Characterization of tropical cattle production units: effect of sanitary management

Abstract

Objective: Characterize double-purpose bovine production units (PU), and identify the sanitary management used by producers in their herds.

Design/methodology/approach: 60 cattle producers were interviewed, the questions were related to the characteristics of the PU and the health status. Four serum samples were sent to the laboratory of the largest herd.

Results: All the cattle producers surveyed were males between the ages of 20 and 50. 40% have been engaged in the activity between 11 and 25 years. The PU have an average of 25 animals, 45% of the producers have between 21 to 30 cows, the highest percentage of animals are Gyr breed (35%) and Sardo Negro (30%). 65% of the producers take care of their sick animals. On the other hand, laboratory studies showed that three cows were positive for Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV), two positive cows for bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) or Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) and Parainfluenza 3 (PI3), finally all cows tested positive for Leptospira sp hardjo.

Study limitations/implications: Under the conditions in which the study was conducted, it is expensive to send samples to the laboratory. The producer with the largest herd financed the laboratory tests of the sampled cows. This information is useful for local producers regarding the characteristics in which they produce.

Findings/conclusions: Dual-purpose cattle producers in the tropics produce on a small scale; and one of the largest PUs has problems of abortive diseases.