The ranchers of the North of Córdoba face this summer in a very different way compared to the enormous difficulties that these producers went through last year. This year’s rains, especially the falls in Marchhave contributed to … the cattle, pig and sheep farms have more water for their cattle, at the same time that these rainfalls have helped to provide more food in the countryside and reduce the prices of animal feed due to greater supply and lower demand.
However, from the livestock sector they assure ABC that the problem of drought It has not been completely resolved. Likewise, the cost reduction those they have to face is another of the distinctive notes of the next summer period for livestock farming in the northern part of the province.
The Territorial Delegation of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development stated in its latest current reports that “the oaks They are in good condition and meadow grass“Although it is drying out, it is still usable for livestock that hardly need supplementary feeding.” Likewise, the autonomous Administration points out that, “after several campaigns marked by the shortage of hay and straw“This year the livestock sector will be able to count on an adequate quantity of these foods, which are also reducing their price.”
Asaja’s technician, Antonio Monclova, assured that “the summer for livestock activity is looking good thanks to the falling waters between January and April, generating many natural pastures.” According to him, this has meant that producers are currently barely using forage and feed to feed their animals as there are enough resources in the field. «With what there is in the pasture it can be said that there is food until august», he asserted.
This representative of the agrarian employers’ association agreed with the Board that the fodder and straw prices, “products that caused a significant outlay last year when the animals had to be fed a lot as there were fewer resources in the field due to the drought.” His estimates are that prices may have remained at half compared to 2023, although the values are still high, as he stated, because “the increase in prices that occurred last year and which reached 400 percent has not yet been recovered.” hundred”.
On the less positive side is the fact, as detailed by Monclova, that the number of pups who have given birth this year have suffered significant loss with respect to what is usually usual as a consequence, on the one hand, of the low rainfall, but, also, due to the incidence of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHE), especially on beef farms.
In the case of iberian pig, the forecasts for the summer are very encouraging. «These months are much better than last year, since the spring rains have caused the reservoirs and aquifers to have recovered their levels and, at the same time, the a lot of grass in the countryside that has meant that the pigs have to resort less, on this occasion to the acorn, although the quantity of this was also important,” as highlighted Alfonso Blancodirector of Ibesa, a firm based in Villanueva de Córdoba.
Scenario for pigs and dairy cattle
This manager assured that, in terms of the market, “the price prospects are good as there is little livestock census and the demand at high levelsin addition to the fact that there are fewer production costs due to the greater use of the resources of the pasture and the cheaper feed, which leaves us in a good scenario for the Iberian pig farmers of Los Pedroches.
A very similar analysis is the one carried out by the producers of the dairy cattle. The president of the Frisian Association of Dos Torres (Afrido), Juan Francisco Sánchez, indicated that “we are relatively optimistic with the current situation, since, although it is true. the price of milk fell three cents in winter, the cost effectiveness is being enough due to the reduction in production costs as forage and feed become cheaper. As reported, all this has caused many farms to be carrying out investments that they had not been able to make in the past, especially in the technological and environmental sections.
Sánchez highlighted that “this year’s rains have largely solved the problems of lack of water that existed last year, but the implementation of a water resources distribution network for livestock farming so that farms can have direct access to the network, a project that the administrations have not yet taken on decisively.
