The present work studied the zootechnical performance in family production units (UPFs), associated to a co-operative society (COOPROL) in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Some of the studied farms had other animal or agricultural activities associated to the milk production unit. The data were obtained in 53 UPFs, and nine different systems of production were identified. The age at the first calving ranged from 2.5 to 3 years, the calving interval from 456 to 520 days, dry period from 91 to 260 days, birth rate 70 to 80%, lactation length from 365 to 387 days and milk production from 2.52 to 13.5<img src="http:/img/fbpe/cr/v32n3/a19img01.gif" align="absmiddle"> /cow/day. The numbers above show the need for actions to re-adequate the breeding and alimentary systems used in these home farms.
family production unit; zootechnical indexes; technical performance