Healthy and Competitive Cattle in Panama

Healthy and Competitive Cattle in Panama

story by María del R. Martínez / The Panama Post

It has 17 meat and milk producer breeds The production has improved with the introduction of genetics from the world's best livestock herds

According to statistics made public by the General Comptroller of the Republic between January and March 2009,the Panamanian cattle herd was estimated at 1,640,000 heads of livestock for a growth of 4.7% over the same period last year.
The growth of cattle herd in the last 50 years was based on the expansion of the livestock border, through colonization of uninhabited areas, mainly in the districts of Tonosí, in the province of Los Santos, Montijo, in the province of Veraguas, Chepo and in Chorrera in the province of Panama.

Also at the Costa Abajo and Arriba, in the province of Colón; Coclesito, in Coclé province, in all of the province of Darien and in Changuinola in Bocas del Toro province.

Darién Province was the one that showed the highest growth, followed by Panama. This area of the country was uninhabited until 1980 when it became the repository of the latest wave of immigrants from the central provinces who left the land of their parents in search of better horizons. The livestock business gave them the opportunity to fully integrate to the national economy.

Data obtained from the National Association of Cattlemen (Anagan), indicate that the growth of livestock farming in recent years is based on increases in animal density and productivity.

The use of improved pastures developed in research centers of tropical countries, mainly in Brazil and Colombia, combined with programs developed by the National Government, such as the Agricultural Competitiveness which grants US$ 100.00 per hectare of improved pasture ,and Act 25 of 2001, which supports the investment to improve productivity have helped raise the number of animals and meat and milk production.

Today, Panama has one of the best sanitary standards in terms of livestock activity throughout Central America and the Caribbean regions. Which places us in an "excellent" position on the issue of export, said the Director of Ecos del Agro magazine, Blanca Gómez.
She stressed that this has been achieved by a joint work between the private sector and the government and even with the participation of technicians from commercial houses. We can proudly say that Panama has healthy and highly competitive cattle within the region, which definitely provides an added value in the field of exports.

Panama's beef is being exported to 28 countries in the world, including Taiwan, which is one of the main places of export.

According to latest statistics from the General Comptroller of the Republic, Panama exported between January and May 2009, 93 net kg of bovine cattle meat.
During the same period, 139,985 heads of cattle were slaughtered, about 14,935 more than in the same period of last year.

According to Gómez, all these achievements have been obtained thanks to the work done today by country's cattle farmers, who have assumed their corresponding role, realizing that only through genetic improvement can the development of an excellent cattle raising be achieved.

Contribution from the government:

The National Government has also helped the country in having excellence in the livestock sector with the addition of programs from the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), such as the technological livestock diffusion which has invested $ 8 million.

The plan includes talks to producers for the installation of electric fences, financial records, use of saccharin, mineral salts and capability of grass.

In addition, a contribution of US $ 4.6 million for the improvement of pastures and US $ 2.8 million have contributed to a livestock improvement program that includes better stallions .Those who benefit most are the small producers, since they are given the opportunity to exchange an old bull, which is for killing, for a new bull in an excellent condition to be able to introduce good genetics in his small herd.

Artificial insemination is a quick improvement of genetics, by incorporating characteristics of production to the rodeo through the semen of strictly selected reproducers.

Laboratories for breeding, nutrition and milk reference have also been developed.

In addition, there is the implementation of Act 25 of Agricultural Transformation, through which US$ 26.6 million have been assigned for producers to receive support through soft loans, direct financial assistance and loan guarantee, in accordance with the provisions of this Act and its regulations.

The assigned budget for 2010 for the programs of the National Directorate of Livestock of MIDA is US$ 3.7 million. However, there are other support projects in other departments of the institution and of the public agricultural sector, with assigned budgets.

One of the projects that has been implemented in Panama and has achieved excellent results is the elimination of livestock's "gusano barrenador" (Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)- , which takes place between United States and Panama.

With this program Panama has become a barrier for the worm in the North Hemisphere. It began to be implemented in Mexico, then Colombia, and inspections have been carried out with the help of Panama.
Due to this success, a manufacturing plant of sterile flies for the region has been established in the country that can offer services to all countries, by sending these flies to them.

Production

In Panama, the livestock and milk production have improved with the introduction of genetics from the best herd breeders of the world (see box: Cattle breeds in Panama).

Of all these breeds, the Senepol is the one that has set new standards because it is a gene resistant to heat, especially in warm or tropical areas.

They even have made some crossbreeding with excellent results, like in the area of Chiriquí with Holstein cattle, which are cool climate breeds and it has resulted in a pure and milk breed, called "Cenehols", which adapts easily to a much warmer climate.

The milk production program is associated with the pasture improvement program which has been implemented for several years now to provide added value to the production.

Difficulties

The most critical issue for this time of the year is the shortage of water in 70% of the ranches, but the bagasse, corn cocoon and heart of cane, among others, are able to alleviate the hunger of the animals.

According to ANAGAN, when the winter season starts, the recovery of the animal takes between 70 to 100 days. The same is true for the dairy sector, where during the dry season there is a decline of 70% and it takes the same period to restore production.

Given this situation, MIDA has developed the Water Plan, as a measure to supply water to livestock herds with the construction of drinking troughs, vats, tanks, reservoirs, dams and wells drilling.

This has prevented the deaths of animals, however, the scarcity of water and pasture remains, which have led to low production.

In the province of Los Santos, the region hit hardest by drought, is the one that integrates the dry perimeter that extends from La Villa to Pedasí, at the shoreline of the coast and the central zone of Azuero, located between the districts of Macaracas and Los Santos.

In both sectors the dry season extends for about five months, from January to May, and precipitations are characterized by short and heavy rainfall, which accelerates soil erosion.



Cattle breeds in Panama

Brahman: it is characterized by its productive capacity and weight gain, as well as its high potential for weaning and good meat quality.
Gyr: comes from the Kathiawar Peninsula in India. They are animals with a high reproductive percentage and their mixing with dairy breeds is quite common.
Nelore: also from India. It is used to produce milk, meat and work in areas that require high rusticity.
Indobrasil: originally from Brazil, is characterized by its speed of growth that surpasses the other races.
Angus: from England, it is a high fertility cattle, calving ease and good milk production.
Braunvieh: from Switzerland, is known for its optimal maternal conditions, high fertility and high sexual precocity.
Charolais: from France, is notable for its highly developed muscles in their extremities.
Blonde Aquitaine: is a specialized meat breed, adapts easily to all climates.
Holstein: the ideal cow has her first delivery before three years of age and thereafter it has to raise a calf every year.
There are also breeds such as the Simmental, Jersey, Santa Gertrudis, Senepol, Beefmaster, Simbrah, Brown Swiss and Guzerat.

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