Estimating dairy young stock rearing cost of different management systems in Keningau, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

Background: Rearing young stock is costly, yet study on the economics of dairy young stock rearing in Malaysia is scarce. This study aims to determine the cost of rearing dairy young stock in different management system at the largest milk producer area located in Keningau, Sabah, Malaysia. Methods: A survey was conducted at 7 smallholders, 6 semi-commercial sand 1 commercial dairy farms between July and August 2019 to estimate costs of rearing young stock from birth until first calving age (FCA) with the average number of milking cows as 16±2.495, 40±3.256 and 1,303 heads, respectively and the average number of young stocks was 2±0.769, 14±4.578 and 2,221 heads, respectively. Only feed costs were estimated. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS software. Result: The average cost of rearing was RM4, 052 (USD1,000)/heifer across three different management systems, which were RM3,478 (USD858)/heifer in small scale, RM4,380 (USD1,081)/heifer) in semi-commercial and RM4,300 (USD1,061)/heifer) in commercial farms.