TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF DAIRY CATTLE FARMS IN EAST MEDITERRANEAN REGION OF TURKEY

This study aimed to determine the efficiency level of dairy cattle farms in provinces of East Mediterranean Region in Turkey. The data were gathered by questionnaire from 148 dairy farms in the areas of Adana, Osmaniye, Mersin, Hatay and Kahramanmaras. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) method was used to calculate efficiency scores. Our analysis carried out in two steps. Firstly, technical efficiency scores were computed employing an input-oriented DEA. Technical efficiency value was amounted to be 78%. In the second phase, the relationship between the value of defined socio-economic variables and the value of obtained technical efficiency scores were calculated by the Tobit regression analysis. The annual milk production per cow was used in the study as the dependent variable. Concentrates, roughage, health expenditures, other variable expenditures, workforce and capital expenditures were considered per cow as independent variables. 5% statistically meaningful and positive relationship was determined by the value of technical efficiencies and rate of the family labour and herd size. It was decided that artificial insemination and farmer's age had a negative effect on the efficiency and it was at a 10% level, statistically meaningful.