What are the main expenses of a dairy farm?

Question

I know you have to pay for food, water, workers wages, etc, but how much it all costs?

How much does a cow eat? How much the food cost? How much milk do you get per cow?

Answer 1

Feed is the #1 expense.

Good cows give around 120 lbs milk per day

Dairy cows eat around 40-50 lbs feed per day

Plain alfalfa cost is around 300 dlls per ton

Other feeds are similar in cost

Any Good To You?

Answer 2

I'm no dairy farmer, but I'd guess they pay a bundle in dealing with all the cow $hit.

Answer 3

buying cows and feeding them

Answer 4

Dairy cows on average will eat approximately 3.5% of body weight.  Feed costs vary and with the increase of commodity prices the prices that I was familiar with are thrown out the window.  Per hundred pounds of milk my rule of thumb was $4.75 - 5.50 U.S.  Milk production can vary from cows eating only grass on pasture to highly concentrated rations in a total mixed ration brought to them by feeder wagon.  This range can be from 35-40 pounds per cow per day up to 90-110 pounds or more per cow per day.