Bovinocultores leiteiros suas produções, características e perspectivas na região Sudeste do Brasil

Abstract

The work carried out at the Southwestern region, covering Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, aiming to describe dairy farmes and their production systems. A field research was made based upon forms distributed among the farmers. Results envolving a social approach were: the proprietors are married, more than 51 years old , more than 10 years in the activity, live at the farm, have a low level of formal education (scholarship), have electrical power and use their family as a team work. A worrifying aspect observed was a low participation of their sons in the activity. Under a technical approach it was observed: low milk production was manly based on pastures with low fertilizers and feed utilization. More than 90% have land proriety certicates, bulk milk tank an use bulk transportion. Cooperative and Farmers Associations have a major role in technical assistance, but the work showed they are still ineffcient since there is no staff enough to attend every farmers.