Measurement of Efficiency Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Social Factors Affecting the Technical Efficiency in Dairy Cattle Farms within the Province of Izmir, Turkey

Amongst the agricultural regions of Turkey, Aegean region takes the first place in milk production with 18%. As for Aegean itself, the province of Izmir comes second with 17%. In this study, technical efficiency levels of 94 dairy farms in the province of Izmir were measured using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. For assumptions of CRS (Constant Returns to Scale), 52% and for assumptions of VRS (Variable Returns to Scale), 62% of the dairy farms were found fully efficient. When, the farms were grouped according to their number of cows, it was noticeable that there were differences amongst the groups in terms of efficiency values. As the farm size expanded the efficiency scores increased. In farms with <50 cows, input and output losses are important. When farmer based social and intellectual factors affecting dairy cattle fanning were investigated, it was observed that number of family members, experience and level of reading daily papers increased as the scores of efficiency in farms increased.