Family farming and dairy cattle in Parnaíba, Piauí

Abstract

In this study was evaluated the activity of 90.6% of dairy milk producers of family farming in the city of Parnaíba, Piauí. Data were collected through interviews using questionarys in the properties. Most owners did not complete primary education (61.9%) and is in the dairy industry for over 10 years (81.2%). Milking is predominantly manual (81.6%) and with calf at foot (91.8%). The mug screened for hygienic milking management is used by only 16.6% and 37.6% of the producers of milk is sold informally. The healing of the navel with iodine immersion is conducted in 50% of farms and vaccination against brucellosis in 60.4% of them. Despite the ban, in 66.7% of properties are used avermectins in lactating cows, which is also the drug most often used to control ticks. The production system adopted is based on the supply of forage in the feed trough and administration throughout the year, which makes the high cost of production. The low level of basic information about the preventive herd health management, predispose to the emergence and spread of diseases, contributing to higher cost of production, and create a risk to human health.