IBS, Sebrae and Zoetis Foundation perform field days for the Leite Seridó Project

The Instituto BioSistêmico together with Sebrae/RN and the Zoetis Foundation, promoted two field days for producers assisted by the Leite Seridó project, in the municipalities of Serra Negra do Norte and Parelhas, in Rio Grande do Norte, on the 25th and 26th of April respectively.

The opening of the event with the presentation of Leite Seridó results was led by the technical coordinator of livestock projects at IBS, Luiz Sartori, and by the Sebrae/RN analyst, Acácio Sânzio de Brito.

With the participation of 160 producers, the events included a presentation of project results, a lecture on dairy farm management, in addition to the theater play “Chico Santo e a Vaca Estrela” (Chico Santo and the Star Cow).

“I really enjoyed how everyone here enjoyed the lecture and the theater. It was wonderful to see our reality presented in the play. It is a creative and relaxed way of showing that we must always be improving and innovating, seeking knowledge for an increasingly demanding market”, reports producer Marcelo Roque from Fazenda José Roque, in the municipality of Parelhas.

For the producer Urbano Batista, the play was very educational and fit perfectly with the lecture on dairy farm management. “It became clear that it is essential to have real control over production costs, to know if we are making a profit. If you don't make a profit, see what you can reduce in expenses, without affecting production”, says the producer.

Dairy Farming Management

Led by agronomist Camila Costa, specialist in Dairy Farming Management, the lecture approached the issue of profitability, the importance of controlling expenses to calculate the production cost of the milk produced, highlighting how economic data produces security in decision-making.

“It is an extremely important topic for producers to be able to advance in management. To acquire new technologies, most of the time, financial resources are required. And they need to understand that, if there is a profit, it is worth investing, as the business is growing”, explains the agricultural engineer.

According to the expert, the participation of producers, with questions and demonstrations after the lectures, was very positive. “I was happy to realize that I sensitized producers, that I made them reflect on their ways of dairy farming and the possibility of improvement”, adds Camila.

Chico Santo and the Star cow

The theater show “Chico Santo and the Star cow” is directed by actor Manoel de Matos, who is also the author of the work. The play portrays the daily life of a dairy farmer, Chico Santo, who was born and grew up, learning how to deal with dairy farming with the traditions that are familiar to him from his grandfather and father.

“Chico Santo has a lot of difficulty accepting new technologies and the new needs that the market and consumers demand. And he faces big dilemmas, but slowly he begins to realize that there is no way out and he will have to do it in a different way. With the openness to the new, he begins to realize that it is possible to change and life can improve”, says Manoel de Matos.

For the actor, the importance of the message transmitted is that theater provokes great identification. “When watching the play, the producers begin to identify themselves with some passages, especially in relationships with people, in the fear of the unknown, in the difficulty of change and of looking forward, to the new”, points out Manoel.

He adds that field days like these are fundamental for the development of producers, as they bring technical content and theater to convey a message and knowledge that will make a difference for those who are willing to change and implement improvements in dairy farming.

About the Leite Seridó Project

Designed and executed by the Instituto BioSistémicos, the Leite Seridó project is supported by resources from the Zoetis Foundation and Sebrae/RN. The initiative seeks to promote the development of dairy farming on a total of 100 properties, with a family farming profile, in the Seridó region, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast region of Brazil.

It proposes a set of activities and technological assistance resources, structured and modulated into four thematic axes aimed at improving the production process: good practices, reproductive management, nutritional management and health management.

The project uses the CheckMilk methodology, which has a platform with a management system and application for technical teams and producers. The system facilitates project management and the application helps the producer on a daily basis, as support, an extension of IBS consultancy that can be accessed at any time in the palm of your hand.