Operating Cost Efficiency on Pennsylvania Dairy Farms

Abstract

Operating cost efficiency is evaluated on Pennsylvania dairy farms using a modification of the Farrell efficient unit isoquant frontier method. Evaluating farms by herd size groups, the average measure of cost efficiency ranged from 70 to 80 percent. Farms with larger herds were more homogeneous in efficiency than farms with smaller herds. Regression analysis was used to evaluate for differences in cost efficiency by herd size group.