Characterization of beef production of the entrepreneurial sector in southwest Holguin, Cuba

Objective: To characterize the beef production in the entrepreneurial sector in Southwest Holguin, from a case study. Materials and Methods: Two workshops were conducted with the workers of the Entrepreneurial Basic Unit Carlos Sosa Ballester, from the Calixto Garcia municipality, in Holguin, in order to identify, through brainstorming, the problems faced by beef production and their possible solutions. The restrictions were grouped according to the experts' criterion in the evaluation areas method, tools, human resources and productive environment. The percentage represented by each evaluation area with regards to the fundamental problem, from the weight of its contribution, was calculated. Results: The prevailing criteria about the restrictions of state cattle fattening place, first, the productive environment (27,2%) and are focused on the problem with the zootechnical flow, which does not supply the farm with animals. In order of importance, it is followed by the restrictions that are related to the application of tools (26,4%). With regards to the method (24,4%), the deficient feeding of herds and the bad planning of processes constitute the two restrictions found in the process. They refer, finally, to the ones linked with human resources, concerning the fluctuation of labor force, which represented 22% of the limitations. Conclusions: Beef production of the entrepreneurial sector in southwest Holguin is limited by the zootechnical flow, herd feeding, process planning and employee retention, which are determinant to face the adverse factors of the ecosystem. Keywords: Rural development, innovation, animal production