MÉRIDA, Mexico.- Laura Daniela Alvarezgirlfriend of Sandro Castrograndson of Fidel, and alleged student studying Veterinary Medicine at the Agrarian University of Havana, investigates the problems of livestock farming in Cuba for a final year project.
He textof which he posted a fragment on his Instagram story, was prepared for the Bovine Cycle subject, as the details of the image reveal.
In one introduction From a “Theoretical Framework”, it is read that “the main contribution of livestock farming in Cuba is related to its productions of high genetic value, meat and milk.”
Subsequently, the text of the preamble details that in 2023 agricultural products such as milk production decreased “significantly” and the production plan for the dairy farms fell by half.
As specified in the document, with its work it aims to “propose a reorientation of this very important sector towards self-sustainability in order to achieve self-sufficiency in the units.” livestock both for the food part and for the energy part.”
Ironically, the young woman, who lives a life of luxury with Sandro Castro, shows off expensive jewelry and perfumes and tastes dishes in luxury restaurants, proposes possible solutions for the livestock crisis, caused by her boyfriend’s family.
Among the factors that influence the decrease in the cattle mass, Daniela mentioned diseases and poor nutrition of the cattle, but does not address the disastrous management of the cattle mass by her in-laws.
The young woman would need to allude to the context prior to the arrival of her boyfriend’s grandfather to power, when Cuba had a national herd estimated at six million heads of cattle, the equivalent – almost – of one head per inhabitant.
Livestock industry debacle
Between 1959 and 1963, the regime expropriated all rural property in Cuba, except for small peasant farms. By 1961, the bovine mass had decreased to 5,776,333 head, 223,667 head of cattle less than in 1958.
Laws also began to criminalize the slaughter of livestock. In the interest of “protecting the flock,” the Law No. 1018 On March 20, 1962, the slaughter of cattle was classified as a crime.
Another regulation, the Law No. 1 249 of 1973, established more severe penalties, from two to five years of deprivation of liberty, for those who “without prior authorization from the state body specifically authorized for this purpose, or outside legally established slaughterhouses or places authorized for slaughter, slaughter cattle, whether for sale or for own consumption.”
A combination of errors
In 1990, with 11 million inhabitants on the Island, the cattle herd was only 4.8 million head, and around 20% of these belonged to private producers.
Among the causes that led to the rapid decline of Cuban livestock farming are the dependence on imported inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides, wires, agricultural machinery, and fuels.
On the other hand, the production system is intensive and expensive and requires extensive infrastructure, tractors, trucks and machinery to distribute food.
The lack of fertilizers and water led to the deterioration of pastures and forage. Artificial insemination also became unsustainable.
Will Laura Daniela’s work be able to reverse a deterioration process that spans several decades?
