Abstract

Advances in livestock systems are associated with the implementation of technologies in production and improvment of their income.The aim of this research was to examine the identification and implementation of technological packages and their relationship with the variability of the production in the dual purpose cattle of Manabí - Ecuador. Two climatic zones are distinguished: 1) Tropical dry forest and 2) Tropical rain forest. Twenty five (25) technologies grouped into six technological packages (TP) were selected by using qualitative and participatory methods. Interviews were conducted in a sample of 41 farms to assess the implementation of technological packages, using descriptive statistics, Sperman correlations and multiple regressions. The higher degrees of implementation correspond to animal health (76.2 %), equipment (55.6 %) and feeding (55.5 %). Correlations (P<0.01) between TP of feeding, with equipment (0.711) and reproduction (0.774) were evidenced. The variability in milk production (30 %) is explained by the TP of land use in the Tropical dry Forest and by the TP animal health in Tropical rain forest. This research facilitates preliminary results about the identification of a number of technologies that are implemented in the dual purpose cattle of Manabí - Ecuador. Moreover, all animal production systems being seeking a dynamic balance of technologies that allows farms migrate to more efficient processes without losing the main attributes, in this case of the dual purpose cattle systems.