Boosting productivity and competitiveness |
An agreement for cattle breeders in the Brazilian state of Acre to have access to the genetic improvement of animals is the result of a meeting between the president of the Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders (ABCZ)Gabriel García Cid, and the state's Undersecretary of Agriculture, Edivan Maciel de Azevedo.
This meeting was held within the framework of the 88th ExpoCebu, considered the largest zebu cattle fair in the world. It took place from April 29 to May 7 of this year at the Fernando Costa Park in the state of Minas Gerais. There were livestock exhibitions, visits and business exchanges between genetics centers, agricultural companies and foreign investors, among other productive and recreational activities.
Democratization of genetic improvement
The objective of the agreement is to bring genetic improvement technology to the state of Acre, through the introduction of highly genetic animals. The agreement also includes the realization of fairs, fairs Pro-Genetics. Both points seek to increase the income of small and medium-sized producers, who represent the majority of the labor force.
To start the process of genetic improvement, it is necessary to look for the specimens that have the best productive behavior in the appropriate environmental conditions and try to reproduce them. It is important to be clear about which are the objectives to be achieved, and then try to increase the frequency of the genes that are considered adequate to achieve the established purpose.
It is important to emphasize that genetic improvement should be focused on greater and better production of meat and milk, as a way of guaranteeing food security for the population. It should also ensure the farmer to have fertile, healthy and productive animals.
Being a livestock power comes with risks
Acre is one of the twenty-six states that, together with the Federal District, make up the Federative Republic of Brazil. Although it represents a very small area, it is one of the least deforested regions in the country. However, the rapid expansion of cattle ranching worries environmentalists, according to figures from the Observatory of Trade and Environment in the Amazon. The number of cattle in Acre is four times greater than the number of inhabitants, which could lead to deforestation and land use domination if there is no rational and intelligent use of natural resources.
