Models of technical parts of farm systems have proliferated over the past decade. In this paper, the difference between the decision-information deriving from the farm management economic analysis that is included in a technical systems model, and the results derived from analysing the technical...

The standard analytical approaches and methods of farm management economics are simple, sensible and powerful. Still, examples of inappropriate nonsensical, approaches to farm management economics questions proliferate. In this paper, the focus is on some inappropriate, nonsensical, approaches...

New perennial pasture grazing systems have been developed for livestock production in the high rainfall zone of southern Australia. These systems provide producers in south west Victoria with the opportunity to increase stocking rate per hectare compared to current practice. A partial discounted...

Recent analysis from surveys of dairy farms has shown that despite large increases in production, the productivity gains on these farms have been modest. Productivity gains are important for farm viability, farmers have made production gains through adoption of technologies and increases in...

This paper deals with the economic analysis and management implications of extending lactations in specialised dairy cows. The main conclusion from this study is that in the two dairy farm cases that have been investigated in depth, the use of extended lactations to achieve efficient herd...

Average total factor productivity measures for the dairy industry provide an insight into how the industry is performing as a whole, but reveal little about what may be happening on individual farms. A case study of an irrigated dairy farm in northern Victoria, over a 37-year period, found that...

In this study, the possible impact of different prices of carbon on farm profitability in two dairy farm businesses with different feeding systems was analysed. The feeding systems evaluated were a ryegrass pasture-based system (RM) and a complementary forage-based system (CF). The carbon charge...

The dairy industry in northern Victoria has been subject to rapid change in recent years, resulting in great diversity in the irrigated dairy farming systems in the region. Continuing analysis is needed of the various farming systems that may be viable in the future. This study examined possible...

The natural, technological, economic, political and social environment in which farmers farm constantly changes. History has lessons about change in agriculture and about farmers coping with change, though the future is unknowable and thus always surprising. The implication for farm operation is...