Abstract :
Energy is considered as an important production factor in many systems and therefore should be
managed in parallel with other main production resources including land, labor and capital. In this paper, the
energy efficiency scores of some selected dairy farms, using the non-parametric data envelopment analysis
approach was assessed. The results for efficient farmers based on two DEA models showed that with an energy
conservation policy, farmers can perform better in stock farming. The total energy consumption was 72.8 GJ/cow
and the top two energy consuming inputs as feed intake and electricity drew the fact that promoting input
utilization efficiency seems critical. The mean technical efficiency score of 0.88 made this ample need more
apparent. Machinery, electricity and feed were suggested as the main inputs for optimization due to their high
contribution in energy saving (46 and 36%, respectively). The least amount of ESTR (Energy Saving Target
Ratio) for human labor indicated that it is employed efficiently. By practicing efficiently, dairy farmers are
potentially capable of reducing their energy consumption by 16.8%. In this study, adopting new methodologies,
cutting the excess use of inputs such as feed stuffs through using standard feeding rations and providing
consultancy and extension programs are recommended.
