The evolution of a herd of white-and-black cattle in terms of the efficiency of use in loose keeping

O. V. Bautina¹, N. V. Sivkin¹, N. A. Kovalenko^2
1Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member L.K. Ernst, p. Dubrovitsy, 60, g.o. Podol’sk, Moskovskaya obl., 142132, Russian Federation
²Agro-industrial enterprise named after Kalinin, ul. Ushakova, 5, s. Nikolaevka, Sterlitamakskii r-n, Respublika Bashkortostan, 453145, Russian Federation

Abstract. The article presents the results of studying the evolution of a herd of black-and-white cattle based on productive longevity and the efficiency of the production use of cows in a large agricultural enterprise with a stall barn system. Increasing the efficiency of dairy cattle breeding is inextricably linked with the improvement of livestock herds in terms of economically significant characteristics (milk yield, fat and protein content, etc.), as well as production technologies on farms. In this case, the determining factor is the intensity of production per day of life. The basis for the study was a large livestock enterprise that breeds black-and-white cattle in a free stall system for keeping cows. In the analysed herd for 15 years the average milk yield for 305 days of lactation increased by 31%, the fat content in milk increased by 0.15%, protein – by 0.08%. At the same time, the period of productive use of cows decreased by 2.47 calving, mainly due to increased culling after the first and second calving for reasons related to adaptive qualities. Breeding combined with the intensification of heifer rearing contributed to the formation of an early maturing type of animals, the maintenance of which requires less production resources (by 70%). The main directions for increasing the economic efficiency of the industry include technological and breeding measures that increase milk yields and the economic life of livestock, which is confirmed by the high correlation dependence of the profit received with lifetime milk yields and life expectancy -r = (-0.57)-(-0.87).

Keywords: dairy herd; evolution; black-and-white cattle; productivity; retirement; costs

Author Details: O. V. Bautina, Cand. Sc. (Agr.), senior research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); N. V. Sivkin, Cand. Sc. (Agr.), scientific secretary (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); N. A. Kovalenko, director

For citation: Bautina OV, Sivkin NV, Kovalenko NA. [The evolution of a herd of white-and-black cattle in terms of the efficiency of use in loose keeping] Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2022;36(9):70-4. Russian. doi: 10.53859/02352451_2022_36_9_70.