Zmiany w wynikach produkcyjnych i ekonomicznych gospodarstw mlecznych najsilniejszych ekonomicznie w latach 2004-2009 w krajach Unii Europejskiej

In the paper production and economic results of dairy farms with an economic size over 100 ESU were analyzed. Farms were selected from the FADN sample. The analysis shows significant differentiation of milk yields and the production potential measured by the agricultural land area and labour resources between countries, as well as changes in production and economic results over the period 2004-2009. Milk yields increasing in the period 2004-2006 by 2.6-2.8% annually stabilized in the years 2007-2008 at the level of 7450 kg per cow on average. The average country yields varied from 5000 kg/cow (Slovakia) to 8800 kg (Finland). In the years 2004-2008 costs of production per unit of the economic size were growing in all countries. In the year 2009 small decrease of milk yields was observed, accompanied by the reduction of costs by 8.2%. Dairy farms in the old member states of the EU-15 are characterized by lower costs, higher yields and better economic results compared to new member states. The gap remained similar in the analyzed period.