Cattle raising in the municipality of Contramaestre in the province of Santiago de Cuba is going through a tense period due to drought, cattle crimes and the absence of an organization that effectively controls the processes of this sector in the base.
In this regard, a cattle raising authority argues:
“We must finish forming and put head to the livestock company of the municipality, because it is the one that will be in charge of enforcing laws, resolutions and decrees, and rescue what was lost in terms of livestock. If we are to achieve a contracting today of milk and meat, we must do it through what is technically established…”.
Indeed, after in-depth debates, numerous contradictions have come to light in the application of regulations that necessarily require a specialized supervisory body to pass, which, among other negative consequences, is experiencing the loss of milk.
“Because Resolution 35 says that you contract 520 liters of milk per cow when you have less than 10 cows, and that you contract 550 liters of milk when you have more than 10. That gives you a rate of 1.4 liter of milk per cow. But when you look at it in spring time, that same cow is capable of giving you 5,6,7,8 and even 10 liters…12 liters, if it is a high producer; 15 liters if we were able to plant the forage and the protein that animal needs; and give it its water, give it its pertinent attention, its biodiversity conditions…”
Livestock cannot continue adding losses, on the contrary the new challenge this year is to advance in the rescue of a sector that can contribute much more in the economic recovery of the nation.
“We have to review the contracting process; we have to review the process of cattle raising. That is to say, that is an aspect to which special attention must be devoted.”
On the other hand, recovering livestock production represents enhancing the possibilities to reduce imports of powdered milk, which is becoming more and more expensive in the international market.
