ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES ALLOWS SMALL DAIRY FARMS IN ISRAEL TO BE COMPETITIVE

I. FlamenbaumState of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

Extension Service, Cattle Division

israflam@shaham.moag.gov.il

Facts about the dairy sector in Israel

• Milk Production: 1,15 M’ tons/year.• 115,000 cows.• Mostly, Israeli-Holstein breed.• Intensive production.• large scale units.• Well protected (Production Quota, “Target price”, Partial

control on market prices and Limitations on import).

• Well supported ( by government and farmers institutions and organizations).

Institutions in service of the dairy farms in Israel

• IDB - Israel Dairy Board -(A company shared by Government, Farmers and Industry).

• ICBA - Israel Cattle breeders Association –(milk recording, data processing and management programs ).

• “HAHAKLAIT” –(Clinical Veterinary services – farmers cooperative).

• “SION” –• (Genetic improvement and A.I services – farmers cooperative )• MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE –

(Extension service, Applied research and Disease control)

KIBBUTZ (cooperative)185 Farms (3X milking)

Average 330 cows/farm

MOSHAV (family)850 Farms (2X milking)

Average 60 cows/farm

Milk 10,430 Kg.Fat 3.57% - 353 KgProtein 3.13% - 309 Kg

Kibbutz56%

Moshav42%

Data from the “Israeli Herdbook Report “ - 2005

Milk 11,540 Kg.Fat 3.60% - 397KgProtein 3. 15% - 344 Kg

The “Reform in the dairy sector” in Israel 1998 – 2006

• Signed by the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance and the IDB.

• Main Goals- Prevent environment contamination by

dairy farms.- Reduce number of farms and Increase farm

size (improve production efficiency).- Reduce milk price to farmer and consumer

Total Investment in infrastructure made in family dairy farms through the “Reform in the dairy sector”

1998 – 2006

2000100,00086,000,000Government grants (40% of cost)

4300250,000215,000,000Total investment

Per cow(U.S $)

(50,000 cows)

Average for farm

(U.S $)(850 farms)

All Family farms

( U.S $)

Trends in number of family dairy farms in Israel (1998 – 2005)

1445604787085505140541475738800413050846776921031284984787996202120468479851025011104304699010910010340447497117599100389470100121198

% of 98Av. farm Production(000 lit/year)

Sector Production

(million lit)

% of 98

FarmsYear

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN SERVICE OF THE FAMILY DAIRY FARMS IN ISRAEL

• REGIONAL “FEEDING CENTERS”

• COMPUTERIZED MILKING EQUIPMENT

• UDDER HEALTH and MILK QUALITY PROGRAM

• COOLING METHODS FOR COWS IN SUMMER

REGIONAL “FEEDING CENTERS”

• Private enterprises all over the county.• Based on TMR feeding system.• Flexibility in formulation. • Different rations for Milking cows, Dry

cows, Heifers and Fattening bulls.• Rations provided to farmer in the

feeding center or in his farm. • “liberate” farmer from dealing with

feeding.

COMPUTERIZED MILKING EQUIPMENT

• Based on Leg or Neck tag.• Cows are detected in the milking parlor 2-3

times /day and transfer information to farm computer .

• Information include :- Milk volume.- Milk electrical conductivity (Mastitis detection).- Cow’s activity ( Heat detection).- Milk fat and protein content . - Cow’s rumination.

User

Timbro

National Service for Udder Health and Milk quality

Israel Dairy Board (IDB)

-- A non profit organization, dedicated to A non profit organization, dedicated to improving the udder health and milk improving the udder health and milk quality of all milk produced in Israelquality of all milk produced in Israel

-- Service provided by virtue of a levy on Service provided by virtue of a levy on all milk marketed , with no further payment all milk marketed , with no further payment on behalf of the producerson behalf of the producers

Trends in Somatic Cell Count (SCC) in milk 1995 - 2005

150250350450550650

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005יפותישיתחפשמcooperativefamily Year

000/ml

DEVELOPMENT OF COOLING METHODS IN ISRAEL

• Definition “ summer problem” to the dairy sector.• Development of cooling methods based on

wetting and forced ventilation.• Implementation of cooling methods in farm

milking parlor and feeding line.• Creation of a “computerized report” (based on

“Herdbook” data), which compares Summer/Winter “performance ratio”, as a tool for the evaluation of the efficiency, farm deal with summer effect.

Cooling cows long the “Feeding strip”

39.8 36.5 91.7% 36.0 32.3 89.7%2004

37.7 31.0 82.2% 32.2 27.7 86.0%1994

W S S:W W S S:W

Year Cooperative farms Family farms

Trends in Summer (S) to Winter (W) production ratio

cooperative and family farms 1994 - 2004

Flamenbaum et. al. 2004

Trends in Production and Fertility data in Family farms in Israel (94 – 05)

343.083.591052004

313.083.501092005

343.083.551019003

333.103.461012002

343.073.431021001353.063.371022000

353.073.291004099

323.083.28987098

363.063.31986097

373.023.24958096

372.993.18965095

363.003.12930094

Conception Rate (%)

Protein (%)Fat (%)Milk (Kg/Year)

Year

Efficiency of production in small and large dairy farms in Israel (IFCN 2005)

170175Labor productivity(kg ECM/hour)

0.100.09Profit (US$/kg ECM)

0.3050.310Cost of milk production (US$/Kg ECM)

0.4050.400Milk price (US$/Kg ECM)

10,7009,700Milk yield (Kg ECM/Year)

Large farms260 cows

Small farms65 cows

Due to government grants, supporting institutions and adoption of advanced technologies, small family dairy farms in the last decade :- Increased in size- Improved milk quality- Increased cows performance- Reduced seasonality in milk supply - Increased production efficiency

Conclusion

Reached competitiveness when compared with “large scale” dairy farms

Thanks for your attention