Percepção dos pecuaristas do município de Dom Pedrito (RS) sobre a criação de bovinos em confinamento e semi-confinamento

Abstract

The cattle culture is an activity of significant importance in Dom Pedrito - RS. The work presented is an analysis based in the cattle confined and semi-confined, from the vision of farmers. This way we try to capture the perception of farmers about the activity, focusing specifically on their optics about confinement and semi-confinement beef cattle. To achieve the proposed objectives was carried out a questionnaire containing quantitative and qualitative questions. The materials were collected in the months from October to December 2011. It was interviewed nine producers, including six in the semi-confinement and three in the feedlot. The predominant education level is unfinished primary education, followed by unfinished secondary education. In relation to production systems in 56% of the farms studied, only predominant beef cattle, in 22% of them is observed cattle together with sheep, and 22% beef cattle integrated with agriculture. The number of cattle is growing, increasing over 75% of properties in 12% of them the number of cattle was reduced and in 13% the herd remained stable. The potential were highlighted by producers for the high turnover of animals in small areas of land; weight gain in a short time, averaging three to four months cattle are confined and semi-confined. The main difficulties pointed out by the producers are the lack of skilled labor in the city and the high cost of animal feed.