Economic Evaluation of Dairy and Beef Farming Systems

This technical report presents the development and findings of the AFBI Dairy Systems Model and the AFBI Beef Systems Model, which evaluate the technical and economic aspects of dairy and beef farming systems in Northern Ireland. The Dairy Systems Model assesses three production systems: Low, Medium, and High, focusing on profitability metrics such as net profit per farm and cow. The report indicates that the Medium system is the most profitable overall, while the Low system has the highest net profit per litre. The Beef Systems Model is being developed to aid decision-making for farmers by evaluating various beef production strategies. It aims to provide insights into the economic viability of different systems and the impact of external factors on farm performance. Both models utilize empirical data and are designed to enhance farm planning and resource allocation, with future plans to incorporate environmental assessments related to greenhouse gases and water quality outcomes. This work is funded by DAERA.