Assessment of the current state of the dairy cattle industry in the North-Western Federal District and the Vologda Region
Dynamic changes in the dairy cattle industry in the North-Western Federal District and the Vologda Region require their monitoring and studying to determine promising development trends. The article presents gross milk production analysis, the dynamics of livestock and economically useful characteristics of dairy cattle in the North-Western Federal District and the Vologda Region taking into account the statistical collected works data published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2020, the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, and the yearbooks for 2011-2020 on breeding dairy cattle in the Russian Federation. The number of dairy cattle has been stabilized since 2017 in the district, and since 2013 in the region. A period of cow use has been reduced in 2019 compared to 2011 by 0.32 calving in the Northwestern Federal District and by 0.15 calving in the Vologda region. There is a growth tendency in milk productivity: the milk yield of cows has increased by 2304 kg in the Northwestern Federal District, and by 2470 kg of milk in the Vologda Region in 2010-2019. The authors describe the breeding base of the district and the region by the specific weight of the breeding stock, the number of breeding farms, the level of productivity and the sales volume of breeding animals. The article gives a brief description of the breed structure of dairy cattle in the district and the region and analyzes the genetic potential of breeding bulls used in the breeding stock of dairy breeds of the Vologda region. The authors also determine the main directions in selection and breeding, which are aimed at dairy breed improvement in the region.
Assessment of the current state of the dairy cattle industry in the North-Western Federal District and the Vologda Region
Dynamic changes in the dairy cattle industry in the North-Western Federal District and the Vologda Region require their monitoring and studying to determine promising development trends. The article presents gross milk production analysis, the dynamics of livestock and economically useful characteristics of dairy cattle in the North-Western Federal District and the Vologda Region taking into account the statistical collected works data published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2020, the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, and the yearbooks for 2011-2020 on breeding dairy cattle in the Russian Federation. The number of dairy cattle has been stabilized since 2017 in the district, and since 2013 in the region. A period of cow use has been reduced in 2019 compared to 2011 by 0.32 calving in the Northwestern Federal District and by 0.15 calving in the Vologda region. There is a growth tendency in milk productivity: the milk yield of cows has increased by 2304 kg in the Northwestern Federal District, and by 2470 kg of milk in the Vologda Region in 2010-2019. The authors describe the breeding base of the district and the region by the specific weight of the breeding stock, the number of breeding farms, the level of productivity and the sales volume of breeding animals. The article gives a brief description of the breed structure of dairy cattle in the district and the region and analyzes the genetic potential of breeding bulls used in the breeding stock of dairy breeds of the Vologda region. The authors also determine the main directions in selection and breeding, which are aimed at dairy breed improvement in the region.
Correlation relationships of economic characteristics in black-and-white cattle
The present study has been carried out for obtaining comparative correlation data between productive and reproductive characteristics of the daughters of domestic and foreign breeding bulls in the modern black-and-white population of the Vologda region. The research is based on the works of domestic and foreign scientists and information databases on 10250 black-and-white cows of the 1st calving in the Vologda breeding farms. The statistical data has been calculated in the Microsoft Excel program. A comparative analysis has revealed a slight, but reliable (P<0.001) superiority of the daughters of foreign breeding bulls according to the average indicators of economic characteristics under study. The correlation coefficient calculation between the productivity and reproduction characteristics has showed the same relationship trend in the daughters of both domestic and foreign bulls. The correlation analysis has showed a great importance of animal development when raising black-and-white cattle. The live weight at the first successful insemination positively correlates with productive and reproductive characteristics. This type of relationship is noted both in the descendants of domestic bulls and in the daughters of foreign ones. The 305-lactation-day milk yield (P < 0.001) is proved to correlate with the service period (r = 0.13-0.18) and the live weight at the first successful insemination (r = 0.10-0.13) positively and reliably. The mass fraction of fat (P≤0.05-0.001) correlates with the mass fraction of protein in milk (r = 0.20-0.22), age and live weight at the first successful insemination (r = 0.03-0.16) positively and reliably. The obtained correlation research results between the productive and reproductive characteristics of the daughters of domestic and foreign bulls can be used for improving the breeding effectiveness in the modern black-and-white cattle.
Correlation relationships of economic characteristics in black-and-white cattle
The present study has been carried out for obtaining comparative correlation data between productive and reproductive characteristics of the daughters of domestic and foreign breeding bulls in the modern black-and-white population of the Vologda region. The research is based on the works of domestic and foreign scientists and information databases on 10250 black-and-white cows of the 1st calving in the Vologda breeding farms. The statistical data has been calculated in the Microsoft Excel program. A comparative analysis has revealed a slight, but reliable (P<0.001) superiority of the daughters of foreign breeding bulls according to the average indicators of economic characteristics under study. The correlation coefficient calculation between the productivity and reproduction characteristics has showed the same relationship trend in the daughters of both domestic and foreign bulls. The correlation analysis has showed a great importance of animal development when raising black-and-white cattle. The live weight at the first successful insemination positively correlates with productive and reproductive characteristics. This type of relationship is noted both in the descendants of domestic bulls and in the daughters of foreign ones. The 305-lactation-day milk yield (P < 0.001) is proved to correlate with the service period (r = 0.13-0.18) and the live weight at the first successful insemination (r = 0.10-0.13) positively and reliably. The mass fraction of fat (P≤0.05-0.001) correlates with the mass fraction of protein in milk (r = 0.20-0.22), age and live weight at the first successful insemination (r = 0.03-0.16) positively and reliably. The obtained correlation research results between the productive and reproductive characteristics of the daughters of domestic and foreign bulls can be used for improving the breeding effectiveness in the modern black-and-white cattle.
Dynamics of dairy cattle breeding development in the European North of the Russian Federation
The article presents the research results on the quantitative and
qualitative characteristics of dairy cattle populations and breeding farms in the European
North of the Russian Federation. Nowadays, taking into account the current political and
economic situation of the livestock sector management, the problem of preserving the
number of dairy cattle breeds and increasing cow’s milk productivity is quite pressing.
In the European North of the Russian Federation, there has been found the
tendency of reducing the number of cows by 9.92 thousands of animals for the period
from 2010 to 2018, which amounts to 70.29 thousands of animals. There is an increase
in cow productivity in every region of the European North of the Russian Federation.
The maximum increase of 2074 kg of milk is registered in the Vologda region, which
amounts 7418kg of milk in 2018. These research results are taken as a mandatory
element for the characteristics of dairy cattle populations, which allows us to determine
the dynamics of development of animal quantitative and qualitative characteristics for
working out planned measures.
Dynamics of dairy cattle breeding development in the European North of the Russian Federation
The article presents the research results on the quantitative and
qualitative characteristics of dairy cattle populations and breeding farms in the European
North of the Russian Federation. Nowadays, taking into account the current political and
economic situation of the livestock sector management, the problem of preserving the
number of dairy cattle breeds and increasing cow’s milk productivity is quite pressing.
In the European North of the Russian Federation, there has been found the
tendency of reducing the number of cows by 9.92 thousands of animals for the period
from 2010 to 2018, which amounts to 70.29 thousands of animals. There is an increase
in cow productivity in every region of the European North of the Russian Federation.
The maximum increase of 2074 kg of milk is registered in the Vologda region, which
amounts 7418kg of milk in 2018. These research results are taken as a mandatory
element for the characteristics of dairy cattle populations, which allows us to determine
the dynamics of development of animal quantitative and qualitative characteristics for
working out planned measures.
The dynamics of number, indices of productivity and economic use in the breed populations of dairy cattle
The article presents the results of monitoring the number of livestock, the indices of dairy cows productivity and the period of their economic use in the populations of Ayrshire, Holstein, Kholmogory, Black and White, Yaroslavl breeds in all categories of farms of the Vologda region. Based on the data from yearbooks on breeding on dairy cattle breeding farms of the Russian Federation the dynamics in the number of evaluated cattle and cows according to their breed populations for 2012-2016 has been defined. The reduction of the total population by 17.51 thousand heads has been revealed, which amounted to 96.66 thousand heads and in cows the reduction by 4.41 thousand heads has been noted, which amounted to 62.34 thousand heads. A similar trend is observed in all breed populations. On the basis of the data on cows productivity the increase in milk yield in different breeds ranging from 294 to 1242 kg of milk has been defined. The indices of fat and protein content were changing during the analyzed period in the populations depending on the breed. There was a trend of decreasing the age of cows in calvings. For five years the average age of cows decreased from 2.88 to 2.80 calvings. Similar dynamics is observed in the dropping the animals out of the herd. The reduction of the period of using cows for all breeds ranged from 3.78 to 3.76 calvings. In the population of Black and White breed the period of economic use decreased by 0.12 calvings. Therefore, improving dairy cattle populations in the Vologda region should be directed to increasing the age of cows in calvings. Special attention should be paid to breeding the animals of Black and White breed numerous populations with the aim of increasing the period of their economic use.
