Economic and Productive Characterization of Dairy Units Integrated to the Municipal Cattle Raising Program (PROGRAM) in the Province of Camagüey, Cuba.
The economic and productive behaviors of dairy units were characterized between 2009 and 2013, integrated to the Municipal Cattle Raising Program (PROGRAM).Ten dairy farms were chosen in the study, grouped in four agricultural enterprises of Camagüey. The main principle of the experiment was to achieve food self-sufficiency in the farms. The study was divided into three stages: (I) characterization of limitations by a farm diagnostics; (II) proposal and incorporation of technologies; (III) follow up and evaluation of results. The analysis included economic and productive indicators suggested by the Ministry of Agriculture. Forage balances were made, and a pasture-forage arrangement was set up, according to the results provided by the REGPAST software. The methodology established by Toro (2011) was used for characterization in three stages: variable reviewing and selection, Principal Component Analysis, and Conglomerate Analysis. The results showed an increase of economic and productive indicators at the end of the stage, which helped determine system behavior. Moreover, all the indicators selected were included in some components, which explains the 89 % of total variability. Accordingly, three groups of dairy units were set up, corresponding with the development programs for each, with mean values of 1 553.0 kg per hectare for the first group; 874.25 kg, for the second; and 1 361.67 kg, in the third group
