Economic efficiency of feed use in milk production in agricultural enterprises of Ukraine

The article conducted comprehensive studies of the economic efficiency of using feed in milk production in Ukrainian agricultural enterprises. The principal value and natural indicators that characterize the productivity of feed use in dairy cattle breeding are defined. Based on the benchmarking technique, an assessment of the relative technological efficiency of the use of feed by the regions of Ukraine was carried out, and potential reserves of their reduction relative to the reference value of the indicator of feed consumption per 1 t of milk was established. The main measures to increase the economic efficiency of using feed in milk production in Ukraine's agricultural enterprises are proposed. According to the results of the study, it was established that the payment of feed in enterprises that produce milk in Ukraine for 2010-2023 increased from 2.5 to 17 UAH per 1 feed unit, which is due to the devaluation of the national currency during the studied period and partly due to the increase in technological efficiency use of fodder. In terms of US dollars, the feed payment for milk production during the same period increased from 0.31 to 0.51 dollars per 1 feed unit. As of the end of 2023, Ukrainian enterprises spent an average of 0.41 dollars of the cost of all types of feed to obtain 1 dollar of the cost of raw milk sold. Accordingly, for 1 dollar of the cost of fodder, enterprises produce and sell raw milk worth 2.41 dollars. It is essential to diversify milk sales channels with a partial focus on direct sales directly to the final consumer, taking into account the almost three-fold ratio between the level of retail and wholesale prices of milk sales. To increase the economic efficiency of the use of fodder in the dairy cattle industry of Ukraine, it is also necessary to implement a system of organizational and technological measures to improve the conditions of keeping, animal care, veterinary support, optimization of feeding rations, fodder storage conditions, implementation of cow productivity monitoring using specialized software.