Structure and Marketing Opportunities on Dairy Farms in Konya Province, Turkey

The main problems encountered by Turkish dairy producers are the lower level of productivity and profitability, lack of specialization, cooperation, and have strong links with the characteristics of producers, agricultural systems and hygiene and disease control in dairy herds. The objectives of this study are to identify the dairy cattle production factors, household characteristics, and needs of milk for human life. The survey based on the primary data collected by stratified random sampling method in the dairy farms of Konya in August 2014. 92 dairy farms which are producing and selling milk Konya province was interviewed. The data collected through interviews, focus group and evaluated by using parametric and nonparametric tests. The means age of farmers was 47.4, the average of household members was 5.54, and the average number of members busy with dairy cattle was 2.05. The average number of milk cows per dairy cattle yield was 33.56 kg and daily milk yield per cow was 21.13 kg/day. On a lactation period, milk yield per cow was 5493.8 kg/head and the average lactation period was 260 days, and the results of ANOVA; average forage crop area was 78.92 decares and share of the forage crop area in total farm planting area is around 39%, there are positive and statistically relationship between farm size group and average forage crops.