Dairy farming - A study of the Toledo/PR production basin

This study looks at the milk producing sector in the municipality of Toledo/PR, analysing the characteristics of milk production units. The theoretical framework of the work permeates the concepts of agribusiness and agro-industrial production chains, starting from the macro-environment to the focus of the work, the production of cow's milk at municipal level. The research carried out for this study involved a sample of 85 producers, registered in a programme run by the Toledo Municipal Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. The questionnaires collected data on a range of items, such as farm structure, labour, herd characteristics, milking, milk storage, economic indicators, management, marketing, satisfaction and the wishes of dairy farmers. The results showed a variety of ways of managing the activity among the farms, where the main factor influencing decisions is the volume of milk produced.