Technological functions of the productive system at dairy farm in the cattle breeding enterprise Valle del Perú

Abstract

It was carried out a diagnosis with the purpose of determining the technological functions and sustainability of the Dairy Farm “Zenea” of a cattle raising enterprise in the western region of Cuba. The methodology of Rapid Rural Diagnosis was applied. The secondary sources of information used were: registrations of milk production, reproductive and economic indexes at farm level. The characterization was made through descriptive indicators that are related with the components of the production system, the producer and its characteristics, the technical-productive infrastructure and organizational aspects. The technological functions were determined starting from variables that are related with the technological processes identified with the production system. It was carried out a hierarchical organization of problems and the main indicators that should be appropriate to measure the sustainability were defined in the proposal of transforming the system. Some productive variables and their statistical behavior for the dairy effects, were analyzed every two months and yearly under a lineal model of fixed effects with interaction. The studied system is characterized to be a typical production system of the region, with medium technological level and problems that affect altogether the low production levels, income and profitability. The problems were identified starting from the carried out characterization which allowed working out a general and specific strategy, as well as the main technical and organizational actions that should be taken into account to achieve sustainability and improvement of productivity in the studied system.

La Calera, Vol.14 No.22, Mayo 2014, pp.44-49