Factors Affecting Income Over Feed Cost by County on Northeast Texas Dairies

Abstract

Using Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) records on Northeast Texas farms, this study develops a predictive model of Income Over Feed cost (IOFC) for the region as a whole and for individual counties. Emphasis is placed on factors under a manager's regular control, as opposed to long run structural changes or investments. The findings present quantitative estimates of the in-fluence of various factors on IOFC; e.g., each hour between milkings from a.m. to p.m. tended to reduce IOFC per cow by $0.47 to $0.51 per day, whereas the pounds of concentrate fed, Holstein breed and month of March raised IOFC by $0.38, $4.16, and $0.95 per day, respectively.