Technological indicators and productive performance of dairy cattle farming in the city of Rondon do Pará, state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon

The objective of this study was to evaluate the technological level and productive performance of the milk producing units of the municipality of Rondon do Pará in the state of Pará. Data were collected through interviews with questionnaires, conducted at 55 dairy farms, which accounted for 43.3% of the milked cows in the municipality. The factors that characterize the systems of bovine milk production were estimated by means of factorial analysis using 12 variables representative of the production units surveyed. Five factors were extracted: F1 = size of the enterprise; F2 = environment and nutrition; F3 = technical assistance and herd management; F4 = animal health; F5 = schooling. From the scores associated with each factor, the index for productive performance of dairy cattle (DFPI) was calculated. The properties were classified into three levels of productive performance, including two considered to have a high level of DFPI, 16 with intermediate productive performance and 37 considered to have a low level of DFPI. There is a need to adopt technologies that promote the productive performance of dairy cattle in Rondon do Pará, as well as enable adaptation to socio-environmental public policies, with the aim of strengthening sustainable rural production through strategic actions that facilitate an increased technological level in farming systems production.