Silvio Ávila
50
Herd
enhancement
Livestock numbers in
WesternBahia continue
stable, but the association
of cattle farmers refers to
genetic and confinement
breakthroughs
Cattle farming, which is traditional and relies on process-
ing structures in Western Bahia, in the meadowlands and cer-
rado regions, has been seeking constant
improvements in order to guarantee pro-
duction sustainability. Relying mostly on
zebu breeds and intensive crossings, the
total zebu herd in the region is estimated
at around 2 million head. This number has
kept stable from2016 to 2017, according to
Stefan Zembrod, president of the Western Bahia Cattle Farm-
ers’ Association (Acrioeste), who, nevertheless, observes prog-
ress in the confinement sector, where influence comes from
Cattleherd inthe
regionreaches 2
millionhead
more accessible prices of animal feed.
The cattle farmers of the region have been
introducing several measures intended to
lead to constant improvements in the activity,
amid lots of challenges that have surfaced, like
drought conditions and costs. The official of
the sector’s association mentions aspects that
have increasingly received attention and help
with the development of regional livestock
farming operations. Stefanmaintains that “the
new technologies, capacity building training
and professionalization in farm management
