Cattle of beef breeds: features, breeding and growing conditions. The whole history of Russia through livestock

Breeding cattle (cattle) is one of the most ancient human occupations. Today, like hundreds of years ago, it can become profitable and bring in a good income if you approach it wisely. It is no coincidence that the cow has always been popularly called the "nurse".

The cattle breeding business involves working not only with cows, but also with buffaloes, yaks, etc., however, in Russia it is more profitable and more habitual to breed cows and bulls. Their meat and dairy products will be easier to sell.

Where do you start?

When dealing with cows, you will have to regularly resort to the services of a veterinarian, even if the herd is completely healthy. According to Russian law, there are a number of mandatory annual vaccinations against certain severe or rapidly spreading diseases: mad cow disease, rhinotracheitis, viral diarrhea, leptospirosis, and so on.

In addition, the veterinarian will issue animal health certificates that will be needed to sell meat and milk. So, get to know the veterinarian you will see on a regular basis. Next, you need to calculate the initial investment and start purchasing.

When buying cattle, be sure to ask your veterinarian for a certificate that each animal is healthy.

Construction of a cowshed

First you need to build a barn. It should be a well thought out, well planned building. Keep the barn warm. This does not mean that it must be heated, not at all. The main thing is that there are no cracks and holes that result in a draft.

In moderate and northern latitudes winters are very cold. If you want to get maximum milk yield and growth, it is better to provide heating during this period, at least in the calf shed. Most cows hide in the spring, leaving the herd after wintering, so calving usually occurs in the winter months.

The room should have openable windows, since good lighting and adequate ventilation are required during the warm season. It is necessary to make a wide entrance. When the cow is in position, her sides become very wide. In addition, it sways when walking, so the optimal opening width is 1.5 m.

The barn can be simple or automated, but in any case, it must be warm and contain plumbing, sewer drains, separate stalls with feeders and drinkers.

Next, you need to provide drain channels for draining the liquid. The total drain should go outside the barn, do it on a slope. If you do not want the presence of a heavy odor, equip concrete cesspools with hatches. Each unit of cattle should have its own place with a feed sector and a drinker. It is advisable to separate the stalls with a structure of welded pipes, since the cows are not always friendly to each other, and we do not need fights in the barn.

Purchase of livestock

This is a very important stage in setting up a farm: the profitability of your business will depend on which cows and bulls you buy. In Russia, there are both purely purebred animals and half-breeds, and often with incest. It is useless to wait for such specimens of large milk yield and weight gain. It is better to buy animals in nurseries or on large farms, where the purity of the breed is closely monitored.

When purchasing cattle, there are two options: buy adult (but not old) cows or buy young animals and raise them yourself. The second option is fraught with great risk, since not every heifer subsequently becomes a good dairy or beef cow. In addition, the results from it will have to wait at least a year.

When selling cattle, you can slip an old cow. The life expectancy of cows is 16-20 years. Wherein a large number of milk at good care can only be received between the ages of 3 and 13. During its life, a cow can have 11-12 calves. Calves are born annually. The gestation period is 9 months.

The maximum amount of milk a cow gives at the age of 4-8 years, starting from 3 calving. Milk appears after the first calving. It is more profitable and safer to take young cows that have already calved at least once.

After a cow stops calving, her milk disappears and she becomes useless from the point of view of obtaining products. Such pensioners are sent for sausage, since their meat is already quite tough. In order not to buy an old cow, pay attention to her horns. Each year a new bezel appears on them. They can be seen in their shape and different shades. If there are many rims, then the cow is no longer young. Their optimal number is 3-6 pieces, no more.

Investment size

Attachments, like the farm itself, can be different. It depends on the number and breed of livestock, the size and degree of automation of the barn, the availability of an agricultural base for growing feed and many other nuances. To have an idea of ​​investing in cattle breeding, let's take a certain type of farm, with an initial number of 10 heads with completely purchased feed (without own breeding).

The cost of a young dairy cow ranges from 30,000 rubles to 50,000 € (Dutch dairy breeds). If you buy in Russian nurseries, the average price is 50,000 rubles. Thus, we will need 500,000 rubles to buy cows. The purchase of feed also varies depending on the season. In winter, besides compound feed, you will need hay. In autumn, compound feed can be replaced with vegetables and fruits.

On average, one cow when walking on pasture requires a bucket of vegetables or 1/3 of a bucket of top dressing. If the grass is succulent and grows abundantly, the feeding can be halved. The cost of building a barn depends on the selected building materials, architectural nuances and interior furnishings. For the first time, you can completely get by with a small structure.

So, in total, at least 1,000,000 rubles will have to be spent on the barn, cows and initial feed. Add inventory to this and wages employees who require an advance payment in the first month.

Step-by-step instruction

So, deciding to choose cattle breeding as your business, please be patient and hardworking. Working with animals requires a reasonable attitude and self-confidence. Even if you've only seen cows on TV or on your way to a picnic, the craft can be learned pretty quickly. To get started, you will need:

• Cowshed.
• Animals.
• Elementary equipment: vegetable cutter, grain grinder, separator, milking machines.
• Stern.
• Inventory (buckets, flasks).
• Livestock inspection by a veterinarian.
• Registration with the administration of a rural settlement.
• Opening an individual entrepreneur or farming.
• Salaried workers.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated. If you buy cattle already at a productive age, you can get profit almost immediately by selling dairy products.

Sales of products

The first products from cows have been received, it's time to think about the way to sell them. There are many types of cattle products. Here you need to decide what is more profitable. For the manufacture of each product, you will need its own small production or certain equipment. For example, to make cream and curd from milk, you need a separator. A canning line is needed to make stew.

For a start, you can sell pure milk and meat, if the capital is not too large. It is not so profitable, but it will require less investment. Processing plants can be equipped later. Methods of product sales:

1. City or village market.
2. Catering establishments.
3. The shops.
4. Own retail outlets.
5. Dairies, meat processing plants.
6. Institutions and enterprises using meat and dairy products.

Each of these methods has its own pros and cons. For different types sales will require certain additional items of expenditure, as well as the execution of special documents. For example, to sell in your own stall or store, you will have to open it with a full set of documents and change, accordingly, the tax reporting form. As a farmer or individual entrepreneur, you will no longer pass the simplified taxation system.

For the sale of products, certificates from a veterinarian and an opinion from the laboratory on the quality and suitability of dairy and meat products are required.

The easiest way is to donate milk or meat to factories. There you only need a certificate of the health of the animal. Laboratory tests of product quality are carried out at the enterprises themselves. The cost of sales will be several times less than with other methods of sale, but you can hand over any amount of milk and meat to the enterprise.

The choice of location for your farm must be well-founded. It is necessary to have convenient transport links, that is, the places where meat and dairy products are sold are close and easily accessible. Otherwise, it is necessary to purchase special equipment with a refrigerator, since the products are perishable. For customers to like your products, they must be exceptionally fresh.

As mentioned earlier, the close proximity of the veterinary service is necessary. Calling a doctor from afar will bring additional expenses... In addition, in the event of a cattle illness, his assistance may be delayed. An equipped cattle burial ground should be located within a radius of 10 km. An important aspect is the presence of meadows and reservoirs in the selected area, so that animals can eat and drink as much as possible.

As a rule, all these conditions are created in medium and large villages of regional centers, where the local population is engaged in cattle breeding. There is also a common herd, where you can drive your livestock. Setting up a farm on the outskirts of the city is not worth it. There will be problems with grazing, polluted ecology (strongly affects the health of cows) and residents of neighboring houses.

The documents

It is unprofitable to open the status of individual entrepreneurs or farmers at the stage of equipping the farm, since there is no profit yet. The exception is cases with the use of subsidies from the state:

• To open a small business for breeding cattle. 60,000 rubles are given once and the same amount for each registered employee. You need to provide a business plan and have a barn ready.
• To support farming. Issued up to 1,500,000 rubles, depending on the volume of an existing agricultural enterprise or when opening a farm.

In the first 12 months with incomes not exceeding 40,000 rubles, you do not need to pay tax. The tax liability is considered "deferred" in accordance with Art. 256 (clause 1) of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

When registering any of these statuses of small business, at the first stage, it is more expedient to switch to simplified taxation.

With the further development of the business, processing industries will be added to cattle breeding, and trade enterprises... Tax reporting will be somewhat different. This can be the Unified Agricultural Tax (unified agricultural tax) or the form of the simplified taxation system (income minus expenses).

One of the most profitable businesses for farmers is meat production. The better the cattle population, the higher the income. To get the maximum benefit, you need to choose beef cattle. They are adapted to specific growing conditions and do not require large labor costs and investments. As a result, farmers receive a lot of meat products at minimal cost.

Groups of meat breeds

More than a dozen different cows were bred to obtain meat products. For convenience, they were divided into three large groups.

1. Cattle of beef breeds with a high content of fat and muscle mass. Such breeds are capable of accumulating fat from a young age and gaining weight quickly even under unfavorable growing conditions. This group includes Gallovy, Kalmyk cows, Kazakh white-headed cows and some others.
2. Large cows that grow slowly and have a low percentage of fat. The products obtained from these animals are considered dietary. However, due to the slow growth of young cows of this group, they are most often used when breeding new breeds.
3. Very large individuals, obtained by crossing zebu and domestic animals. Meat cattle belonging to this group easily adapt to hot climates. The members of the group have excellent immunity. This classification includes cows of the Sharbrey, Brangus, Santa Gertruda breeds.

There are many beef cattle breeds that differ in terms of keeping conditions, care, reproduction. In order not to be mistaken with the choice, farmers must be able to navigate in the selection of the breed.

Cattle herefords

Among the beef cows, the most popular is the Hereford breed. These animals are bred all over the world. They are grown in America, European countries, Russia, Australia. The demand for the beef cattle breed is explained by the fact that animals have many positive qualities. These include:

1. Large sizes. Cows are characterized by short legs, deep chest, broad back.
2. Excellent adaptability to any climatic conditions. This breed perfectly tolerates heat and cold.
3. Cows are able to withstand long hauls. This feature is appreciated in Australia, where herds are often moved from one pasture to another, waiting for the rainy season.
4. Excellent reproducibility. The resulting offspring retains the qualities of the parents.
5. Cows gain weight quickly. The optimal period for raising livestock for meat is 18 months.

A raised cow weighs about six hundred kilograms, and the weight of bulls exceeds a ton. Of this figure, about 80% is accounted for by meat, and the rest is bones.

Newly born calves weigh about 35 kilograms. With proper care and a good diet, the calf gains up to two kilograms of weight per day. However, the cows do not have enough milk to feed the calves, so they need to be supplemented.

The products obtained from Hereford cows are distinguished by their high calorie content, delicate taste, and juiciness.

Kalmyk cows

This breed is grown on the territory of Russia, namely in the southern regions of the country: in the Astrakhan region, in the Stavropol Territory, in Rostov and Volgograd regions... Less often, representatives can be found in the central regions.

In Russia, beef cattle breeds, namely Kalmyk cows, have many advantages, for which, in fact, they began to be raised by farmers in the southern regions of the country.

The breed is characterized by a beautiful harmonious body with a proportional head and low legs. The color is red, some individuals may have white stripes located on the trunk or belly. Kalmyk cows are easy to care for. They are omnivorous and undemanding to food. Animals even eat thorns and dead wood with pleasure.

Raising Kalmyk cows

These representatives of cattle can be grown in the steppes. They easily tolerate heat, dry winds, steppe storms. Animals are able to withstand moderate frosts, therefore, when kept in northern regions it is necessary to build a warm room for them.

A distinctive feature of the breed is its early maturity. Adult bulls are capable of gaining weight up to a ton. The cows are smaller, their weight is half less - about half a ton.

Kalmyk cows can be kept by stall and pasture methods. On pastures, animals are rapidly gaining fat mass, which is excellently preserved throughout the pasture season. Because of this feature, some farmers keep animals in pastures all year round. But this is only possible in those regions where winters are mild.

The offspring of cows is not born large. The average calf weighs about 25 kilograms. Young growth is developing rapidly, adding a kilogram every day. Cows are able to fully feed their offspring without additional feeding.

Representatives of the Kalmyk breed give good milk fat content 4.5%. With proper care, the animal is capable of producing at least twenty liters of milk per day. Cattle meat has a marble shade and a small layer of fat. It is juicy, of the highest quality. The product is highly regarded by renowned chefs in the country due to its excellent taste.

Kazakh breed

The best beef cattle breeds include the Kazakh white-headed cow. It was received in the fifties of the last century. Currently, the breed is successfully grown in the south of the country, as well as in the Volga region.

The color of cows is red with white spots on different parts of the body. The breed is very large, with a dense constitution. In the warm season, animals are covered with short hair, and in winter it grows thick, long.

White-headed cows perfectly adapt to any growing conditions. They quickly gain weight, not only in pasture housing, but also in stalls. Kazakh cows weigh about 550 kilograms. They give small offspring. Newborn calves weigh about twenty kilograms. Youngsters gain eight hundred grams of weight every day. As soon as the young gains two centners of weight, they stop feeding them with milk, transferring them to conventional feed.

Limousine breed

In terms of productivity, cattle breeds for meat production are superior to dairy breeds. One of the heaviest is the limousine cow. It weighs about 600 kilograms, and the bulls weigh over a ton.

The breed was developed in Europe over a hundred years ago. Cows have a red tint. There are light rings around the eyes and nose. The body is built harmoniously, has an excellent constitution.

The Limousin breed is valued for its endurance, unpretentiousness and high fertility. Calves are born large and can weigh over forty kilograms. By the time of weaning from a cow, young animals reach a weight of three hundred kilograms.

In Russia, this breed appeared along with other European cows. In terms of slaughter, it surpasses some other types of cows. There are up to seven kilograms of pure meat per kilogram of bones.

Simmental meat and dairy breed

The most common dairy and meat cattle breed is Simmental. She was brought out in Switzerland. Over the years of its existence, cows have spread throughout the world and began to be successfully raised not only in Europe, but also in America, in Russia.

The breed has a double benefit. It produces high quality meat and excellent milk with a fat content of 3.8%. The breed is characterized by rapid development. With good care, the calf gains up to a kilogram of weight.

Features of Simmental cattle

Despite all the simmental unpretentiousness, when breeding this breed, it is worth choosing the right breeding herd. When importing animals from abroad, you should buy cows from countries with similar climatic conditions. This is due to the low adaptive capacity of animals. They have a hard time getting used to new conditions of detention. Because of this, the reproduction function may be disrupted, the growth, development of young animals is delayed, and productivity decreases.

Breeding cows

Having information about the existing breeds of beef cattle and their characteristics, it is possible to select cows that will be easy to raise in the region. With proper maintenance, animals can be slaughtered already at eighteen months. By this time they will have gained good weight.

When breeding cows, it is important to have not only a herd for obtaining meat, but also breeding animals. Usually bulls and heifers are kept separately. To obtain offspring, cows are inseminated artificially. On small farms, bulls are used for insemination.

During the raising of the cows, the farm receives milk. It is rarely used for feeding calves. Milk is most often replaced with milk replacer, and natural products are sold. This is an additional income for farms.

The number of cows is strictly recorded in our country and abroad, since these animals are of particular value in agricultural activities. In many countries, the cultivation of cattle occupies a leading position in agriculture. From the main products obtained - meat and milk - you can get secondary ones - such as sour cream, cheese, butter, kefir, sausages. This list far from complete. The demand for such products is quite large and continues to grow simultaneously with the number of livestock in the world.

World statistics of cow population

Almost all countries in the world are engaged in animal husbandry - some are more active, and some are not. The livestock of cattle includes such animals as the yak, Indian buffalo and other lesser known species. They have a similar physiology, and in different countries the domesticated bull species are called cattle.

The animal tour gave birth to the modern look of cattle. It is very difficult to answer the question of how many cows in the world are there according to the latest data, since this figure is changing rapidly. At the beginning of 2017, there were approximately 1.3 billion heads.

The domestication of animals began in Asian countries, specifically in North India. The domestication of cows in Europe happened much later. It was no easy task. Compared to goats and sheep, tours were difficult for humans. Cattle was a "supplier" of milk and meat.

Country ranking

India is the leader in the number of cattle, but beef production is not developed there, since religion prohibits the use of cows for food. Despite everything, she is a noticeable leader in the world ranking - over 50 million heads. The cow is a sacred animal in this country, but some people eat beef. In addition, there is a breeding of dairy breeds.

In the European Union, the livestock is 23.5 million, and it is in second place. But here, too, the population is much smaller. Brazil moved up to third place. This is approximately 20.7 million head of livestock. Every year there is a noticeable increase here. In this country, many farmers breed cows, and special farms are opened for raising calves.

Fourth place

The fourth place in terms of the number of cattle can be placed in the United States - 9.3 million. The main number of farms is located in the western part. They pay attention to the production of meat and skins. Huge herds find their food on pastures and only in the cold season receive additional food in the form of feed. China claims the fifth place. There are approximately 8.7 million heads here. The reason for the low position in the ranking is that small ruminants are preferred in the country, and cattle are mainly used as draft animals.

And although the first place is given to India, there cows mostly just live near people. And the huge livestock is due only to the ban on killing cows. Receiving milk and related products is the predominant cattle-related activity in the country. While, for example, in America, cows are kept specifically for the production of beef and skins. Animals occupy large tracts of land and gather in huge herds. But in some Asian countries, cattle are used as pack and draft animals.

Russian statistics

Russian animal husbandry is strengthening its position thanks to the commercial sphere. Compared to previous years, the volume of agricultural products in 2017 increased markedly. The livestock of cattle in Russia is made up of dairy and dairy-meat breeds. However, in the past years there was a serious reduction in this category, while there was an active increase in the number of beef cattle.

In the Russian Federation, the following leaders are noted in terms of livestock in the field of cattle breeding:

• Bashkortostan (last 2016 showed the largest livestock, as a percentage of the whole country it is 5.8%);
• Tatarstan (the number of heads has significantly increased and in 2016 amounted to 5.3% of the total cattle in the country);
• Dagestan (slightly behind the second place and gaining 5.2%);
• Altai Territory breaks away a little, but is gaining 2.7% for 2016;
• Rostov region accounted for 3.1% of the total livestock in Russia.

Other regions

All other regions of the country are also actively engaged in animal husbandry, but the top five have been the largest leaders for several years. However, the lagging behind other regions is not too great. The smallest percentage for 2016 is gaining the Irkutsk region - 1.6%.

The density of distribution of cows in Russia, given its vast territory, is not the same. These animals are not at all adapted for living in the regions of the Far North. The main herds live in the south of the country, as well as in its central and Far Eastern parts. It is there that the most succulent grasses and flooded meadows are located. Accordingly, the livestock in these areas are the largest.

If you found out interesting information, please like it.

Support the discussion in the comments on the topic of the article you read.

If you ask any person with which animal he associates Agriculture, then the most likely answer is “cow”. Indeed, among domestic animals, these animals are one of the most important and most widespread, but in the scientific literature their name is usually replaced by the term "cattle". Such a substitution is explained simply - in addition to ordinary cows originating from the wild tur, other representatives of the bovine family were also domesticated: Indian buffalo, yak, banteng, gaur. All these animals are capable of producing crossbreeds with cows, which is why the species boundaries are blurred. In addition, they have a similar physiology, which is why all domesticated bovines are called cattle.

Ankole-Watussi cattle.

Among all types of cattle, in quantitative terms, it is the descendants of the tour that predominate: the world livestock of cows has exceeded 1.3 billion heads. The rest of the species are significantly inferior to them in numbers and are distributed locally in the foci of domestication. The domestication of wild tours took place in two stages. The inhabitants of Asia were the first to notice the huge ungulates: about 8 thousand years ago, cows were first raised in North India. The Europeans, independently of the Indians, domesticated wild tours 3 thousand years later. Thus, cows became domesticated later than goats and sheep, and there were reasons for this. The fact is that small animals were easier to catch, and in the process of domestication, they were less troublesome. But huge tours, capable of actively defending themselves, were simply dangerous for people. Only after the technology of keeping was worked out on small ungulates, people dared to tame the mighty stag.

In the future, the resettlement of cows went in two ways. In Asia, these animals penetrated to the south and east (together with buffaloes), partly to the north in the Himalayas (where the yak was domesticated). Here they were popular and respected up to deification, however, they did not undergo radical external changes. In addition, through Egypt and the Middle East, these animals came to Africa, where they became an important animal husbandry for a number of tribes.

In Europe, the largest livestock was first in Greece, where they figured prominently in ancient culture. For example, the mythical monster Minotaur had, according to legend, the body of a man and the head of a bull. In the myth of the abduction of Europa, Zeus also turned into a bull in order to steal his beloved girl. On the occasion of the victory, the Greeks made a solemn sacrifice - a hecatomb, during which the gods were supposed to slaughter exactly 100 bulls as a gift. Moreover, we owe to cows the appearance of ... acrobatics! The first acrobats were not at all circus gymnasts, as we now imagine them. These were courageous people performing in the arena with an angry bull, over which they performed virtuoso jumps. And only later did these games become safe and beautiful view sports.

The beauty and power of bulls are embodied in several monuments installed in different cities the world.

Since the Middle Ages, cows have become the main agricultural animal in almost all European countries, here they have undergone the greatest genetic changes, as a result of which highly productive modern breeds arose. Later, breeding animals were brought to North and South America, New Zealand, Australia. Now the best and largest herds of dairy cows are in Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, New Zealand. Leadership in beef cattle breeding is invariably held by the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay. This geographical division is not accidental, it is explained by some physiological characteristics cattle.

Compared to other herbivores, cattle require more feed per unit weight, which makes their maintenance less profitable. The low profitability of the cow is compensated for by the large size of the carcass and the high yield of meat. They better than goats and sheep digest roughage, but at the same time need more water.

The need for water is especially high in dairy cows, which is why highly productive dairy farming only thrives in temperate climates.

The stomach of cows has four chambers, and food is digested in it in several stages. First, the eaten food enters the so-called scar, from where, after 30-40 minutes. reflexively burps back into the oral cavity. Re-chewing food is called gum. The chewed food enters the stomach again and moves to the next section - the abomasum. Here, in fact, digestion takes place. Two more departments, a book and a net, specialize in the assimilation of liquid food (milk, water). The stomach volume of cows can be up to 200 liters! This colossal organ is home to a huge population of bacteria and ciliates that break down cellulose. It is thanks to them that cattle are able to most fully assimilate the nutrients of the plant mass. One cow can eat up to 70-100 kg of feed per day.

Among other features, a relatively early maturity should be noted. So, heifers acquire the ability to mate already at the age of 7-9 months, that is, like goats, which are significantly inferior to cows in size. True, in farms animals are allowed to mate later - from 15-18 months. Cows are pregnant for 285 days. Usually a cow brings one calf, twins and triplets are less common. The largest number of normally developed fruits was 8. After calving, the cow is able to produce milk for up to 10 months, followed by a period of forced rest and the next calving. Dairy cows are difficult to start (interrupt lactation), the world record belongs to the cow of the Guernsey breed, which after calving was milked for 8 years! A high reproductive load also leads to a relatively quick failure of cows and bulls. On an industrial scale, animals are used for 3-5 seasons, after which the milk yield drops and the maintenance of the cow becomes unprofitable. At the same time, with good care, record-holding animals can maintain high productivity up to 10 and even 19 years. In Finland, Denmark, Germany, Holland, they traditionally take care of the longevity of cows and even insert artificial teeth in elderly animals. For example, 80% of the world record holders with a lifetime milk yield of over 100 tons now belong to the Netherlands. In general, cows can live up to 20-30 years, and the age of the oldest long-liver was 78 years.

Cow's milk has no equal taste, therefore, it accounts for 84% of world production, another 12% is for buffalo milk and only the rest for milk of other types of livestock. Cow's milk is indispensable in the production of cream, sour cream and butter... The meat of cows is tougher than that of other animals, but it is relatively low in fat, so beef is considered one of the healthiest varieties of this product. The stiffness of the meat is eliminated by the early slaughter of fattened young stock, resulting in a tender veal. Due to the high content of hemoglobin, beef has a dark color, but at the same time it has a high concentration of iron. For this reason, it is recommended to use it for people suffering from anemia, doing severe physical labor... In addition, cattle serve as a supplier of a number of gourmet products: beef tongues and marbled beef with an even distribution of fat between muscle fibers. The technology for producing such meat was developed in Japan and even got its own name - Kobe. It makes a strong impression on an unprepared person: according to Kobe, calves are kept in soundproof rooms with limited mobility (suspended from the ceiling with belts). So that the animals do not suffer from cramped conditions, they are daily massaged, fed exclusively with grain, given beer and sake to drink, and played classical music. It is not surprising that the price of such meat on the market reaches 140-180 € per kg. Traditionally, beef is most popular in English-speaking countries; in England, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, good steak is appreciated above any other meat dishes.

Horn bracelets.

Other raw materials include leather and horns. If the former is used for upholstering furniture, making belts and shoes, horns are now practically not used anywhere as a raw material. But in ancient times they made dishes from them (hence the "cornucopia"), powder flasks, musical instruments(hunting horn), jewelry, salt shakers, snuff boxes, hair combs. The horn has a pleasant smooth texture and warmth; it replaced our ancestors with modern plastic.

Cattle are not only productive animals, but also excellent draft power. Due to their large muscle mass, bulls have high carrying capacity and endurance, but they are slow, therefore they are used for transporting bulky goods and for plowing.

Arba harnessed by a pair of zebu.

In order to make the bulls more obedient and manageable, castration is carried out; emasculated working animals are called oxen. In the old days, they were widespread, for example, oxen were the main transport of the Chumaks, who delivered salt from the Black Sea coast, they also pulled heavy wagons of the first American settlers along the endless prairies of North America. Now in developed countries you will not find oxen, but draft cattle are still popular in Asian countries. Every year buffalo and zebu races are held here, and in different versions of the competition, the driver can ride an elegant cart or slide barefoot through the mud, holding on to the tails of animals.

Buffalo racing on about. Bali (Indonesia).

By the way, the sluggishness of the cows is greatly exaggerated. If desired, these animals can be trained to ride under the saddle and even jump over obstacles.

The daughter of a Bavarian farmer, Regina Mayer, tamed the cow Luna to jump over barriers.

While we generally think of cattle as having a very practical value, they also play a prominent role in the entertainment industry. First of all, it is worth mentioning bullfighting - the successor of the ancient Greek games with bulls. There are two types of this fun in the world: in the Spanish bullfight, the bullfighter is obliged to kill the animal in front of the audience, in the Portuguese bullfight either the bullfighter or the equestrian rider acts against the bull, and the victory is counted by the number of injections inflicted, that is, the bull leaves the arena alive. In both cases, a person fights only with young and inexperienced animals, which are released into the arena for the first time, and special blunt nozzles are put on the victim's horns. The obvious injustice of such a balance of power caused a lot of criticism from animal advocates, so now bullfighting is prohibited. Now the Spaniards, thirsty for thrills, take their souls in running with the bulls. Here people and animals are on an equal footing, which does not negate the risk and stupidity of this event. Several dozen bulls are released from the corral and driven through the streets of the city, and the men run away from them, trying to keep as little distance as possible with the animal. Embarrassed by the crush and screams, the bulls somehow manage to pry on their horns or trample a couple of people.

The bull run is held in the Spanish city of Pamplona.

Americans are not lagging behind the temperamental southerners, their entertainment originates from the usual work processes that cowboys performed on farms. Over time, dressing up bulls, catching calves with a lasso, and managing a herd on horseback have become independent rodeo disciplines. Although this sport does not look bloodthirsty at all, it is very far from a humane attitude towards animals. During the dressage of bulls and catching calves, injuries often occur, both in humans and in livestock, and in terms of severity they are not inferior to each other. The fights of cows look the most innocent. This competition is held in Switzerland and only heifers participate in it. Animals just butt, figuring out which of them deserves to be a leader; at the end of the battle, the participants disagree with the world.

Battle of the Queens - traditional cow fighting in Switzerland.

Due to such a varied and long-term use, cattle have undergone significant external changes. Now in the world there are more than 1000 breeds of bulls, 121 breeds of zebu, 38 breeds of buffaloes, as well as several breeds of yaks, gaials and bantengs. A brief description of the species of cattle and a description of the most famous breeds are given below.

Bulls and cows

They trace their origin from the extinct tour. Depending on the degree of genetic proximity to the wild ancestor, primitive and highly productive breeds are distinguished. Primitive breeds are most often high-legged, narrow-minded, have horns directed forward or upward. Highly productive breeds, as a rule, are massive, broad-browed, have short horns directed to the sides, or completely hornless (komola). In general, the shape of the horns is a very variable feature ...

in some animals, they can reach incredible sizes.

A Texas long-horned bull named Jay R. is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the owner of the longest horns - they reach 227 cm.Since the horns grow all his life, and the bull is still young, in the future they will become even longer.

The color of cows and bulls is one-color (black, white, red, red) or piebald with a certain pattern of spots. The coat of all breeds, except for the Scottish Highland, is short. Weight varies widely. The most large bulls weight can exceed 2 tons. Recently, there has been a trend towards developing mini-breeds that can be grown in small private farms. One such cow requires minimal care, but can provide milk for an entire family.

Archie, a 29-month-old bull, is recognized as the smallest in the world. His height is only 76.2 cm.

According to their productive purpose, the breeds are divided into dairy, meat and dairy, and meat.

Dairy breeds

Holstein (Holstein-Frisian) - bred in the 19th century in Holland and Northern Germany, improved in the USA. Representatives of this breed are of medium size: height at the withers 140-155 cm, weight of bulls 960-1200 kg, cows 670-750 kg. Animals are most often horned, less often they have short, weakly curved horns. The color is black-and-white, occasionally there are red-and-white individuals. Gobies are suitable for fattening meat, the yield of which is 50-55%. Cows have a pronounced milk constitution: the huge bowl-shaped udders are firmly attached to the abdominal wall. The average milk yield is 7000-8000 kg of milk per year, for the best representatives of the breed it exceeds 10,000 kg per year, the absolute world record belongs to the cow Juliana, who gave 30 805 kg of milk per year! The fat content of milk in different populations varies from 3 to 3.9%. The productive indicators of this breed speak for themselves, which is why Holstein cows are the most common in the world among the dairy herd. They are ubiquitous and used in the development of a number of other breeds (for example, black and white). However, high productivity also leads to high demands on housing conditions, these cows are quite sensitive to stress.

Holstein cow.

Ayrshirskaya - like other breeds, its name comes from the place of breeding, Ayrshire in Scotland. The breed was finally formed in the 19th century, now it is leading in popularity in the northern countries (Canada, Finland, Sweden). It has a strong constitution, excellent adaptability to cold climates and not too large dimensions: height at the withers 122-130 cm, weight of bulls 800 kg, cows 450-570 kg. The horns are large, lyre-shaped, directed upwards. The color is red-motley, occasionally there are red and white animals. The meat yield is 50-55%. In the Ayrshire breed, large milk yields (4000-8000 kg of milk per year) are successfully combined with high milk fat content (4.1-4.5%). Other indicators of its quality are also encouraging - high protein content and low content somatic cells... Animals of this breed are early maturing, hardy, easily adapt to the harsh climate, but they do not tolerate heat well. Ayrshire cows are somewhat shy and can behave aggressively.

Ayrshire dairy cattle.

Dutch - one of the oldest dairy breeds, bred in the 18th century in the Netherlands. Among the breeds of this direction, it stands out for its compact, but dense constitution, strong constitution. Height at withers 125-140 cm, weight of bulls 900-1000 kg, cows 550-600 kg. Animals are hornless. The color is black and white, the spots are very large and form characteristic zones on the body: the front and back parts of the body are black, in the middle there is a wide white belt. The meat yield is 52-60%. Milk yield reaches an average of 3500-5000 kg of milk per year. Dutch cows have strong, bowl-shaped udders and well-shaped teats, adapted for machine milking. They were used to breed a number of dairy breeds, including Ayrshire. Animals of this breed are early maturing and easily adapt to different climates, but are susceptible to a number dangerous diseases(leukemia, tuberculosis).

Dutch cows in the pasture.

Jersey - bred in the XVIII-XIX centuries on British Isle Jersey. It has a delicate, dry constitution, small size: height at the withers 120-130 cm, weight of bulls 600-700 kg, cows 350-400 kg. Animals are hornless, less often they have short thin horns. The color is red, light brown with lightened areas at the end of the muzzle, around the eyes, belly and legs, sometimes the muzzle and neck have a dark gray tint. Cows of this breed are distinguished not only by low weight, but also by relatively modest milk yield (3000-3500 kg per year). This disadvantage is more than compensated for by the record high fat content: in ordinary animals it is 5-6%, in the best representatives of the breed it reaches 10%, and the record was 14%! In fact, Jersey cows give cream, therefore, they are considered indispensable in those farms that specialize in the production of butter. These cows are widely used for crossbreeding in order to increase the fat content of other breeds. Due to their small mass, they do not trample pastures, moreover, they are undemanding, but they are nervous and require delicate handling.

Jersey cow.

Meat and dairy breeds

Simmental - formed over hundreds of years in the valley of the Swiss river Simma, officially approved in 1926. Animals of proportional constitution, with a wide body, deep chest, developed dewlap and heavy thick skin. Height at withers 140-160 cm, weight of bulls 850-1300 kg, cows 550-900 kg. The horns of these cows are of the correct shape. Most often, there is a pale-motley and red-motley suit, less often fawn and red. Despite the versatility, the milk yield of these cows is not inferior in size to those of dairy. On average, a cow gives 3500-5000 kg per year, and the record holder 10,000-14,000 kg with a fat content of 3.8-4.1% (sometimes up to 6%). The meat yield in the carcass is 55-65%. The animals are unpretentious, easily adapt to different climatic conditions, digest roughage well, rarely get sick, and have a calm character. Simmentals are used to improve meat quality in dairy and dairy-meat breeds.

A representative of the Simmental breed.

Gray Ukrainian - one of the oldest breeds, leading its origin directly from the tour. Formed in the Middle Ages by folk selection in the steppes of Europe. Similar breeds originated from gray Ukrainian cattle: Hungarian gray, Gascony, Maremma. They are all fairly tall, have a narrow chest, a long neck, and long, lyre-shaped horns pointing upwards. The color is exceptionally gray, calves are born yellow. All of these breeds are now small in number, and some are endangered. The reason for this is their versatility, because these animals were used not only for the production of milk and meat, but also as draft animals. Because of this, gray Ukrainian cattle cannot boast of great weight and milk yield. Weight of bulls 800-850 kg, cows 450-550 kg. The annual milk yield is 2100-2800 kg of milk with a fat content of 4.2-4.5%. However, animals compensate for these disadvantages with other advantages. They are extremely unpretentious, hardy, easily adapt to cold and hot climates, eat the lowest quality feed, are fertile, calm, intelligent, and most importantly, they are resistant to such dangerous diseases as tuberculosis, leukemia and even plague. After bulls and oxen were no longer used for transporting goods, their mighty strength was unclaimed and the breed fell into decay. In some countries, these livestock are trying to breed as exotic native animals.

The Hungarian gray cattle originates from the Ukrainian gray breed.

Scottish highland - bred in Scotland based on local livestock. This breed cannot be called popular, but in terms of exoticism it surpasses all others. In winter and summer, these livestock are grazed on the scarce northern pastures, as a result of which they have developed an abundant coat that reliably protects from the cold. The guard hair of Scottish highland cows reaches a length of 30 cm, and under it is a short, but thick undercoat. The constitution of animals is close to that of a meat one: they have a short head with a wide forehead, long horns, at first growing to the sides or forward, and in old age curving upward. The most common color is red and red, less often black, white, fawn individuals are found. The meat of these cows is lean, with a high content of protein and iron. Scottish highland cattle are very unpretentious, easily adapt to cold climates, efficiently use pastures, and have a calm disposition. At the same time, cows can be aggressive due to the pronounced maternal instinct. This breed is often kept in zoos and reserves as attractive pets.

Scottish highland cow with a calf.

It would seem that there could be more exotic Scottish cattle, but breeders do not sit idly by, and now on one of the Iowa farms appeared "fluffy cows". True, they have not yet been formed into a separate breed and exist only in the form of a breeding group. But the absence of official status, these animals are more than redeemed by their unusual appearance. "Fluffy cows" are compact, they are black, red, piebald, and most importantly, they have a thick, moderately long coat. Thanks to special care, their fur creates a perfectly flat plush surface that emphasizes the outline of the body.

"Fluffy Bull" by Matt Lautner.

Ankole-watussi (watussi) - another specific breed, bred by folk selection in Africa. These are large animals of red or red-and-white color. Weight of bulls 540-730 kg, cows 430-540 kg. home distinctive feature breeds - incredibly long horns that grow either upward or to the sides. Their length can exceed 2 m, in some individuals they are also very thick. So, the world record for this indicator is 103 cm in circumference.

The horns are hollow inside, therefore, despite their huge size, they do not bring inconvenience to their owners. On the contrary, the network of blood vessels located inside the horn allows you to effectively cool the body.

A herd of Watussi cows.

Meat breeds

Shorthorn - the breed was developed in Scotland in the 18th century. The name of these cows in translation means "short horn" and indicates a characteristic detail of their appearance. The constitution of these cows is of a pronounced beef type: an elongated, wide and rounded body, a short massive neck, a shortened head, a strongly protruding chest, well-developed muscles. The skin is thick, soft, loose, the coat sometimes curls. The height at the withers reaches 128-130 cm, the weight of bulls is 900-1000 kg, and that of cows is 410-720 kg. Despite the small udder of cows, with good care they can produce up to 3500-4500 kg of milk per year. Slaughter yield is 68-72%, the meat is of excellent quality: juicy, tender with fine fibers and pronounced marbling. The breed is early maturing, but demanding in terms of keeping conditions. Being natives of the north, the Shorthorns do not tolerate the steppe climate well, moreover, they are infertile.

Shorthorn bull.

Hereford - the breed originated in the 18th century in the English county of Herefordshire. Animals of this breed are squat, with short and strong legs, wide, barrel-shaped body, deep chest, short neck, wide forehead. Horns are short, hornless individuals are often found. The color is red with a white head, legs and belly. The skin and coat are thin. Height at withers 124-130 cm, weight of bulls 850-1000 kg, cows 550-650 kg. On average, cows produce 1000-1200 kg of milk per year with a fat content of 3.9-4%. The meat yield is 58-70%. The meat is tender, juicy, high-calorie, with pronounced marbling.

Hereford cow.

Zebu

A kind of livestock, outwardly close to primitive breeds like the gray Ukrainian. The main difference between zebu and ordinary cows - a large hump at the withers, similar to that of a camel. True, this hump is filled not with adipose tissue, but with connective tissue. This unusual appearance led scientists to search for the wild ancestors of the zebu, but they were never found. In the end, the researchers came to the conclusion that the zebu descended from the tour as a result of a mutation that was steadily passed down from generation to generation. Zebu is widespread in India and countries South-East Asia where they rival buffaloes in numbers, they were also brought to South America and Africa. The breeding of these animals is carried out separately from the cows, although there are also hybrids between ordinary livestock and zebu. The main directions of Zebu breeding - meat and meat and dairy, in addition, they are used as draft animals. Compared to cows, zebu differ in slightly less milkiness and massiveness, they are more tall and mobile, less early maturing and fertile. They compensate for these shortcomings with unpretentiousness, good nature, excellent adaptability to a hot climate and a number of specific diseases.

Miniature zebu.

Buffalo

Only Indian buffaloes are known to be domesticated. The breeds of these animals do not have such pronounced morphological differences as in cows, since they are used both as draft animals and as productive ones. Due to the taboo on the consumption of cattle meat in India, buffalo selection was carried out mainly in the dairy direction. The milk of these animals to taste and chemical composition differs from cow, it is used for the production of the famous Italian mozzarella cheese. In addition to Italy in Europe, buffaloes are kept in Hungary and Transcarpathia (Ukraine). Compared to cows, these animals are more thermophilic and attached to water. At the same time, they are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and resistance to a number of tropical diseases.

Preparation rice field for sowing in Vietnam. Buffaloes, who themselves are very fond of water, are indispensable for working in humid climates.

They are similar in constitution to small cows, but have long hair on the lower part of the body, as well as a tail with long hair, similar to that of a horse. Most often, wild black yaks are found, less often brown and piebald individuals are found.

Yak under the saddle.

The weight of males reaches 800 kg, females - up to 300 kg. The main direction of their selection - dairy. For a year, a female can give 300-400 kg of milk with a fat content of 6-7%. Also, yaks are irreplaceable as draft and pack animals. One individual can carry up to 100 kg of payload on its back, rising to an altitude of 6000 m. At this altitude, a person feels clear signs of a lack of oxygen and significantly weakens, while the yaks remain functional. Among all types of cattle, these animals are the most frost-resistant, so they can spend the whole year in pastures and in open pens. In addition, yaks are suppliers of specific raw materials. - wool (it is used to make blankets and ropes) and ... manure. While cow manure is considered a by-product, in high altitude conditions, yak manure is indispensable as a fuel. Known crossbreeds of yaks with ordinary cows and zebu.

Domestic yaks wandering along a high-mountain glacier.

Bantengi

An Asian species of cattle, descending from the wild animal of the same name. Outwardly, bantengs are very similar to domestic fawn cows. Since they are distributed limitedly in the countries of Southeast Asia, then due to the beliefs local population are not bred for meat. The use of bantengs is somewhat similar to the use of buffaloes: they are raised for milk production and as draft animals.

It should be noted that among other types of cattle, these animals stand out for their meek and calm disposition.

Guyaly

Another type of Asian "cow". They are descended from a large wild bull - gaura. Compared to their wild ancestors, Guyals look shorter, but more massive. They are characterized by short, thick horns. The color of the guyals can copy the wild (dark brown body and light legs) or be piebald. Thanks to the large mass, the gayals are bred for meat by those inhabitants of India who do not profess Hinduism and eat beef. The meat of these animals has excellent taste, and the milk has a high fat content. Like bantengs, gayals are distinguished by their kindness and phlegm; they are used for plowing and transporting goods. At the same time, they are the smallest species of cattle. This unpopularity is probably due to the narrow range of their wild ancestor. Hybrids of Guyals with ordinary cows are known.

Bison and bison

They breed well in captivity, especially bison breeding is widely practiced, the meat of which is supplied to the trading network under the original name (exactly like bison meat, not beef). Nevertheless, these animals can be called cattle only conditionally, since they are not considered domestic in the full sense of the word. Known hybrids of bison with cows - bison.

Introduction

High productivity can only be obtained from a thoroughbred cow. There are more than a thousand breeds and breed groups of cattle in the world, of which 250 are the most common. About 70 breeds of cows and breed groups of cattle are bred in our country. Such a large number of breeds is caused by two circumstances: a wide variety of natural and climatic and economic conditions Russia, to which the breed must be adapted, and the specialization of certain breeds in the production of one or another type of livestock products.

All modern breeds of cattle are divided into three groups: dairy, which are bred primarily for milk; meat, the main product of which is meat; breeds of combined, or dual direction, in which milk productivity is combined with meat.

Strictly speaking, there are no bad breeds of cows in Russia, since any breed is the result of a lot of human labor. Therefore, it is more correct not to oppose one breed to another, but to know the merits of the most common of them.

In Russia, specialized beef cattle breeding as an independent branch of animal husbandry began to be created in the early 30s of the last century. The basis for the creation was the unproductive aboriginal cattle bred in the steppe regions of pre-revolutionary Russia. We were unable to truly create this most important national economic sector, either in the tsarist, or in the Soviet, or in the post-Soviet times. And now in its accelerated development there are many issues requiring urgent solutions. Now they have seriously taken up the development of this industry in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, in the Tyumen and Belgorod Regions. There are “islands” of beef cattle breeding in Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Lipetsk regions and in Altai. And the so-called "meat belt", which includes Kalmykia, Stavropol and Rostov regions, has begun to expand today. The technology of beef cattle breeding has been worked out most clearly in such breeding plants of the Union of Livestock Breeders of Russia as "Zimovnikovsky" in Rostov, "Sadovsky" in Novosibirsk and "Varshavskoye" in Chelyabinsk regions. In these farms, the cost of beef production is one of the lowest in the country, good profits from its sale, as well as from the sale of pedigree livestock. In general, the Krasnodar Territory began to work with meat herds very effectively, purebred Aberdeen Angus were brought there from Australia, the number of which in the country is very small. Today, the most important task in the development of beef cattle breeding is to increase the number of livestock, especially the broodstock. According to Rosstat data in agricultural enterprises of our country as of January 1, 2008, the number of beef cattle of productivity was 451.6 thousand heads, including 181.9 thousand cows, or increased by 9.2 and 10, respectively. ,eight%. By the end of 2007, 208.9 thousand beef cattle were assessed in a comprehensive manner, including 93.4 thousand cows of 12 breeds bred in 34 regions of the Russian Federation. Analysis of the dynamics of the number of probed animals over the past 3 years and their belonging to different breeds of livestock for the meat production direction showed that the Kalmyk (50.96%), Hereford (23.91) and Kazakh white-headed (16.38%) breeds have the largest specific weight. The relative number of these groups of livestock is 91.3% of the beef livestock raised in Russia. Simmental meat, Aberdeen-Angus, obrak, Galloway, Salers, Limousine and Charolais still occupy an insignificant share. As for the change in the number of beef cattle over the past 2 years, there is a noticeable tendency to an increase in the Hereford and Kazakh white-headed breeds and a decrease in Kalmyk breeds, both in absolute and relative terms. Among British and Franco-Italian breeds, the number of cattle of the Aberdeen-Angus (by 122%), Charolais (3.3 times) and Limousine (by 59%) breeds has increased markedly. The live weight of cows (controlled livestock), as before, remains quite low, on average for all breeds - 483 kg, although there is a tendency to increase it in comparison with 2005 and 2006, respectively, by 9 and 6 kg. In general, the indicator for the live weight of cows determines a significant number of animals of the Kalmyk breed with an average live weight of 455 kg. The largest live weight of cows was noted for the Charolais breed - 613 kg, Salers - 597 kg, and Limousine - 573 kg. Currently, the improvement of the selection, genetic and productive qualities of beef cattle is carried out by 36 breeding plants and 93 breeding reproducers.

1. Characteristics of cattle breeds depending on their productivity

Charolais breed of meat production direction.

Bred in the eastern part of France over 200 years ago. This breed comes from the local white cattle widespread in the province of Charolais. At the first stages of the formation of the breed, animals were crossed with simmentals, with which they are united by many exterior features. The Charolais breed was created under the influence of market demands for lean meat. Its formation was favored by the warm, mild and humid climate characteristic of most of France.
A feature of the Charolais breed is the tendency of animals to build up muscle mass for a long time, which allows you to get a lot of lean meat and relatively little fat during slaughter. The Simmental and Shorthorn white cattle had some influence on the breed, and the latter is very insignificant, since the meat of hybrids was not in demand due to large fat deposits. A.B. Ruzhevsky, Yu.D. Ruban, P.P. Berdnik distinguish the following stages in the formation of Charolais cattle. Stage (second half of the 18th century). Commencement of work to improve local livestock in the province of Charolais by crossing with Simmentals in a mild climate and good pasture. Obtaining animals of a working-meat type of a coarse constitution, well adapted to grazing. Stage (first half of the 19th century). Bleeding local cattle with the blood of white Shorthorns. Changes in the selection of animals in the meat direction in 1830 in connection with market demands, the formation of large animals through abundant feeding. Improvement, since 1828, of early maturity cattle through selection with the use of inbreeding, the use of outstanding producers, the creation of good conditions for feeding and keeping. Breeding for an increase in early maturity and an increase in the proportion of muscle tissue in the carcasses of Charolais cattle. Stage (second half of the 19th century). Re-blooding of the Shorthorn breed in 1855 to Charolais cattle. Recognition of the Charolese cattle as an independent breed and its further selection for meat qualities. Cattle of this breed are presented at the World Exhibition in Paris. In 1864 - the publication of the first volume of the book of breeding animals of the Charolese breed. During this period, a meat type of animals was created that made good use of pastures. Stage (first half of the XX century). Continuation of selection for growth intensity, meat and slaughter qualities. Breed differentiation on the line and related groups. Stage (second half of XX century). Widespread use of evaluating animals for the quality of offspring. Change in 1959 of the structure of the book of breeding animals. Creation in 1964 of the Charolais technical center, coordinating the breeding work to improve this livestock in cooperation with the Society for Keeping Pedigree Livestock Books, cooperatives for cattle breeding and artificial insemination, and animal quality control societies. In 1965, the International Federation of the Charolese breed was created, uniting 22 countries on five continents.

Currently, the Charolese breed ranks first among the breeds of the meat production direction in its homeland in France with a population of 1,834,513 heads. She is bred in all regions of the country. In addition, this breed has shown excellent adaptive qualities to various climatic conditions in many countries of the world and is now successfully used in more than 70 countries located on five continents, where Charolese animals are used to improve the quality indicators of local breeds of meat production.

The color of the animals is light in different shades (from yellow to white). The nasal mirror is light; the head is short, with a wide forehead. The neck is short and fleshy. The chest is deep and wide (the girth of the chest behind the shoulder blades is 200-210 cm); dewlap is poorly developed; the back is wide, with a slight sagging; the back is wide, well muscled. The limbs are correctly positioned. Charolais cattle are large, large (the height of cows at the withers is 134-136 cm, bulls - 141-145 cm), on low limbs; the body is elongated, with almost the same length of the front, middle and back parts; the musculature is loose, the skeleton is rather coarse; the hairline is thin.

The disadvantages of the exterior are the bifurcation of the shoulder blades, the unevenness of the back and the roof-like sacrum. Animals of this breed are hardy and have a long lifespan. Breeding bulls are effectively used up to 15 years old, cows - up to 13-14 years old.

At birth, the calves weigh 44-50 kg, due to large-size calves, cases of difficult calving are often observed (up to 80% of cows need help at calving, often resort to caesarean section). Calves are raised on suckling up to 8 months, by this age, heifers have a live weight of 250-260 kg, gobies - 270-290 kg. Average daily gains are 900-1400 g. Live weight of full-aged cows is 700-800 kg, bulls - 1000-1200 kg and more. Cows are characterized by a high percentage (4%) of calving twins, milk productivity of cows is on average 1800-2000 kg, milk fat content is about 4.0%. Often cows shown at exhibitions weigh more than 1000 kg, bulls 1300-1500 kg.

When animals are fattened, mainly muscle is formed, and not adipose tissue, as is noted in other beef breeds. When fattening at one year of age, gobies weigh 500-530 kg, and at 18 months of age - 640-650 kg. The lethal yield is on average 65-66%. A feature of Charolais animals is their extremely high growth energy, and in this respect they rank first among beef cattle breeds, and the ability to give high growths remains in them for a long time (up to 2 years). With a relatively low mass of bones in carcasses, intensive fattening makes it possible to obtain super-heavy carcasses with big amount muscle tissue with a sufficiently high yield of high-grade meat per 1 kg of bones. The quality indicators of meat are quite high, the ratio of protein to fat is 1: 1, which is the most preferable for the consumer.

Crossbreeding of Charolais breeding bulls with dairy and combined production animals, as well as with beef cows, gives excellent results both in terms of the intensity of the growth of the crosses and in the quality of the carcasses obtained.

In Russia, at present, most of the former breeding farms that bred the Charolese breed have lost their importance for various reasons. So, in recent years, Charolese cattle entered our country from France in 1998 to the farms of the Belgorod region, in 2002-2003. - Tyumen region and in 2004 - Kaluga region, where 28 heifers and 4 bull calves were imported.

As of January 1, 2005, the total number of Charolese cattle in agricultural enterprises in Russia was 878 heads (0.6%). The gene pool of the breed is concentrated in 3 pedigree reproducers located in the Belgorod Region (Rozhdestvenskoye Pole LLC), Tver Region (Free Labor collective farm) and Tyumen Region. (Trubacheva T.V. The results of breeding work when raising animals of the Charolais breed of different intra-breed types. // Animal science. 2008 - №11.)

Hereford breed.

Hereford breed of cattle, meat direction. Bred in the 18th century. in England (County of Herefordshire) by selection and selection of local cattle.

Animals with a barrel-shaped, squat, wide and deep body, strongly protruding dewlap, well-muscled shoulders. The hair is short in summer, long, curly in winter. The color is dark red, head, withers, dewlap, belly, Bottom part limbs and tail are white. Live weight of bulls 850-1000, cows 550-600 kg. The cattle are fattening and fattening well, producing high-quality "marble" meat. Lethal output 60-65%, sometimes up to 70%. The animals are early ripening, hardy, adapted to various natural conditions, long-term maintenance on pastures, and tolerate long hauls well.

The Hereford breed is widespread in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

Adopted for breeding in many southeastern regions of the European part of the Russian Federation, Siberia, the Far East, Kazakhstan. (Amerkhanov H. 2008 - No. 6.)

There is no exact information about the origin of Kalmyk cattle. For example, P.N. Kuleshov believed that Kalmyk cattle descended from Indian cattle, while other researchers believe that from Mongolian, some scholars consider him the ancestor of the Asian tur. It is known that about 400 years ago tribes migrated to our country from the western part of Mongolia, which brought cattle with them.

The formation of Kalmyk cattle took place in conditions of year-round grazing. In the harsh conditions of detention, the influence of natural selection was great, in addition, the breeders left for further breeding only the strongest, hardy and healthy animals capable of withstanding difficult wintering conditions. As a result, Kalmyk cattle acquired certain valuable properties and characteristics that sharply distinguish it from other breeds. Animals are well adapted to the sharply continental and continental climate - hot summers and low winter temperatures.

Cattle of this breed are of strong constitution, have endurance, make good use of scarce pastures, quickly gaining fatness. This cattle is characterized by certain biological characteristics: large seasonal deposits of internal and intermuscular fat (up to 60 kg per cow); a special morphological structure of the hair with an increased thickness of the guard hair and its core; strong development of hair and fluff in winter and reduction in summer; strong development of sweat and sebaceous glands and an increased number of red blood cells and hemoglobin levels in the blood. The color of the animals is red, of varying intensity, sometimes with a white stripe along the upper part of the body and with a white head. Often the animals have white markings on the lower part of the body; the nasal mirror is usually light; the head is small; the forehead is short; the horns are not long, directed upward with their ends inward; the face of the head is elongated, with a hump-nosed profile.

Animals of medium size (height at the withers in cows 126-127 cm), compact build (oblique length 150-155 cm); withers, back and loin are usually flat, wide; the chest is deep (69-70 cm), wide enough (41-42 cm), with a well-developed dewlap; the sacrum is sometimes slightly raised; limbs are strong, correctly set; the muscles are well developed; the udder is small; the skin is medium, covered in winter with long thick hair. In the Kalmyk breed, there are two types: early maturing meat and late maturing meat. Animals of the first type are somewhat smaller and with a lower live weight, complete growth faster, have a lighter skeleton and a higher (by 2-4%) slaughter yield, their skin is thinner than that of animals of the late maturing type.

The weight of heifers at birth is 20-22 kg, bulls - 22-25 kg, by the age of 6 months, young animals reach 170-180 kg, by the age of 8 months - 200-220 kg. The weight of three-year-old cows is 400-440 kg, full-aged animals - 470-540 kg, individual animals - up to 670 kg, full-aged bulls weigh 800-870 kg, and some producers - 1000-1100 kg. With intensive rearing for meat, the Kalmyk gobies give high gains and are characterized by good meat productivity, by the age of 15 months their live weight reaches 350-400 kg, by the age of 18 months - 400-450 kg. When fattening on the site or on pasture, the average daily gain in live weight reaches 800-1000 g. Slaughter yield ranges from 55 to 60%. Animals are well fed on succulent and roughage. The meat is of high quality, juicy, riddled with fatty deposits, the carcass is well-watered.

Milk productivity is low (1000-1200 kg). When milked from the best cows, more than 2500 kg of milk is obtained with a fat content of 4-4.5%. Lactation in cows usually does not exceed 8-9 months.

By the method of purebred linear breeding with the use of homogeneous and heterogeneous selections, as well as cross of factory lines and genealogical groups in this breed on the basis of the FSUE breeding stud farm "Zimovnikovsky", the type "Zimovnikovsky" was created (2003). According to the originator, the animals are large, have a harmonious constitution, stately, typical for beef cattle. The body shape is rectangular. The head is small and light. The occipital ridge is absent. The horns are directed upwards, in the shape of a crescent. The front part of the body is well developed. The chest is deep, wide, with a well-developed dewlap. The back and loin are straight and wide enough. The sacrum is wide, straight, with lush muscle tissue. The skin is thin and elastic. The color is light to dark red, with white markings on the head, abdomen and limbs. Animals of the new type are highly productive, adapted to the sharply continental climate of the steppes, are distinguished by good use of steppe and semi-desert pastures, endurance and adaptability.

A study of the antigenic composition of the blood of Kalmyk cattle revealed a high degree of heterozygosity in animals. In the A system, the A2 antigen is most common, in the B system - the B2, G2 and G3, Y2, Q antigen, and in the C system - the C 2, E, R2 W antigens, in the F system - the F antigen, in the S system - the Hґ antigen and in the Z system, the Z antigen.

The best herds of this breed are in the breeding farms of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise im. Chapchaeva, State Unitary Enterprise "Shatta" (Kalmykia), FSUE PKZ "Zimovnikovsky" (Rostov region), in pedigree reproducers FSUE "Ulan-Kheich" (Kalmykia), SPK breeding farm "Kamissarovsky" (Rostov region), LLC "Fanagoria-Agro" ( Krasnodar Territory), etc.

Breeding work is aimed at increasing the early maturity of animals and improving their meat qualities. Breeding of this breed is currently carried out on the farms of Kalmykia, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Astrakhan, Orenburg, Rostov and Saratov regions. In addition, animals of this breed are used for crossing with other breeds in some regions, Siberia and the Far East. This is the most numerous breed of meat productivity in our country, its share is about 60%. (Dmitriev. N.G. 1989)

The Santa Gertruda breed was created in the USA in the state of Texas, on the farm of Santa Gertrude, from where it got its name. The breed was bred by breeding "in itself" crossbreeds obtained from crossing Indian zebu bulls with Shorthorn cows on a large ranch of R. King. it vivid example the use of interspecific hybridization to obtain highly productive breeds of livestock. The work on the breeding of the Santa Gertruda breed began in 1910. At the same time, the task was to create a new highly productive breed of beef cattle, adapted to the dry conditions of steppe pastures in a hot climate zone.

The genetic basis for the creation of the breed was a cross between the Indian Zebu bulls of the Brahman breed and the Shorthorn cows. Brahmans are distinguished by their endurance, undemanding to feed, good use of rough vegetation of natural pastures, inaccessible to animals of other breeds. In addition, these animals are resistant to diseases carried by blood-sucking insects.

Cattle of the Santa Gertruda breed, bred in the dry climate of Texas, are well adapted to the corresponding climatic conditions, characterized by a high tolerance to heat. Animals are unpretentious, hardy; they have reduced sensitivity to blood-sucking insects, moreover, they do not get sick with pyroplasmosis. They make good use of pastures with such coarse vegetation as reeds, reeds, sedges, etc. This breed is more profitable for breeding in such conditions in comparison with Herefords and Shorthorns. Animals are early maturing and give 15-20% more production than peers of English breeds. They have a high growth rate and good indicators of meat productivity, they adapt well to hot climates.

The color of the animals is red, of varying intensity; there are animals with white markings on the lower part of the belly. At birth, calves weigh 29-30 kg. When raised on suckling at 8 months of age, young animals weigh 230-250 kg, and at one and a half years of age, when kept on pasture, heifers reach a live weight of 400 kg, gobies - 460-510 kg. Adult cows weigh 560-600 kg, individual animals - up to 780 kg, bulls - 830-1000 kg. Animals of the Santa Gertruda breed have good meat qualities. When calves are fattened, their daily gains reach 1000-1200 g. Well tolerating the heat, the animals give high gains in summer, even with high temperature air. The lethal yield reaches 63-65% and more. Juveniles of the Santa Gertruda breed, under the same conditions of feeding and maintenance, exceed the live weight of the English breeds at weaning by 45 kg. Milk productivity of cows is low. The daily milk yield of first-calf cows is 5-10 kg of milk with a fat content of 4.6%. Some cows have up to 6% fat in milk.

Due to its qualities, the breed has become widespread in the United States and is exported to many countries around the world. In our country, at the Central Station for Artificial Insemination of Animals (Moscow Region), there are stocks of semen from bulls of this breed.

Alatau breed.

Alatau cattle breed - a breed of dairy and meat direction. Bred in the Kirghiz SSR and the Kazakh SSR by crossing local cattle with the Swiss breed and the Kostroma breed. Approved in 1950. The Constitution is strong, the backbone is dense, not rough. The color is brown. Live weight (the common term is "live weight") of bulls 700-800 kg, cows 500-550 kg. Milk yield of cows 4000-5000 kg, record 10222 kg. The fat content of milk is 3.8-3.9%, the highest is up to 5%. The meat quality is good. Slaughter output of neuter gobies after fattening is 54-62%. The livestock is adapted to high altitude conditions. The best lines of bulls: Veterka, Marsha, Susamer, Varnaka, Poleta, and others. They are bred in the Kirghiz SSR and Kazakh SSR. Leading farms: breeding farms named after. Strelnikova and them. Ilyich (Kirghiz SSR), pedigree farm them. Lenin and the state farm "Alma-Atinsky" (Kazakh SSR). (Dmitriev. N.G. 1989)

Limousine breed.

The Limousine breed was created in the west of the central region of France in the province of Limousine. She is over 150 years old. The color of the cattle is red, from light to dark tones. Around the nasal mirror and eyes the hair is light, in the form of rings. The body structure is harmonious, with well-defined meaty forms. Animals of this breed are valued for their unpretentiousness, endurance, good use of pastures, high fertility, excellent quality of carcasses and meat. In France, the weight of newborn bulls is 36-42 kg, heifers - 34-38 kg, bulls - 1000-1150 kg, cows - 580-640 kg. The live weight of bulls for weaning at 7-8 months of age is 260-300 kg, heifers - 240-260 kg. The breed was introduced at the same time as the Charolese breed. In the conditions of the Priozerny breeding plant of the Baranovichi region, the live weight of cows is 550-580 kg, newborn calves is 32-40 kg. The calf yield is 90-95%. The live weight of calves for weaning at 7-8 months is 220-240 kg. The average daily gain of bulls from 8 to 15 months of age was 1050-1100, and the live weight at 15 months reached 430-440 kg. At the final fattening, the gains were equal to 1100-1300 g. Yielding to the Charolais breed in terms of growth energy, the young limousine breed has advantages in slaughter and meat qualities. Slaughter output of limousine bulls - 63-64%. The meat content in the carcass is 82-83%. For 1 kg of bones there are up to 6.5 kg of pulp. Any livestock breeder will be pleased with this amount of valuable produce. The fat content in meat is 7-10%, protein is 19-20%. Animals of the Limousine breed are second in number in France, successfully competing with the Charolese breed in terms of distribution in the world. Both breeds are widely used in crosses with dairy cattle and in the creation of new breeds of beef cattle. We have introduced you in detail to the characteristics of Charolais and Limousine cows. But many interested, naturally, the question arises: where to buy them? Charolais animals are bred in the Druzhba breeding farm, which is located at the address: Brest region, Kobrin district, Luka village, tel. 2-29-40. If you want to buy limousine cows, then contact the Priozerny breeding farm. Its address: Brest region, Baranovichi district, Priozernoe village, tel. 3-67-34. S.A. Petrushko, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences.

2. Breeding methods used in animal husbandry

Crossbreeding is the mating of animals of two or more different breeds. Its genetic consequences are the exact opposite of inbreeding. Inbreeding promotes homozygosity for more pairs of genes, while crossing leads to an increase in heterozygosity for genes from different alleles. When crossing, the phenomenon of heterosis is used - an increased level of development of a number of traits in the offspring (hybrids). Its biological essence is still largely unclear. Heterosis is determined by the heterozygosity of genes of non-additive action, which includes dominance, overdominance, and epistasis. If we assume that only dominance is responsible for heterosis, then theoretically it could be kept in all gene pairs by creating dominantly homozygous individuals, but this is practically impossible. Overdominance can also cause heterosis. In fact, several pairs of genes with overdominant action can act on the same trait, but the effect of different pairs cannot be the same. There are many types of epistasis, but the extent of this effect is difficult to measure. With the additive action of genes, heterosis does not occur, because the average values ​​of the offspring of the first generation will coincide with the average value of the trait of the original parental breeds.

The effect of heterosis is understood as the difference between the average productivity of the hybrids and the average productivity of the original breeds. Most often it is expressed as a percentage and is determined by the formula:

As for the methods of crossing, the simplest will be industrial crossing, in which crosses are obtained from two breeds. In another method, called backcrossing, crosses of these two breeds are covered again with the sire of one of the original breeds. Finally, a three-breed cross is used when two-breed hybrids are inseminated by the sire of a third breed. With alternating crosses, crossbred queens are covered by the producers of both original breeds, which are alternated after one generation. Rotational crossing is based on the same principle, but three or even more breeds are used for it. Crossbred queens of each generation, after selection, are used for further breeding, and the producers of the original breeds regularly alternate - they undergo rotation. With the sequential mating of queens of one breed (improved) with the producers of another (improving) up to the fourth or fifth generations, one speaks of absorptive crossbreeding. Crossbreeding performance is increased when the mating parents are superior in additive, highly heritable traits, and when the effect of heterosis is enhanced. The forms of manifestation of heterosis can be different. In the practice of animal husbandry, cases are very rare when hybrids or crossbreeds surpassed their parents with respect to all economically useful traits. Most often, superiority is noted only for individual signs or a group of signs, and the rest can occupy an intermediate position.

3. Heterosis and its biological essence

cattle biological heterosis

Heterosis is an increase in the viability of hybrids due to the inheritance of a certain set of alleles of various genes from their heterogeneous parents. This phenomenon is the opposite of the results of inbreeding, or closely related breeding, resulting in homozygosity. An increase in the viability of first-generation hybrids as a result of heterosis is associated with the transition of genes to a heterozygous state, while recessive lethal and semi-lethal alleles that reduce the viability of hybrids are not manifested. Also, as a result of heterozygosis, several allelic variants of the enzyme can be formed, acting in total more efficiently than singly (in a homozygous state). The mechanism of action of heterosis has not yet been fully elucidated. The phenomenon of heterosis depends on the degree of relationship between parental individuals: the more distant relatives are parental individuals, the to a greater extent the effect of heterosis is manifested in hybrids of the first generation.

The phenomenon of heterosis was observed even before the discovery of Mendel's laws by I.G. Koelreiter, the term "heterosis" (translated from Greek- change, transformation), in 1908 G. Schull described heterosis in maize.

In plants (according to A. Gustafson), three forms of heterosis are distinguished: the so-called. reproductive heterosis, as a result of which the fertility of hybrids and productivity increases, somatic heterosis, which increases the linear dimensions of a hybrid plant and its mass, and adaptive heterosis (also called adaptive), which increases the adaptability of hybrids to the action of unfavorable factors the environment.

There are five main forms of manifestation of heterosis for household and useful traits used in animal husbandry;

First generation hybrids and crossbreeds surpass their parents in live weight and vitality.

Crossbreeds of the first generation of live weight occupy an intermediate position, but noticeably surpass their parents in fertility and vitality.

Hybrids of the first generation surpass their parents in constitutional strength, longevity, physical performance, with complete or partial loss of fertility.

Each individual trait behaves according to an intermediate type of inheritance, and with respect to the final product, a typical heterosis is observed.

Hybrids (hybrids) do not surpass the best parental form in production, but have a higher level than the arithmetic mean of both parents.

The manifestation of heterosis during crossing, the results of the latter are influenced by a number of factors; original breeds and their compatibility, maternal and paternal heredity, conditions of feeding and maintenance. Success in crossbreeding primarily depends on the correct choice of breeds and their combinational ability. Not all breeds can effectively interbreed with each other and produce the desired hybrid offspring. Only well-selected breeds tested for compatibility are capable of transmitting their valuable qualities hybrid descendants. Each breed differs from the other in its gene pool, i.e. a set of those genes that determine the level of productivity, external forms, physiological and anatomical features of individuals of this breed. The compatibility of breeds is the correspondence of the gene pool of one breed to the gene pool of another. Currently, there are no sufficiently reliable methods in animal husbandry that would make it possible to predict the most successful combinations in advance. It remains only to test the compatibility of different breeds with the transfer of the most successful ones to practice.

It is also difficult to determine the choice of maternal and paternal breeds, although when crossing, significant differences were established between hybrids from direct and reverse mating. Many note the predominant influence of the maternal organism on the inheritance of economically useful traits in the offspring. The maternal effect is determined by cytoplasmic heredity and the influence of the maternal organism as a nutrient medium on the embryo during fruiting. However, there are examples of the predominance of influence on certain signs of paternal heredity, which is difficult to explain. Although it can be unequivocally stated that for the success of crossing individual selection producers is no less important than in purebred breeding. Great importance the signs of offspring are influenced by the conditions of keeping animals. It is known that hybrids with combined heredity are much more responsive than purebred animals to environmental changes. Therefore, feeding and maintenance, along with genetic characteristics, determine the results of crossing. Thus, when mating low-productivity aboriginal cattle with cultivated breeds in poor feeding conditions, the characteristics of the former dominated; the crossing effect was negative. At the same time, intensive feeding of hybrid young animals contributes to an increase in live weight by 20-30% and the correction of a number of exterior defects.

So, the success of crossing depends on a whole complex of zootechnical measures, including a skillful choice of initial breeds, selection of parental pairs, organization of full-fledged feeding of both the parents and the offspring obtained from them. The practice of interbreed and interlinear hybridization indicates that it has not yet been possible to obtain guaranteed heterosis for specific paternal forms, which causes a large number analyzing crosses. Therefore, modern breeding programs provide for the creation of a complex of specialized, combining lines, intra-breed types to obtain heterosis in hybrids in terms of productivity and reproductive qualities. The efficiency of such selection is theoretically highest for traits with low heritability and with a large proportion of genes showing dominance and overdominance.

Despite the fact that sometimes the increase in productivity as a result of heterosis reaches 15%, the use of this phenomenon is accompanied by inadequate costs for the creation and preservation of the original lines and breeds, overcoming the inbred depression, conducting test tests for compatibility, ensuring the separate keeping of individual breeds. It should be borne in mind that selection for maintaining compatibility must be carried out constantly and for each generation of hybrids to propagate the original parental forms. The basis for the development of breeding programs designed for the use of heterosis for one generation is a decrease in the effect of heterosis during the subsequent breeding "in itself" of hybrid individuals as a result of the cleavage of the original parental forms and the loss of heterozygosity.

The concept of heterosis as the ability of individuals of the first generation to surpass the best of the parental forms does not contribute to the study of heterosis in the second generation. Obviously, the attenuation of heterosis when breeding "in itself" hybrids is associated with a change in the frequency of the original genotypes. Genetically, the classical method of obtaining multiple heterosis based on variable crosses is considered. But it has drawbacks - it requires the reproduction of clean lines and with an increase in the number of lines, breeds of more than three leads to complex rotational schemes, the implementation of which takes a long time. A significant drawback is that the same breeds act as maternal or paternal, and this is undesirable in the case of specialized breeds.

Considering that the problem of obtaining multiple heterosis is actively being worked on now, it makes sense to consider theoretical approaches to it. It should be taken into account that the main prerequisite for obtaining multiple heterosis is the need to reduce the cost of heterotic selection by fixing heterosis in several generations in the offspring of a certain heterozygosity. Multiple heterosis includes all cases when it is used beyond the first generation of hybrids and its effect persists up to 3-4 generations. When investigating the possibilities of obtaining such a phenomenon in animal husbandry, we will designate only the theoretical ways of its implementation based on parthenogenesis, polyploidy, and genetic cloning. (Azimov A. 1997.)

4. Results of industrial crossing in cattle breeding

For the production of meat (beef), animals of all breeds of cattle are used, for this purpose feed is used more efficiently and animals of highly specialized meat breeds are converted into the most high-quality meat.

Meat breeds are more early maturing and at a young age combine high growth vigor with good feeding qualities. They increase meat more intensively, pay for feed better with increments than dairy cattle. In cattle of the beef type, the muscles are more developed on those parts of the body that produce meat of high grades. Beef from beef cattle surpasses the meat of dairy animals in terms of taste and biological value as a food product. Beef cattle gives a high slaughter yield. It has an increased ability to accumulate reserve nutrients in the body, especially fat, and 75-80% of the fat is deposited in the carcass in the form of watering, between the muscles and inside the muscles, creating the "marbling" of the meat. Animals of meat breeds and their crossbreeds are more resilient than dairy-type cattle, they can be kept in relatively harsher conditions, in lightweight rooms, which saves significant money and simplifies the technology of beef production. The choice of breed in beef cattle breeding is one of the most important technological elements in the production of high-quality beef. In this case, it is necessary to take into account not only the level of productivity, but also to assess the acclimatization ability of animals and the nature of the reproductive function, and for this it is necessary to know the economic and biological characteristics of a particular breed and their requirements for environmental conditions and, in accordance with this, create such feeding conditions for the animals. and contents that would contribute to the fullest manifestation of their meat productivity. Beef cattle breeding has a number of economic and productive features that make it an independent branch of animal husbandry. This industry is unproductive. The productivity of beef cattle is limited by the reproductive capacity of cows. In beef cattle breeding, much more feed is consumed for the production of beef than in other branches of animal husbandry. Unlike many other branches of animal husbandry, beef cattle breeding is less labor intensive. Its technology does not include the use of complex machines and equipment that require qualified maintenance. The most important biological property of females (cows) is the maternal instinct. Skillful use of it allows not only reproducing calves, but also raising them at minimal cost and practically without human intervention. Beef cattle technology uses the ability of animals to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This allows them to be kept in winter and in bad weather not in capital premises, but under sheds or in lightweight premises. Great experience in breeding and technology of beef cattle breeds has been accumulated in the world. Most meat breeds are early maturing (at a young age they reach a high degree of development), but there are also long-growing ones (they show high growth vigor for a long time). Beef cattle typically have a wide barrel-shaped body with well-developed muscles (especially the neck, shoulder blades, pelvis and ham). The biological advantages of beef cattle, which also facilitate the management of the industry, are their well-developed skin and hair, which reliably protects against hypothermia in winter and overheating in summer, from the negative effects of precipitation (rain, snow) and wind. They have denser and stronger skin, the layer of subcutaneous tissue is 5 times thicker than that of dairy breeds. In beef cattle, rhythms are more pronounced, in particular, seasonal rhythms of a number of physiological processes (reproduction cycle - calving in February-March, changes in the skin and hair - molting). They are less susceptible to diseases (high preservation of the offspring). Beef cattle have a higher growth energy and feed payment, and the slaughter yield reaches 62-65% (10% more dairy breeds).

5. Economic efficiency of industrial crossing

To increase the productivity of breeds, selection is made, crossbreeding of animals to obtain properties needed by a person and to provide the population of Russia food a new beef breed was bred by crossing local Kazakh cattle with Hereford. She was named Kazakh white-headed. This breed is well adapted to the hot dry climate of Kazakhstan, the Orenburg and Saratov regions, is distinguished by early maturity and is not inferior in meat quality to English meat breeds, at the age of one year it reaches a weight of 320-350 kg. such young animals can be used for slaughter. The carcasses are characterized by moderate fat content, meat of high nutritional quality. Mass of adult bulls 850-1000 kg,cows 500-550 kg.Crossbreeds from the crossing of dairy cattle with animals of the Kazakh white-headed breed are distinguished by high feeding and fattening qualities. Of our meat breeds, the Kazakh white-headed one is the most widespread and takes the first place in number.

conclusions

Food, economic and social conditions confirm that in the Russian Federation there is an urgent need to organize and separate specialized beef cattle breeding into an independent industry, which will develop in parallel with dairy cattle breeding. Each region should have its own specific program for the development of beef cattle breeding and livestock feeding technology, taking into account the specific features of a particular zone. The advantage of this industry over others is the lowest-cost technology: several times less grain, labor, equipment and energy are used to obtain products than in other industries. Important for the successful development of beef cattle breeding is the use of animals of highly productive breeds, their systematic improvement in order to suitability for keeping in conditions of industrial technology based on selection according to the intensity of growth, which makes it possible to increase economic efficiency and the profitability of running this industry. Russia has everything the necessary conditions for the successful and rapid development of beef cattle breeding. However, financial support from the state is needed, in the form of a well-thought-out subsidy system, without which the problem of beef cattle breeding in the country cannot be solved.

Compared to 2006, the number of breeding farms increased by 9.1%, and that of pedigree reproducers decreased by 12.3%. At the same time, the share of beef cattle in breeding farms amounted to 31.6% of the total number in the country. Most of the controlled animals of the meat production direction (97.6%) are purebred and 4 generations, including 100% of breeders and 98.6% of cows. Compared to 2006, these indicators improved, but the most noticeable changes were observed among cows and bulls, where the proportion of purebred and 4 generations of animals increased by 1.2 and 1.2%.

The relative number of individuals of the highest bonitization classes (elite-record and elite) has also changed quite significantly. So, total number animals of these classes increased by 2.3%. Important for the successful development of beef cattle breeding is the use of highly productive animals of highly productive breeds, their systematic improvement in order to be suitable for keeping in an industrial technology based on selection according to the intensity of growth, which makes it possible to increase economic efficiency and profitability. running this industry.

Bibliography

1. Amerkhanov H. New tall zonal type - Ural Hereford. // Dairy and beef cattle breeding. 2008 - No. 6.

Dzhaparidze T. To create a branch of beef cattle breeding. // Chief zootechnician. 2008 - No. 8.

Kostomakhina N.M. Breeding with the basics of private animal husbandry. - SPb .: Publishing house "Lan", 2006. - 448 p.

Kochetov A., Sharkaev V. Analysis of the development of beef cattle breeding in the Russian Federation. // Dairy and beef cattle breeding. 2008 - No. 6.

Kochetov A., Sharkaev V. Development of domestic meat cattle breeding. // Dairy and beef cattle breeding. 2008 - No. 8.

Zolotarev P.T. A new hornless type of Siberian breeding Hereford cattle - Sadovsky. // Animal science. 2006 - No. 2.

T.V. Trubacheva The results of selection work when raising animals of the Charolais breed of different intra-breed types. // Animal science. 2008 - No. 11.

Rostovtseva N.F. Cherkashenko I.E. Industrial crossing in cattle breeding Zootechnics 2001

Zhirmunskaya N.M. magazine "Peasant Dvor" issue №10 2008.

Isaev E.F. Dairy and beef cattle breeding "Maskva 2010".

Dmitriev. N.G. "Breeding farm animals with the basics of private animal husbandry and industrial animal husbandry." N.G. Leningrad. VO "Agropromizdat". Leningrad branch. 1989 year

Ruzhevsky. A.B. "Breeds of cattle". Moscow. "Ear". 1980 g.

Azimov A. "Fundamentals of Genetics". M., 1997.

Tutoring

Need help exploring a topic?

Our experts will advise or provide tutoring services on topics of interest to you.
Send a request with the indication of the topic right now to find out about the possibility of obtaining a consultation.