The objective ofthis study was to identify and quantify benchmarks of milk production systemsin the region of Extremo Sul da Bahia. Technological profile and indicatorsof size, livestock productivity and economy of nine farms were analyzed. Itwere also determined the correlation coefficients between these indicators andthe rate of retun. Indicators with significant correlation were regressed onrate of return in order to quantify the benchmarks with the following ratesof return: 4, 6, 8 and 10% per year. Data for the four rates of return were,respectively: daily milk yield (456, 538, 621 and 703 L/day); land productivity(733, 1.008, 1284 and 1559 L/ha/year); stocking rate (0.37, 0.45, 0.54 and 0.62cows/ha); productivity per total of cows (3.01, 3.52, 4.03 and 4.54 L/cow/day);labor productivity (111, 124, 137 and 150 L/man/day); proportion of the totaleffective operational cost in the gross revenue (60, 57, 54 and 51%); proportionof the total operational cost in the gross revenue (72, 66, 60 and 54%); laborcost to milk gross revenue ratio (31, 27, 22 and 18%); and capital investedto daily milk production ratio (2093, 1508, 924 and 339 R$/L-day). Identificationof benchmarks, mainly those highly correlated with economic efficiency is animportant tool for applying on farm management because help producers to betterunderstand the economic viability of their dairy production systems.
