IBS Contributes to Nutritional Management Improvements in Dairy Herds in Rondônia

Nutritional management of dairy herds is a key pillar in the development of dairy farming. A balanced diet tailored to the animals' needs directly impacts herd health, production, and reproduction.

In the Leite Rondônia Project, farmers receive guidance from the Instituto BioSistêmico (IBS) on proper cattle feeding practices. Between October and November, IBS conducted the second round of nutritional management visits, led by agronomist Edson José Strapação, a consultant with IBS and a member of the project team.

“This round focused on providing guidance on corn silage production, with an emphasis on soil correction, planting fertilization, and top-dressing for corn. We also advised on the rehabilitation of degraded pastures and grass fertilization,” highlights Edson Strapação.

He noted that due to the prolonged drought in 2024, some farmers had to acquire forage from outside their farms, purchasing corn silage or elephant grass silage to ensure their cows were fed. In light of this, he recommended increasing the planting of corn, sugarcane, and elephant grass for silage, which will help secure feed for the animals during the next dry season.

Among the improvements observed from the recommendations made during the first round of visits, the agronomist emphasized that farmers have become more concerned with animal welfare. He mentioned the increase in the number of water troughs available for the herd and the installation of artificial shade to provide thermal comfort for the animals.

“Many farmers have started providing concentrated feed to their cows on an individual basis, according to each animal's daily production. Some farmers, who previously milked their cows only once a day, have begun conducting a second milking session, which helps increase milk production,” added the IBS consultant.

About the Leite Rondônia Project

Conceived and implemented by the Instituto BioSistêmico, the Leite Rondônia project is supported by resources from the Zoetis Foundation. The initiative seeks to promote the development of dairy farming on a total of 100 properties, with a family farming profile, in the Ji-Paraná region, in the state of Rondônia, in the Amazon Biome.

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

In addition to technical visits to each property, the project provides for training meetings. These include training focused on the sustainability of dairy farming in the Amazon Biome, highlighting topics that require greater attention on the properties, reinforcing the good practice measures to be implemented during the project.

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 assists the producer on a daily basis, as a support, an extension of IBS consultancy that can be accessed at any time in the palm of your hand.