Comparison of the efficiency and productivity index of dairy farms; case study, Isfahan region

In this study, according to the role of the milk production and dairy cattle breeding industry in GDP and food security and also the role of Isfahan province in Iran's animal husbandry sector, some economical indexes of milk are investigated in Isfahan County. Therefore, dairy farms efficiency was evaluated by using Data Envelopment Analysis and the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of farms measured by using Tornqvists-Theil indicator. Gathering the data for this study was done by using documents, observation and interview methods. The results of efficiency calculation with assumption of constant return to scale and basis on minimization of inputs show that 75 of farms were technically efficient. But average of allocative and economic efficiency showed inefficiency in milk production. The results of scale return showed that 19 farms had increasing growth in production with increasing capacity, five farms has been growth in production and 36 farms had constant growth with increasing capacity. The average of TFP in farms was equal to 0.94 that showed dairy farms in Isfahan County had negative growth in TFP means that production growth in them has been less than inputs growth.