1687 Bioscience Journal Original Article Biosci. J., Uberlândia, v. 36, n. 5, p. 1687-1699, Sept./Oct. 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v36n5a2020-42460 CALF REARING PROFILE IN AGRARIAN REFORM SETTLEMENTS IN SANTANA OF LIVRAMENTO, RS, BRAZIL PERFIL DA CRIAÇÃO DE BEZERRAS NOS ASSENTAMENTOS DA REFORMA AGRÁRIA DE SANTANA DO LIVRAMENTO, RS, BRAZIL Nilva Terezinha de Souza MÜLLER 1 ; Neliton Flores KASPER 2* ; Leonardo Ereno TADIELO 3 ; Luana Cristina LUDWIG 4 ; Gabrielly de Freitas SANT'ANNA 4 ; Taiani Ourique GAYER 4 ; Ricardo Pedroso OAIGEN 5 ; Deise Dalazen CASTAGNARA 5 1. Médica Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, UFPEL, Pelotas, RS, Brasil; 2. Médico Veterinário, Universidade Federal do Pampa, UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, RS, Brasil. nelitonfloreskasper@hotmail.com; 3.Discente, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, campus Botucatu, SP, Brasil; 4. Discentes do curso de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pampa, UNIPAMPA, Uruguaina, RS, Brasil; 5. Prof (a) . Dr (a) ., Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pampa, UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, RS, Brasil. ABSTRACT: In agrarian reform settlements there are obstacles in the rearing of calves; however, the main aspects that cause this obstacle are not known. Thus, the aim of this study was to diagnose the main obstacles in the management of these dairy heifers to target extension actions. For this, semi-structured guided questionnaires were applied to 40 families from 20 settlements. The questionnaire contained questions about the characteristics of the family, property and general management, feeding and sanitation of calves. The data were tabulated in Excel, transformed into variables and studied by means of multivariate analysis of main components after the farms were grouped into clusters according to similarity. The variables that most affected the heifer rearing system in dairy farms in the agrarian reform settlements of Santana do Livramento, RS, Brazil, were related to diet and occurrence of diarrhoea in calves. The 40 farms studied were grouped into six clusters, which differed especially in relation to who was responsible for the management of the heifers inside the property, regarding the infrastructure for the calves, time in milk production and concern regarding the care in the breeding of the calves. Based on these differences between the clusters being correctly identified, the technicians who work in these farms can establish strategies to work with settled families, emphasising the points where the obstacles are known to trigger the survival of heifers that will replace the dairy herds. KEYWORDS: Dairy cattle. Lactation. Nutrition. INTRODUCTION The stage of calf rearing is very important in dairy farms, and requires planning, because, through these will be accomplished the replacement of discarded animals or the expansion of the stock (GASPARI; KHATOUNIAN, 2016). However, this level of importance is not yet clear in many dairy farms, especially those of a lower technological level or that have limited access to technical information. There is technical assistance for the informative progress of dairy farming; however, the language used or the consistency of approaches are not sufficient to trigger cultural change or actions that would make the educated care definitive. Similarly, the work of the technicians is often developed empirically, emphasising aspects that are not necessarily those that have the greatest impact on the process of calf rearing. There exists a great diversity of precautions necessary in the rearing of calves (PETROCHI et al., 2011), that include aspects of infrastucture establishment, productive management of herds and organisation of property (GASPARI; KHATOUNIAN, 2016). Management can include colostration with passive transfer of motherly immunoglobulins (LEITE et al., 2017). Rational management and thermal comfort are decisive in the stability and reduction of mortality in calves, impacting directly on production when the calves arrive at the productive age (MARTINS et al., 2016). The transmission of this relevant information from the producer and workers of dairy production is a challenge for the technicians. The knowledge of the more relevant aspects wich impact on the rearing of calves in the diferent systems of production should direct the extension actions and optimise the technical work. However, it is necessary to know which are the more relevant aspects from approaches about suitable tools. One these tools is the study of production systems where the survey of management Received: 08/04/19 Accepted: 30/12/19