Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the management system of dairy farms on the north Somma of Mt. Aso in Kumamoto prefecture. The farms have been developed by the largescale and government-managed enterprise of grassland establishments undertaken from 1966 to 1973. As the examples, the author have selected two farms which show great difference in the form of management. The Kiotoshi Farm (491 ha) is one of the most large scale farms in Aso district and has been under favourable management. The farm won the first prize in a national grassland contest in 1972. On the other hand, the Shimmiya Farm (142 ha) is smaller than the Kiotoshi Farm in the scale of management, and failed to introduce milch cows and found it difficult to maintain its operation in 1975. At last, the farm turned to be managed by the town authority to save it.
To analyze the causes of these different results, the author investigated their natural environment and problems in management of these farms. In this study, the author have made clear the following points.
1) The Kiotoshi Farm has enjoyed more favourable natural environment of soil and geomorphological features.
2) The difference of staff's technique and the management system between the two farms also seems to have produced the above mentioned results.
