No abstract provided / Dissertation (M Inst Agrar (Pasture Science))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The thesis examines the processes of social differentiation amongst households living on farms transferred through South African land reform, and the degree to which the ‘commercialisation’ of the cattle economy accounts for these processes. The evidence is drawn from six farms owned by Communal Property Associations (CPAs), which are part of the Besters Land Reform Project in the Besters District of KwaZulu-Natal. Drawing on the scholarship of critical political economists, the thesis shows that social differentiation is a dynamic process that both underlies and exacerbates conflicts over the commercial production of collectively owned cattle. This finding is derived from examining the articulation of three analytically distinct processes. These are the diversification of livelihoods in response to diminishing opportunities for regular wage employment; the social stratifications arising partly from the unequal ownership of cattle; and the differential claims on and extractions made from CPA land and cattle production. The thesis shows that some households are able to accumulate agricultural capital and expand their cattle herds by securing and synchronising a range of livelihoods, including wage employment, social grants and subsidies from CPA farm production. Others, unable to synchronise livelihoods arising from social processes that often run counter to one another, find their cattle herds depleted as they draw on them to survive. When their agricultural production declines, their capacity to generate a livelihood sufficiently robust to withstand shocks is put at risk. This places the collectively owned land, income and assets of the CPAs at the centre of a politics defined by the contradiction between meeting the needs of social reproduction on the one hand, and accumulating farm capital, on the other. This is evidenced in the dynamic nature of the hybridised farm systems in which cattle farming for multiple purposes co-exists with the production of cattle as commodities. Reflecting this materiality, the politics of the CPA draws on older relationships of kinship, underpinned by ceremonial uses of cattle that both reflect and generate broader socio-economic inequalities. The outcome of this fluid and complex ‘politics of the farm’ determines whether land reform produces a small number of ‘winners’ or a greater number of households involved in agricultural petty commodity production. Social differentiation is exacerbated on farms that disband collective production, while households are both more likely to continue farming or to re-enter agricultural petty commodity production where CPA production provides capital and labour inputs. The implications of these findings are that the problems of production on many land reform farms cannot be explained simply in terms of CPAs as troubled institutions. Rather, the dynamics of differentiation constitute CPAs and their enterprises as sites of struggle that render collectively owned production unstable under current land and agrarian policy frameworks. Policy priorities that take cognizance of this politics and support farm level adjudications of member’s rights to land, capital and cash, and support agricultural capital accumulators to exit communal property arrangements could result in limited transformations of the agrarian structure.

This thesis "Effect of concentrates feeding on slaughter weight and carcass composition in farmed fallow deer (Dama dama)" evaluates the influence of two different sorts of complementary food and a nutritive supplement to slaughter weight and structure of a fatted body. The literature summary is complemented with results of the experiment conducted on The Mnich Farm near Kardašova Řečice in association with The Institute of Animal Science. Ten-month fallow deers were divided into three groups. Each of them was kept separately, one (the control group No.1) was fed only by pasture, the group No.2 and No.3 were fed by complementary food consisting of barley and oat in a ratio of 2/3:1/3 in the amount of 0,4 kg per one head and day. The group No. 3 was extra served by the nutritive supplement containing protected lysine. The animals were weighted at the beginning of the experiment and in the process of slaughter at the age of sixteen months. Fifteen heads of cattle were randomly chosen from every group and they were slaughtered during three days - five at a day from each of group. The animals were transported to the slaughterhouse afterwards where the slaughter preparation was done according to the JUT´s (The Slaughter Preparation of meat stock classification) and the SEUROP´s (The System of Slaughter Preparation of meat stock classification) rules. The differences were statistically compared. Beyond the task the economical evaluation of profitability of complementary food and nutritive supplement admixture to the feeding ration and the slaughter processing effectivity has been made.

No description available.

Thesis (MSc. (Pasture Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / An experiment was conducted at the University of Limpopo to determine the diet selection of cattle in the Petersburg Plateau Bushveld, the aim being to identify important and palatable grass species during four seasons of the year and to determine their above-ground biomass production. For diet selection data, five permanently marked transects were randomly laid out per camp, each 100 m long. On each transect, grass tufts were identified and permanently marked at 1 m intervals (100 tufts per transect). Turfs were surveyed on a weekly basis to determine frequency, intensity of utilization and tuft height. A palatability index was determined for each species. Diet selection data were analysed, using descriptive statistics. For biomass production, five permanent 20 m x 20 m plots were randomly laid out per camp, in which biomass of grass were measured. Within each plot, five 1 x 1 m quadrates were randomly harvested. The biomass data was analysed using the General Linear Mixed Model. Means were compared, using a Tukey test at the 5% significance level. Digitaria eriantha, Eragrostis rigidior and Heteropogon contortus were the dominant grass species. On average, Brachiaria nigropedata, Panicum maximum and Digitaria eriantha were utilized at higher frequencies and intensities. Brachiaria nigropedata, P. maximum, Urochloa mosambicensis, Themeda triandra, D. eriantha, Schmidtia pappophoroides and H. contortus were regarded as the most palatable species. The circumference of the tuft of S. pappophoroides, E. rigidior and D. eriantha decreased highly significantly (P<0.01). The height of utilizable leaves of B. nigropedata, D. eriantha, P. maximum and S. pappophoroides decreased highly significantly, while the height of highest leaves of B. nigropedata, D. eriantha, P. maximum, S. pappophoroides, H. contortus and T. triandra also decreased highly significantly. Total biomass production was significantly higher (P<0.05) during autumn, while total biomass production during winter was low, compared to other seasons. Total biomass production did not differ significantly between spring and summer. Panicum maximum, x B. nigropedata, D. eriantha, T. triandra, H. contortus, S. pappophoroides and U. mosambicensis were regarded as “key species” in the diet selected by cattle. Farmers in the Pietersburg Plateau Bushveld should graze their camps to assure the maintenance or improvement of perennial palatable grasses with high biomass production, which will result in overall improvement of veld condition.

Réduire les usages d’antibiotiques est un des leviers principaux pour contrer l’avancée de l’antibiorésistance qui menace l’efficacité du traitement des maladies bactériennes humaines et animales. En filières bovin laitier et jeunes bovins de boucherie, deux maladies de production sont responsables des principaux usages d’antibiotiques, respectivement les mammites et les maladies respiratoires. L’objectif de la thèse a été d’identifier auprès des acteurs des filières des verrous limitant l’amélioration des pratiques la diminution de l’utilisation d’antibiotiques, puis d’identifier des leviers d’action. En élevage de jeunes bovins de boucherie, des entretiens auprès d’acteurs de la filière (éleveurs et responsables) et des enquêtes auprès d’éleveurs ont permis d’identifier que l’organisation de la filière est un des principaux verrous. Cependant, les caractéristiques des systèmes d’exploitations et les compétences des éleveurs constituaient également une potentielle limite. En élevage bovin laitier, des entretiens ont permis de montrer que les perceptions et connaissances des éleveurs semblaient être un des freins majeurs à l’amélioration des pratiques, le système d’exploitation semblant intervenir à la marge. En élevage bovin allaitant, des leviers permettant d’améliorer la coordination entre les acteurs de la chaîne de valeur ont été identifiés. En élevage laitier, un programme innovant de formation et de conseil a été évalué dans le cadre d’une étude d’intervention, montrant une amélioration des connaissances et perceptions des éleveurs sur la prévention et l’utilisation des antibiotiques. / Reducing antibiotic use is one of the main levers to limit the increase of antimicrobial resistance, which threatens the effectiveness of the treatments of human and animal bacterial diseases. In dairy and young beef bull sectors, antibiotics are mainly used to control two production diseases, respectively mastitis and bovine respiratory diseases (BRD). The objective of the thesis was to identify with sectors’ stakeholders’ limitations for the improvement of antibiotic use practices, then to identify levers of action. In the young beef bulls’ sector, interviews with stakeholders and farmers showed that the organization of the value chain, because of its potential influence on BRD risk factors, was one of the main limitation identified. However, the characteristics of farming systems and farmers’ skills were also a potential limitation. In the dairy sector, interviews have shown that farmers’ perceptions and knowledge seemed to be one of the major limitation to the improvement of the practices. The farming system seemed to have only limited influence. In young beef bulls sector, levers to improve coordination between stakeholders in the value chain have been identified. In dairy farming, an innovative training and advising program was evaluated as part of an intervention study, showing an improvement in the knowledge and perceptions of farmers regarding prevention measures and antibiotic use.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:33:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2927678 bytes, checksum: 2b604170cbf708f71cd2307b1cbc5a74 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-11-06 / A series of discussions on modernization in the field have been fought seeks to reflect on the models of rural development aimed at the mechanisms that allow for sustainability of interventions in agriculture. Amid these issues various policies and programs have been orchestrated in pursuit of more sustainable agricultural practices. In this sense in the Zona da Mata region mineira since 2005 Emater-MG and researchers from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), is developing on farms in the region new forms of agricultural production as defined by these technicians models that seek to value of production less harmful to the environment. Among these strategies is possible to mention the Integrated Cattle Farming Forest (IAFP), which consists of a system that seeks switch to agriculture and forest grazing in the same area. Thus, the research aimed to analyze the implementation of the IAFP in municipalities of the region of Viçosa, located in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais. With this, we adopted a methodology that allowed the use of some criteria for the choice of farmers and technicians to be interviewed, the data presented here are the result of field research conducted in some municipalities of the region of Viçosa, in the first half of 2012. Therefore, what we can see in this dissertation, among many conclusions, embraced on empirical data, scientific and conceptual is that the process of diffusion of innovative extension tied to technology transfer is insufficient to account for a complex reality that is the rural universe. Although the strategy deployed IAFP is under a process of transition from conventional agriculture production to a system that seeks to favor the most sustainable, even if far from desired. Nevertheless, it is possible to discuss what should be done, ie the improvement of processes instilled in implementing the above strategy, so that all content anharmonic and anti inclusive may give rise inclusive environmental strategies that ensure a more sustainable agriculture. / Uma série de discussões sobre a modernização no campo já foi travada buscando refletir sobre os modelos de desenvolvimento voltados para o rural e que permitissem mecanismos de intervenções para a sustentabilidade da agricultura. No bojo dessas questões, diversas políticas e programas vêm sendo orquestrados na busca por práticas agrícolas mais sustentáveis. Nesse sentido, na Zona da Mata mineira, desde 2005, a Emater-MG e os pesquisadores da Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV) vêm desenvolvendo, em propriedades rurais da região, novas formas de produção agrícola definidas por esses técnicos, que buscam valorizar modelos de produção menos agressivos ao ambiente. Entre essas estratégias, é possível citar a Integração Lavoura Pecuária Floresta (ILPF), que consiste em um sistema que busca alternar pastagem com agricultura e floresta em uma mesma área. Dessa forma, a pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar a implantação da ILPF nos municípios da microrregião de Viçosa, localizada na Zona da Mata do Estado de Minas Gerais. Para isso, adotouse uma metodologia que permitiu o uso de alguns critérios para a escolha dos agricultores e técnicos a serem entrevistados, cujos dados apresentados neste trabalho são frutos de pesquisa de campo realizada em alguns municípios da Microrregião de Viçosa, no primeiro semestre de 2012. Para tanto, o que se pôde observar nesta dissertação, entre inúmeras conclusões, abarcadas em dados empíricos, científicos e conceituais, é que o processo de difusão inovadora da extensão rural atrelado à transferência de tecnologia é insuficiente para dar conta de uma realidade complexa que é o universo rural. Embora a estratégia da ILPF implantada se encontre sob um processo de transição do sistema de agricultura convencional de produção para um sistema que procura privilegiar aspectos mais sustentáveis, estando ainda muito distante do desejado. Apesar disso, é possível discorrer sobre o que deve ser feito, ou seja, o aprimoramento dos processos incutidos na implantação da supracitada estratégia, de forma que todo o conteúdo anarmônico e anti-inclusivo possa dar lugar às estratégias inclusivas socioambientais que garantam uma agricultura mais sustentável.

The theoretical part features an overview of the historical development of dairy cows feeding and introduces currently used trends in feeding. This part also outlines basic technologies in the production of roughage and describes modern feed distribution machinery. The practical part evaluates the accuracy of loading of individual components and the total weight of a feed ration loaded into a vertical suspension mixer feeder wagon by a front-end loader tractor. The observation was carried out at Mr. Kadlec's family farm in Velký Bor near Netolice and lasted four months. During this period, the actual weight of loaded components (grass-clover haylage, maize silage, grains meal) was being monitored daily. The evaluation came to a conclusion that grass-clover haylage stored in bales is loaded with a greater accuracy than maize silage stored in a clamp silo.

Development of transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) in southern Africa depends, among other, on the ability of stakeholders to find practical and sustainable solutions for wildlife‐livestock integration in the conservation landscape. Due to the presence of buffalo Syncerus caffer in most of the TFCAs in southern Africa, foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) has to be controlled in susceptible livestock species sharing the rangelands with wildlife. Conventional FMD control measures act as an additional burden on communal livestock producers and may hamper rural development and wildlife‐livestock integration even further. However, commodity‐based trade in the form of an integrated approach to the control of both food safety and disease risk along the entire beef value chain has been proposed as a more favourable alternative for ensuring market access for beef produced at the wildlife‐livestock interface. Such a non‐geographic based approach could allow for trade to continue despite high risk of FMD if appropriate disease risk and food safety measures are implemented by farmers and subsequent role players along the value chain and hence, could promote greater wildlife‐livestock compatibility. / The objective of the present study was to analyse beef production, health and trade systems of farmers at the wildlife‐livestock interface within foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) protection zones in order to identify challenges, risks and limitations that may limit compliance with proposed commodity‐based trade prerequisites as well as value chain participation. Based on the findings of this study a holistic, integrated approach is proposed at the village level that could be implemented to serve as an incentive for equitable participation by farmers whilst 1) addressing the risks and limitations of a farming system, 2) ensuring greater wildlife‐livestock compatibility, and 3) promote consistent market access by fulfilling the requirements of an integrated value chain approach based on commodity‐based trade standards. / A farming systems approach was used to investigate beef production, health and trade systems in FMD protection zones mainly within the Zambezi Region (ZR) of Namibia, which is situated within the KAZA TFCA (Kavango‐Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area), but also the Mnisi study area (MSA) in South Africa adjacent to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA). A combined qualitative and quantitative approach was used to assess and describe farmers’ perceptions in selected study areas about beef production, trade, and wildlife conservation. Secondary data obtained from state veterinary services, the Meatco abattoir in Katima Mulilo, as well as previous studies were analysed and modelled to describe spatial‐temporal trends in trade as well as cattle distribution in relation to resource availability. / The results indicate that beef production systems in some of the most remote areas of the ZR as well as in the MSA resemble a typical low‐input low‐output production system, mainly due to the high level of risk farmers had to cope with and the limited opportunity to offset losses. The major challenges within livestock farming in all the areas studied were animal diseases, grazing competition, predation, stock theft and contact with wildlife, although the importance of each varied between study areas. Herd size effect in the MSA significantly explained the variation in attitude towards trade, production and management of cattle between farmers with below average and farmers with above average herd sizes. In the MSA, home slaughter contributed significantly more to direct household food security in households with larger herd sizes than in households with smaller herd sizes, and in the ZR farmers with smaller herd sizes were discouraged from participation in formal trade. / The attitudes and perceptions of farmers In the ZR towards wildlife and conservation often varied between survey areas as a consequence of the variation in the geophysical properties of the landscape, proximity to conservation areas, as well as the form of the interface with conservation areas. The perceived spatial‐temporal movement of buffalo varied between survey areas in the ZR. However, the frequency and nature of buffalo‐cattle interaction was generally high and intimate. Most farmers associated buffalo with risk of disease, especially FMD, but some were more concerned about grazing competition and the negative effect on husbandry practises. Farmers readily deployed traditional risk mitigation tactics in the form of kraaling at night and herding at day to control the movement of their animals and to reduce risks. Herding was found to be a potential strategy to specifically mitigate cattlebuffalo contact despite the lack of evidence that an overall strategic approach to herding exist. Although the majority of farmers in the ZR were in favour of conservation and its benefits, the negative impact of increasing wildlife numbers on farmers’ attitudes was an indication that the generally positive sentiment was changing and may in future deter conservation efforts. / Indications are that the cattle population in the ZR at its estimated density and distribution had reached the ecological capacity of the natural resource base in the ZR and animal performance and survival was therefore subjected to increased variability in resource availability linked to climate change. The cattle population’s existence at ecological capacity and the inability of farmers to offset the loss of condition in the dry season with supplementary feed were reflected in the changes in carcass quality and grades across seasons. However, there was sufficient forage produced in the ZR to sustain animal performance to some extent throughout the year, but those areas with surplus forage existed beyond the assumed grazing range around villages and perennial rivers where most cattle and wildlife concentrate. The future ability of farmers to access such underutilised grazing resources in order to strategically counter the negative consequences of climate change and growing wildlife numbers could be an important coping and risk management mechanism linked to commodity‐based trade and sustained animal quality. / Regular FMD outbreaks had a significant impact on the consistency with which the Meatco abattoir in the ZR operated between the years 2007‐2011, with negative consequences to both farmers and the abattoir itself. It was found that the formal trade system in the ZR discriminated against farmers with below average herd sizes, and that the disposition held by farmers with smaller herd sizes are most significant in areas further than approximately 55km away from quarantine camps. Vegetation type and possible contact with buffalo or previous FMD outbreaks in the area did not significantly affect market participation nor off‐take rates at a crush‐pen level in the ZR. The negative effect that distance from a quarantine station had on formal off‐take rate and the level of sales to Meatco at crush‐pen level, was the most significant in the winter months and crush‐pens situated beyond 55km from a quarantine station. The results indicate that the trade range of the Meatco abattoir was less than its trade threshold which contributed to its struggle to sustain throughput and profitability. / Finally the loss of income farmers experienced in both the ZR and the MSA during simultaneous FMD outbreaks in the year 2012 was quantified, as well as the impact it had on livelihoods in the ZR. A commodity‐based trade approach may have reduced the impact on farmers’ income significantly. However, we farmers are unable to comply with the proposed requirements for mitigating risk and ensuring food safety and quality in such communal systems in the absence of interventions to build the necessary capacity and awareness. It is recommended that at the wildlife‐livestock interface such as those investigated in this study, an integrated value chain approach to trade could serve as a catalyst to incentivise and enable farmer participation in holistic, integrated rangeland and livestock management practises that will promote conservation and rural development. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium / University of Pretoria / National Research Foundation of South Africa / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / PhD / Unrestricted

O objetivo desta tese é analisar as relações entre o perfil socioeconômico dos pecuaristas criadores de bovinos no estado do Rio Grande do Sul, as possibilidades referentes ao uso dos recursos produtivos e as características das regiões em que eles estão localizados. Assim, investiga-se a existência de relações entre o perfil socioeconômico destes pecuaristas, as possibilidades referentes ao uso dos recursos produtivos e as características específicas de cada região. A base de dados analisada é constituída de 516 entrevistas, realizadas entre os meses de agosto e outubro de 2004, junto a pecuaristas distribuídos em 117 municípios gaúchos. A partir da utilização da Análise Fatorial e da Análise de Clusters, identifica-se quatro grandes perfis de pecuaristas. O primeiro, denominado de Pecuaristas Estacionários, representa 48,26% da amostra. O segundo, o dos Pecuaristas Consolidados, corresponde a 31,20% dos casos analisados. Nestes dois perfis, a principal atividade agrícola é a bovinocultura de corte e o sistema de criação predominante é o do tipo cria e ciclo completo. A presença das aposentadorias, das rendas não-agrícolas, e das rendas externas (principalmente na forma de arrendamentos) é expressiva e contribuem significativamente na composição da renda total dos estabelecimentos. O terceiro e o quarto perfil, denominados de Pecuaristas-Lavoureiros Especializados e Pecuaristas-Lavoureiros Convencionais (9,88% e 10,66% da amostra) desenvolvem a bovinocultura de corte, juntamente com o cultivo de lavouras anuais. O sistema de criação predominante é o do tipo ciclo completo e o de recria/terminação. Nestes dois perfis, verificam-se os melhores índices de produtividade e rendimentos médios relacionados, tanto à bovinocultura de corte, quanto às atividades de lavouras. Essa diferenciação em relação aos pecuaristas em que a bovinocultura é a atividade agrícola principal, em larga medida, ocorre porque as áreas de lavouras no período de verão são ocupadas com pastagens cultivadas. Isso permite a diminuição da lotação animal nas áreas de pastejo, a melhora da quantidade e da qualidade de forragem no período de inverno. Também contribui para essa diferenciação o descompasso entre os preços do gado bovino, bastante deprimidos no período da realização da pesquisa e dos produtos das lavouras anuais de verão (soja e arroz), valorizados. Estes pecuaristas também revelam os melhores níveis de escolaridade e de inserção social na comunidade local e regional. Entre as motivações para atuar na bovinocultura, destacam-se, além da tradição, o lucro e a segurança que a atividade proporciona. Constata-se ainda que estabelecimentos localizados em regiões ou áreas de relevo menos dobrados, condições climáticas e solos favoráveis à implantação de lavouras, têm a possibilidade de diversificar o portfólio de atividades e os ingressos de renda, no que se refere às formas de produção agrícolas. Assim, a distribuição destes estabelecimentos no espaço agrário rio-grandense, não obedece estritamente à tradicional regionalização - Norte Agrícola e Sul Pecuário. Em linhas gerais, as diferentes configurações dos perfis de pecuaristas, da organização dos estabelecimentos, e a distribuição destes no espaço agrário, refletem as diferentes possibilidades no que se refere ao uso e disponibilidade dos recursos produtivos, principalmente em relação à diversificação de formas de uso da terra. Além disso, refletem as diferentes características socioculturais e comportamentais dos pecuaristas. / The work aims to analyze the relations among social-economical profiles of beef cattle farmers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as well as the possibilities regarding the use of productive resources and the characteristics of the regions where they are located. Thus was carried out an investigation of the relations between social-economical profiles of these beef cattle farmers, the possibilities regarding the use of productive resources and the specific characteristics of each region. The analyzed database was composed of 516 interviews made between August and October 2004 with beef cattle farmers distributed in 117 municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul. By using Factor and Cluster Analyses, four large beef cattle farmer profiles could be identified. The first profile, named Stagnated Cattle Farmers, represents 48.26% of the sample. The second, Consolidated Cattle Farmers, corresponds to 31.20% of the cases analyzed. The main farming activity of these two profiles is beef cattle farming and cow-calf and complete cycle are the predominant breeding systems. The presence of retirement plans, non-farm income and external income (mainly through leases) is expressive and contributes significantly to the total income of the establishments. The third and fourth profiles, denominated Specialized Cattle/Crop Farmers and Conventional Cattle/Crop Farmers (respectively 9.88% and 10.66% of the sample) develop beef cattle farming along with cultivation of annual crops. The predominant breeding systems are complete cycle and growing/finishing. The best productivity rates and average income for both beef cattle farming and crop could also be verified in these profiles. This differentiation in relation to the beef cattle farmers, to who have beef cattle farming is the main farming activity, occurs largely because the crop areas are occupied by cultivated pastures during the summer. This causes a decrease of the stocking rate in pasture areas and an increase of the quantity and quality of the fodder during the winter. The beef cattle price, very depressed during period of the research, as opposed to annual summer crop products (soy and rice), also contributed for this differentiation. The second group of beef cattle farmers also demonstrated the highest degrees of education and social insertion in local and regional communities. Besides tradition, the profit and security the activity provides were among the main motivations to work in beef cattle production. It was also noted that the establishments located in regions with less creased terrain, favorable climatic conditions and soils for the implantation of crops have better chances of diversifying their activity portfolio and/or income generation, in regard to the forms of farming production. Therefore, the distribution of these establishments in the agrarian space of Rio Grande do Sul does not strictly obey traditional regionalization - Agricultural North and Cattle Farming South. In general lines, the different configurations of beef cattle farmer profiles, organization of establishments and their distribution in the agrarian space reflect different possibilities regarding the use and availability of productive resources, mainly in relation to the diversification of ways to use the earth. Moreover, they reflect the different social/cultural and behavioral characteristics of the beef cattle farmers. / El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar las relaciones entre el perfil socioeconómico de los ganaderos criadores de bovinos en el estado de Río Grande del Sur, las posibilidades sobre el uso de los recursos productivos y las características de las regiones en que ellos están localizados. La base de datos analizada está constituida de 516 entrevistas, realizadas entre los meses de agosto y octubre de 2004 a ganaderos distribuidos en 117 municipios gauchos. Con base en la utilización del Análisis Factorial y del Análisis de Clusters, se identifican cuatro grandes perfiles de ganaderos: El primero denominado como Ganaderos Estacionarios que representan 48,26% de la muestra. El segundo, de Ganaderos Consolidados, corresponde a 31,20% de los casos analizados. Para estos dos perfiles, la principal actividad es la de bovino de corte y el sistema de creación predominante es el de cría y ciclo completo. Los recursos provenientes de la jubilación, de los ingresos no-agrícolas y de ingresos externos (principalmente en la forma de arrendamiento) son expresivos y contribuyen significativamente en la composición del ingreso total de los establecimientos. El tercero y el cuarto perfil denominados de Ganaderos- -Agricultores-Especializados y Ganaderos- Agricultores Convencionales (9, 88% y 10,66% de la muestra) realizan la actividad de bovino de corte junto con cultivos anuales. El sistema de creación predominante es el de ciclo completo y el de recría /terminación. Para estos dos perfiles se verifican los mejores índices de productividad y rendimientos medios relacionados, tanto para la actividad de bovino de corte como para las actividades agrícolas. Esa diferencia en relación a los ganaderos en que la ganadería es la actividad principal, en gran medida, se presenta porque las áreas de cultivo en el periodo de verano son ocupadas con pasto cultivado. Esto permite la disminución de la capacidad de carga animal en las áreas de pasto, el mejoramiento de la cantidad y calidad de forraje en el periodo de invierno. También contribuye para esa diferenciación, el descompaso entre los precios de ganado bovino muy bajos durante el periodo de realización de la investigación y de la valorización de los productos de cultivos anuales de verano (soya y arroz). Estos ganaderos también presentan los mejores niveles de escolaridad y de inserción social de la comunidad local y regional. Entre las motivaciones para ejercer en la ganadería, se destacan, además de la tradición, el lucro y la seguridad que la actividad proporciona. Así también se constata que los establecimientos localizados en las regiones o en áreas de relieve menos accidentados, condiciones climáticas y suelos favorables para la implantación de cultivos, tienen la posibilidad de diversificar el "portafolio" de actividades y la entrada de ganancias, en lo que se refiere a las formas de producción agrícola. Así, la distribución de estos establecimientos en el espacio agrario río-grandense, no obedece estrictamente a la regionalización tradicional - Norte Agrícola y Sur Ganadero -. En general, las distintas configuraciones de los perfiles de ganaderos, de organización de establecimientos y la distribución de éstos en el espacio agrario, reflejan las diversas posibilidades sobre el uso y la disponibilidad de recursos productivos, principalmente en respecto a las posibilidades de la diversificación de formas de uso de la tierra. Además, reflejan las diferentes características socioculturales y comportamientos de los ganaderos.