Research Article

Analysis of profitability of chinchilla farming based on the production results of a selected farm

Dorota Kołodziejczyk, Maciej Osiński, Stanisław Socha

Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Poland

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 13(3), 2014, 55‒66

Abstract. The aim of the study was to analyse the cost-effectiveness of chinchilla breeding in Poland on the basis of the production analysis of a selected chinchilla farm located in the Mazowieckie voivodship, Poland. The analysis covered a period of two years and involved a total of 250 Standard and Black Velvet chinchillas. The following traits were studied: litter size at birth and litter size at weaning. Economic analysis involved the turnover and costs of the farm. We applied the system of cost estimation in which all costs are broken down into direct and indirect costs. Cost-effectiveness of the farm was evaluated based on economic indices and reproduction performance of the animals. The costs of feeds and salaries were those most strongly affecting the total cost of farming, although reproductive performance of the chinchillas also significantly influenced the profitability of the farm. The production of the studied chinchilla farm was profitable, as evidenced by the profitability index, which in 2011 amounted to 127.27% and increased the following year to the level of 143.13%. Showing an upward trend, the rate of return (27.27% in 2011 and 43.13% in 2012) may indicate a progress in the efficiency of the activity of the studied farm.

Keywords: chinchilla, cost, pelt, price, profitability, revenue