2023-10-23 00:18:52
Author: Lorena Zapata López
Farms must take special care in the management of each species.
To guarantee the well-being and health of farm animals, it is necessary to provide them with a series of care and attention, which is adapted to the particularities of each species and the circumstances of the agricultural operation. That is why it is important that these farms have the monitoring and supervision of veterinary professionals and experts in the care of each species.
Within the contributions of a farm you can also find the generation of employment, the contribution to the economic development of a region, the promotion of education and teaching for people interested in agriculture and food production. It improves family nutrition and food security by producing fresh and healthy food and, with this, in turn, opens a door to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
The zootechnical veterinary doctor, Andrés Felipe Castellanos Molina, explained that farms can be divided into three main types: “There are those that we know as traditional farms that are owned by a person or a family, in which the people who inhabit them are those who work there, taking care of their gardens and their animals. There are also commercial farms which belong to a community, a cooperative or a company; These are larger and more industrialized facilities than the first, so to speak; Normally people don’t live there. Finally, there are school farms, which have always existed, but today, in some schools, there is a tendency to implement more to raise awareness regarding agriculture, farm work and animal care.”
Furthermore, Castellanos Molina added that farms provide many benefits and explained the care that must be taken with these animals: “These farms can help use available resources in a more efficient and sustainable way. They help produce a wide variety of foods and other products, diversifying the local economy and improving food security. One of the animals that provide the most benefits are cows with their milk production from which we also obtain its derivatives and chickens that can have 100 to 300 eggs a year and other animals, pigs, birds, sheep, ducks , rabbits in turn provide us with great contributions.”
The vet indicated: “We must not forget that these animals require a lot of care and proper veterinary attention to ensure that everything goes well, guaranteeing their protection. Feed them properly with a balanced and nutritious diet, have clean and fresh water at all times, provide them with safe and appropriate spaces for each species, offer them veterinary care, this requires making regular visits in order to have their vaccines up to date and preventive treatments, take care of them from the climate, provide them with spaces to exercise, implement measures to prevent and control the presence of pests and parasites, avoiding effects on their health.”
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Likewise, the professional highlighted the importance of farms dedicated to production being registered with the Colombian Agricultural Institute, ICA, to guarantee the quality of the products and, likewise, they must have supports that demonstrate the application of health and biosafety measures. necessary to control the risks that may arise.
“The entity is in charge of monitoring health, productive and reproductive activities and it must be taken into account that all veterinary medicines, vaccines, pesticides and balanced foods used in production processes must have ICA registration. Maintain detailed records of the health and medical history of the animals to facilitate monitoring and making informed decisions and ensure compliance with local and national laws and regulations governing the care and handling of farm animals,” said Castellanos Molina. .
José Álvaro Ramírez Castro, veterinary zootechnical doctor, contractor of the Secretariat of Agriculture of the Quindío government, stated that cattle are what is handled the most in the department and explained the items regarding good practices: “Regarding livestock practices, the first thing is to have the property registered with the ICA in order to control the entry and exit of the animals. Foot-and-mouth disease vaccination is mandatory; the facilities must be located in accordance with the Territorial Planning Plan, POT, that each municipality has, away from sources of contamination and landfills. As for animal health and biosecurity, it has to do with the farm having a record of entry and exit of personnel, vehicles and animals in addition to defining a parking area and other areas for loading and unloading.”
Ramírez Castro noted: “Animals must have technical assistance from a veterinarian. The facilities on the property must be built in such a way that they will not harm the health of the animals or the workers. Bovines should not suffer from hunger or thirst, they must be tracked to individually record developments such as vaccination cycles, weight, use of medications, entry of concentrates, etc. Regarding the use of veterinary drugs, they must be registered in the ICA, an inventory must be maintained, their expiration time must be respected, the vaccines must be refrigerated to preserve them according to the instructions and the sanitation plan that implies must be in place. keep water sources protected and keep facilities clean and, finally, there must be correct control of pests and vectors.”
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