Producers characterization and dairy production systems in the irrigated area in Petrolina/PE

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate social, technological levels, and economic results of dairy cattle producers on properties located in the Senator Nilo Coelho Irrigation District, located in the city of Petrolina, Pernambuco State. Twenty-eight producers were interviewed in the period from April to September of 2007. The families of the milk producers the Senator Nilo Coelho Irrigation District living in rural and urban areas amounted to 53,6 e 46,4% respectively. Rural properties were mostly classified as intensive systems (57,1%) with an average production of 9,3 L/lactating cow/day. Gross income from milk was R$ 2.477,47. The ratio between lactating cows and the total number of cows and calving interval were respectively 52.1% and 19,1 months. It was observed that most properties worked with natural mating (96,4%) and manual milking (96,4%). In general vaccination is deficient, however 96,4% of farms vaccinated against Food and Month Disease. Information main source from these producers is television. Regarding the feeding management, it was observed a high dependence on external inputs and the average land productivity and the number of milking cows per area were 3722,0L/ha/year and 1,1 cows/ha, respectively. Dairy cattle have a potential to supplement the producers income, but investments are needed to intensify the use of forage resources, to improve milk quality, reproductive management, nutrition and health herd and technical assistance to producers.