VERTIENTES, CAMAGÜEY.- Despite being a municipality with a sugarcane tradition, the development of livestock in Vertientes takes leaps and bounds, fully fulfilling its production plans. This sector means an important element within the results of food production in the territory, selected as outstanding in the emulation for July 26th. With close to 250 tons of meat and more than two million liters of milk delivered to the industry, they aim to break records this year.

On the La Clarita farm, belonging to the Pedro Martínez Brito Credit and Services Cooperative (CCS), double milking is practiced throughout the year, producing more than 1,200 liters of milk per cow.

"Last year we easily exceeded one million liters with only 1,300 cows. This farm has enough food, several artificial pastures, cane, pythonia, with a group of protein plants. There are other farms also with sufficient food for the protection of livestock, which is the most important thing in times of drought," Juan José Mendoza Fernández, president of the CCS, explained to Adelante.

"These are low areas, but the pastures have been rotated, and we have used some hybrids resistant to humidity. We are also dedicated to fattening. We did not lose cattle due to the floods, but we did break gates and fences."

Edelmis Puebla Santander, producer of CCS Abel Santamaría, expresses satisfaction with the implementation of the 63 measures to boost agriculture. "I was able to exceed the deliveries agreed in the contracts, on the farm I have 76 head of cattle and due to the results they gave me the right to slaughter 5 animals. It is an important measure because it shows that when the producer complies, he sees the benefit."

A similar criterion is held by Hernán Molina Soriano, administrator of the El Búfalo slaughterhouse, of the Maraguán Livestock Company: "it is positive because the people are fed, sold at reasonable and regulated prices."

In their labor unit they offer services to Vertientes and other neighboring municipalities, they attribute the meat to the Livestock Company, and the derivatives are sold there.

Alexander Quiñonez is an advanced producer of the Los Quiñonez farm, in the Los Angeles community, specializing in dairy farming, fattening bulls, buffaloes and pigs, in addition to various crops.

"I have contracts with different companies, I have 160 buffaloes, 70 bulls, and more than 80 pigs. To guarantee their food, I plant cassava, corn, and sweet potatoes, which are also destined for the community and the municipality's agriculture."

"You cannot be negative, when I started here there was only marabú, I have been here for two and a half years and I have been able to achieve many things because of the desire to prosper. Two other workers work next to me. You have to have the will to do. Our commitment is to continue advancing and fulfilling", he expresses.

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez