Milk production function and resource use efficiency of selected dairy breeds in the central region of Bihar

Dairying plays a vital role in economic development by providing income and employment opportunities to village residents. This study focuses on the central region of Bihar to assess resource use efficiency in milk production across selected dairy cattle breeds. The breeds included Graded Sahiwal, HF crossbreed, and Graded Murrah. Primary data was collected from 108 animals belonging to 70 farmers through a structured interview schedule. The resource use efficiency was estimated using the Cobb-Douglas production function, considering key inputs such as green fodder, dry fodder, concentrate, veterinary expenses, and labor expenses. The estimated parameter for green fodder was positive and statistically significant for milk production across all selected breeds: Graded Sahiwal (p<0.05), Crossbred (p<0.01), and Graded Murrah (p<0.1). The coefficients for the number of lactations were negative for all breeds, indicating that milk yield decreases with an increase in lactation numbers. The R² (coefficient of determination) values were 0.6523, 0.7290, and 0.4806 for Graded Sahiwal, Crossbred, and Graded Murrah, respectively, suggesting that 65.23%, 72.90%, and 48.06% of the variation in milk production was explained by the variables included in the regression model. Marginal productivity analysis indicated that increasing the use of green fodder in Graded Sahiwal, Crossbred, and Graded Murrah, as well as veterinary expenses in Graded Murrah, could enhance resource use efficiency.