1994, Number 2
Milk production in the region of Xochimilco in the metropolitan area of Mexico City
Language: English/Spanish
References: 15
Page: 157-161
PDF size: 535.23 Kb.
Text Extraction
A survey and productive evaluation was carried out to study dairy systems in the region of Xochimilco, Mexico. Small dairy farms are usually located next or within the owner's house (66%). A high percentage of the producers is literate (97%) and does not belong to any dairy association (84%) and their school level is mainly distributed as follows: Primary school (47%) and secondary school (41%). Mean number of animals was eleven per owner. The highest percentage of animals were Holstein cows (80%). A significant number of the producers retain the calves for fattening (78%). The feeding system is based on 15 components, where wheat polishing, stubble maize, natural grasses, ground maize and a commercial concentrate stand out. The system for milking cows is still manual, with a reported mean value of 240 days per lactation and a daily milk production of 15 liters per animal. Common diseases reported were: Mastitis, neumonia, bloat and rotten hoof. These problems have been treated by means of specific pharmaceutical veterinary medicines (64%) or homemade treatments (26%), and human medicaments (10%). Most of the milk obtained is sold in the dairy farm (57%), although there is a significant proportion (40%) which is distributed and sold in the house of the consumers. The low number of animals in these dairy farms is due to the availability of forages, which gives them the feature of mixed systems at agriculture-dairy farms.REFERENCES
Jiménez, L., Núñez, P. y Obregón, A.: La importancia del estudio de la ganadería en comunidades campesinas. Memorias del Primer Seminario Nacional Sobre Sistemas de Producción Pecuaria. Chapingo, Edo. de México, México. 1982. 35-55. Departomento de Zootecnia. Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo. Chapingo, Edo. de México, México (1982).
Román, A. y Aguirre, F.: Los sistemas de producción bovina en la costa de Chiapas. Memorias del Primer Seminario Nacional Sobre Sistemas de Producción Pecuaria. Chapingo, Edo. de México, México. 1982. 139-162. Departamento de Zootecnia. Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo, Edo. de México, México (1982).