Typology of Cattle Production Systems in Family Farms of Amazonia: Case of Uruará County, Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, cattle is present throughout the country and raised in large farms (fazendas). On the pioneer fronts of Amazonia, in particular in Uruará area, family farming is very dynamic and, at the same time, lacks or uses little technical support. As a result, a series of constraints limit the development of this type of production system. One major constraint is calf mortality before weaning with no clear cause identified. A typology of the farmers was proposed to characterize the various family farming systems of the area in relation to the factors involved in calf mortality. The study was based on cross retrospective surveys on social and structural characteristics as well as practices of animal husbandry. Three types of cattle production systems were identified: 1) systems with well-built and clean buildings, and with appropriate herd management practices; 2) systems with poorly-built and unclean buildings, and inappropriate herd management practices; and 3) systems with very precarious structures, hygiene conditions and herd management practices. The typology also highlighted the main factors that were potential risks to calf mortality: poorlybuilt and poorly-kept stables and boxes, insufficient mineral supplementation, and irregular deworming practices. The authors suggest care measures at the structural and sanitary levels as well as on animal keeping to decrease the calf mortality rate in family farm systems.