Productor tambero de Rincón de Ávila cuenta su experiencia con FFO en Canal Rural (Dic 2020)

Interview with Osvaldo Michelu on Dairy Farming Practices

Current Conditions and Challenges in Dairy Farming

• Osvaldo Michelu discusses the recent rainfall, noting that it has been 11 months since significant rain, which has positively impacted his dairy farm.

• He mentions that the area received a total of 90 mm of rain recently, which is crucial for improving conditions after a long dry spell.

• Michelu faced challenges with breeding due to health issues with two bulls, resulting in fewer calves being born on the farm.

Feeding Practices and Milk Production

• Currently, he manages 84 cows and produces approximately 2000 liters of milk daily. The average number of cows typically ranges from 95 to 105.

• He primarily feeds his cows balanced feed and alfalfa rolls, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good quality feed for optimal milk production.

• Michelu practices rotational grazing and cuts alfalfa every 25 to 30 days to ensure healthy regrowth while managing pasture effectively.

Crop Management Strategies

• He explains how he divides his herd into two groups for grazing management, ensuring that not all cows graze at once to maintain pasture health.

• In summer, he incorporates sorghum into his feeding strategy while using oats mixed with reiras during winter months for better management flexibility.

• Michelu prefers growing crops like sorghum or oats over alfalfa during certain seasons due to labor considerations and ease of management.

Fertilization Techniques

• He shares insights about avoiding chemical fertilizers; instead, he uses organic products (FFO), which have shown positive results in crop yield without harming the environment.

• Discussing maize cultivation, he notes difficulties faced this year due to insufficient rainfall but managed to plant maize successfully after preparing the field adequately.

Experimentation with Crop Treatments

• After planting maize under challenging conditions, he applied FFO as a treatment when plants were around 10–12 cm tall to enhance growth despite initial water shortages.

• Despite facing setbacks with weather conditions affecting crop growth, Michelu remains committed to experimenting with different treatments for improved yields.

Insights on Agricultural Practices and FFO Application

Initial Observations on Crop Management

• The speaker discusses the impact of rain on crop growth, noting that the machine was operational before flowering began. Concerns were raised about potential damage to crops due to machinery tracks.

• The conversation shifts to the harvest process, emphasizing that a successful yield is only confirmed once crops are stored properly. Traditional wisdom from ancestors is referenced regarding this belief.

Disease Management and FFO Effectiveness

• The speaker highlights their experience with managing plant diseases using FFO (a type of agricultural product), indicating no significant issues with pests or diseases thus far.

• They express satisfaction with FFO's effectiveness against aphids and thrips, sharing personal adjustments in application rates for better results.

Application Techniques and Challenges

• A detailed account of pest management strategies is provided, including specific observations about pest behavior when treated with FFO. The speaker notes variations in pest control effectiveness based on environmental conditions.

• An acknowledgment of limitations arises as they recount instances where additional products were necessary due to unforeseen circumstances like drought or timing errors in application.

Future Considerations for Production

• The speaker expresses hope for continued access to affordable FFO products amidst rising costs associated with production inputs, particularly influenced by currency fluctuations.