Professors and students of the Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine courses at the State University of Londrina (UEL) command at ExpoLondrina, at Parque de Exposições Ney Braga, the Milk Technology Showcase Unit, located in Via Rural (Fazendinha).
It brings two distinct stations that demonstrate the entire process of the milk production chain and offers visitors a taste of dairy products. The first station has a prototype of a full-size cow and exemplifies a mechanical milking unit. The second exposes different accessories used by producers in the practice of milking.
According to professor Carolina de Sousa Dantas Muniz, from the Animal Science Department, the objective is to show the public the importance of milk as food. “It is possible to know all the links in the milk production chain. First, its origin, where it comes from and then what it can be turned into,” she explains.
The teacher highlights the presence of children at ExpoLondrina, also a target audience for Vitrine do Leite. “The unit has the important role of bringing useful information to children and encouraging the awareness of responsible consumption, which includes animal welfare”, she says. According to her, in addition to visits from schools, the unit receives a large number of professionals, technicians and producers in the area.
The initiative also offers, throughout ExpoLondrina, which ends next Sunday (10), technical workshops on topics related to the areas of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, including alternative foods in dairy cattle, calf breeding, fodder, management and health in cows. . The speakers are professors from UEL and invited professionals.
The activities are also developed with the support and participation of members of the Paraná Rural Development Institute (IDR-Paraná), the State Department of Agriculture and Supply (Seab) and the Rural Society of Paraná (SRP).
The professor assesses the participation of students in the Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine courses, responsible for receiving visitors, as important promoters of scientific actions. “The students belong to ExpoLondrina, because here they are in direct contact with professionals and technicians in the fields of Agronomy. For them it is a significant learning experience”, she highlights.
The State of Paraná is one of the largest milk producers in Brazil. That’s 3.9 billion liters per year. All state production is obtained by 110,000 producers, of which 86% are small producers with up to 250 liters/day. The system is based on pasture production, with most properties having up to 50 ha.