index of 0.12. if the farmers have to sell the fresh milk to the cooperatives at the price of idr 2.800 or idr 3.200/liter,in order to gain a positive economic profit,milk production must be at least 13.5 or 12.0 liters/day,respectively. © 2012 diponegoro university. all rights reserved.