Caracterización técnica y productiva de los sistemas de producción lechera del valle de Sibundoy, Putumayo (Colombia)

In the department of Putumayo, the livestock sector has a great importance within the economy and dairy production is the main purpose of cattle breeding in the Sibundoy Valley. With the objective of characterizing milk production systems in this valley, a qualitative descriptive study was carried out, using a survey aimed at producers in specialized dairy production systems in order to evaluate different technical and productive aspects. It was found that 79.26% of the parcels have less than 7 ha; 78.6% have 2 to 5 animals; animal load capacity ranges from 1.14 to 2.92 large livestock units (LLU); 45.72% of the parcels are leased; in 80% of the parcels, administration and management is carried out by the owners with a low level of schooling (63.7%); 48.9% do not have any type of livestock installations, and 100% do manual milking; most of them do not keep accounting records (57.1 to 86.7%); 57.1 to 80% of the treatments are performed by persons other than veterinarians; the degree of technical assistance is very low regarding the agricultural as well as administrative management of the grassland; there is a low degree of associativity, composition of the herd, reproduction and grassland management; there is a medium degree of land use, as well as sanitary, labor, and calves management. It is concluded that the production systems evaluated are mostly small landholdings, with a high animal load and a low degree of technical assistance, which is reflected in low productive, reproductive, sanitary, and administrative efficiency.