Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina
Presentation to the First Research Coordination Meeting on
“Integrated approach for improving small scale market oriented
dairy systems” 8-12 April 2002
Title:Preliminary information on periurban dairy production
oriented to the market in the Cañete valley of Peru
C. Gómez; I. Salazar; E. Alvarado
Facultad de Zootecnia, UNA La Molina,Lima,Peru
Introduction
Peru imports 40 % of national milk consumption mainly from N. Zealand and
Europe. Milk intake percapita is low aprox. 56 Lt / year. Dairy production provides a
good opportunity for employment with sustainable use of natural resources (Coast
and the highlands) based on existing demand. This could also improve food
security in the country.
Localization of the project
Santo Domingo is located on the Cañete Valley, 100 Km south of the city of Lima.
It is situated within the subtropical desert scrub life zone (Holdridge, 1971).
Average precipitation is 2 mm / year with temperature in the range of 16 – 32 º C.
Characterization of the milk production system
It has been identified that dairy production is the main activity for the inhabitants
of Santo Domingo. Dairy units operate without own cropping land (aprox 600 - 900
sq meters per parcel). Men are the ones who obtain the forage for the cattle and do
the milking while women and children do the feeding and general management.
Families do not have easy access to adequate water for human of animal
consumption. It is obtained outside the location and kept in reservoirs constructed
in each parcel. The owners have limited level of education, most of them with only
4-8 school years.
Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina established in 1999, nearby to Santo
Domingo site, a dairy unit (100 cows) for research, teaching and extension
purposes. An extension project funded by Kellogg Foundation has supported initial
activities with dairy farmers on the location and students are involved in various
development activities. For example, two dairy training courses have been offered
in the last 12 months
Dairy Units
Santo Domingo location has 54 dairy farmers. Dairy units are only 15-20 years old
with owners coming from other regions of the country.
Herd size is 6 – 10 animals. The families whose properties have access to water
channels own 8 – 12 cows but the ones whose properties are far from the channel
have 2 – 8 cows. Prevalent genotype is Holstein obtained from large size dairies in
the region. Live weight of the animals is 20 – 40 % below expected and the body
condition is inadequate for all. Farmers do not monitor regularly data on lactation
length, calving interval or lactating/ dry animals
.Milk Production and Reproduction
Hand milking is observed in 100% of the units. Milk production is 3 – 6 kg / day
plus calf intake. This low production appears to be below genotype potential. Most
of the herds have suckling calves (4-5 months) and the males are sold at 2-8
months of age. No use of artificial insemination in the location. The family has own
bull or shares one with the neighbors.
Feeding
Poor quality forage (Sweet potato foliage and Corn stover) and very small supply of
supplementary concentrate (Wheat middling and Cotton seed meal): 1 kg / day.
Restriction in water availability is observed frequently. A collaborative research
project with the International Potato Center (Headquarters in Lima) has evaluated
nutrititive value of different sweet potato cultivars and the response to strategic
concentrate supplementation in the location.
Health care
Vaccinations are made by the Ministry of Agriculture. The regular program includes
antrax and foot and mouth disease. No information is available on calf mortality,
parasites and other health problems although they appear to be high.
Technical Assistance (TA)
Producer is unable to cover the cost of TA due to economic constraints of the
operation. TA from the Government is not established for the location
Commercialization
The approximate total milk production of Santo Domingo is 1500 lt/day. Aprox. 80
% of milk produced is sold. Most of the milk is bought by an intermediary for US$
0.21/lt and resold to Gloria S.A. for US$ 0.24/lt. Some milk (aprox. 5%) is
transformed (yogurt) for local commercialization. No refrigeration facilities for milk
are available on the location.
Prospect for the dairy units
Producers are restricted to receive financial support. and the herd size is a
constraint for improvements.
Possible interventions:
- Feed quality and supply ( Apparent under nutrition in the herd)
- Reproductive management (Large number of non-lactating dry cows/ old
age at first calving)
It is projected to obtain as impact from this project an increase in total milk
production due to more milk per cow and more cows.
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