Bioeconomic efficiency of pasture-based production systems in the dairy cattle chain of the Pre-Amazon region of Maranhão

The search for greater profitability and sustainability in dairy cattle farming drives the adoption of different production strategies, especially on small farms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the bioeconomic efficiency of pasture-based dairy production systems on farms of up to 70 hectares in the Pre-Amazon region of Maranhão. Data were collected from 24 dairy farms between January and December 2024 through in-person surveys administered to farmers or managers. Three systems were analyzed: traditional, medium, and high-tech, which differ in technological level, ranging from animals without dairy aptitude in traditional systems to specialized animals in more intensive systems. The farms were evaluated based on their production structure, fixed and variable costs, and economic (EOC, TOC, TC, GM, NM, P) and financial (NPV, IRR, profitability index, and profitability rate) indicators, considering a 10-year horizon and a minimum attractive rate (MAR) of 6% per year, associating productive performance with the economic return of the different systems. Only the highly technologically advanced systems were profitable, with indicators close to the MAR. Thus, the most technologically advanced dairy systems proved to be the most economically attractive, reflecting the effect of technological intensification and genetic selection on the productive performance and bioeconomic efficiency of these systems, providing support for the sustainable management of small farms in the Pre-Amazon region of Maranhão.