Why is the number of cattle not growing in Russia? Animals for meat. Grain and grass fed

Approximately also behaved and the population of Russia in the same period. There is at least a correlation.

The first blow to the livestock was dealt by the Civil War. It has decreased by 20 million heads in 7 years. Then the NEP and the land received by the peasants easily help to block the pre-revolutionary level and bring it to 110 million heads in 1927, in fact, equalizing the number of animals with the population of the RSFSR.

Collectivization, which began in the late 1920s, sharply reduces the number of livestock by half, from 110 to 52.5 million, but it is not collectivization that reduces the number of livestock, but the peasants themselves begin to intensively slaughter their cattle so as not to reduce their cows and lambs to socialized farms. va. The short-sightedness of this step - the slaughter of livestock - hits the peasants themselves already in 1933, when the crop failure of 1932 created a lack of food and increased mortality from starvation in the spring of 1933. Here, this beast could save many lives, but the peasants turned out to be evil Pinocchio themselves, alas.

After that, a sharp increase in the number of livestock begins again, and the number of small cattle (sheep and goats), as well as pigs, easily exceeds the pre-revolutionary level. I will pay attention to sheep, goats and pigs. It is they who are an indicator of the private initiative of the villagers (collective farmers), whom they keep in their private farmsteads for their own food and for the sale of meat in city markets. It is not so easy to increase the number of cattle due to natural reasons (prolonged growth and weight gain) and the complexity of keeping - you need to devote a lot of time, which is quite difficult for a collective farmer with full employment on a collective farm.

The next blow to the livestock was inflicted by the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 The livestock decreased by one and a half times from 91 million heads to 65.

After the war, there is again an intensive growth in livestock, especially in private farmsteads. The livestock of cattle makes a breakthrough after the death of Stalin and continuously grows almost until the very end of Soviet power. The increased attention of the state to the development of this particular industry is reflected. Attention lies in the large capital investments in the construction of capital farms and fattening complexes. The beginning of mass grain imports to the USSR coincides with the same period - intensive animal husbandry requires not only green fodder, but also fodder grain.

The other side of the medal of the Khrushchev period is the stifling of the private initiative of the collective farmers through higher taxes. Collective farmers respond with mass slaughter of sheep, goats and pigs, the number of which is reduced by 25 million heads in one year. It was Khrushchev's next voluntarism that cost him his post.

During the Brezhnev period of rule, a steady increase in the number of all types of livestock is observed, which by the end of the 70s reaches its historical maximum of 160 million heads.

Under the chatterbox Gorbachev, stagnation sets in, which, under the liberals, will turn into a catastrophic reduction in the entire herd (from 150 million to 50) of all types of livestock in all types of farms, regardless of ownership. I would call this period the Skotoholocaust and the Skotomore of the 90s. The result of this is the current extremely deplorable state of the village, which looks like it was bombed for several years.

Next comes what I ironically called Putin's rise in the number of sheep, goats and pigs, as well as chickens. Cattle do not succumb to liberal mantras and spells and continue to reduce their livestock.

If you ask any person what animal they associate agriculture with, the most likely answer would be "cow". Indeed, among domestic animals, these animals are one of the most important and most common, but in the scientific literature it is customary to replace their name with the term "cattle". This substitution is explained simply - in addition to ordinary cows, originating from the wild round, 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 blurs the species boundaries. In addition, they have a similar physiology, so all domesticated bovines are called cattle.

Ankole Watussi cattle.

Among all types of cattle, it is precisely the descendants of the aurochs that predominate in quantitative terms: the world number of cows has exceeded 1.3 billion heads. The remaining species are significantly inferior to them in numbers and are distributed locally in the centers of domestication. The domestication of wild aurochs took place in two stages. The first to pay attention to the huge ungulates were the inhabitants of Asia: about 8 thousand years ago, cows were first bred in Northern India. Europeans, independently of the Indians, tamed wild aurochs 3 thousand years later. Thus, cows became domesticated later than goats and sheep, and there were reasons for that. The fact is that it was easier to catch small animals, and in the process of taming they caused less trouble. But huge tours, capable of actively defending themselves, were simply dangerous for people. Only after the keeping technology was worked out on small ungulates, people dared to tame the mighty stags.

Subsequently, the resettlement of cows proceeded in two ways. In Asia, these animals penetrated south and east (together with buffaloes), partly north into the Himalayas (the yak was domesticated there). Here they enjoyed popularity and honor 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 object of cattle breeding among a number of tribes.

In Europe, the largest livestock was first in Greece, where they occupied a prominent place 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 to steal the girl he loved. On the occasion of the victory among the Greeks, it was customary to make a solemn sacrifice - a hecatomb, during which exactly 100 bulls were supposed to be slaughtered as a gift to the gods. Moreover, we owe the appearance of cows ... acrobatics! The first acrobats were not circus gymnasts at all, as we now imagine them. These were courageous people who performed in the arena with an angry bull, through which they made virtuoso jumps. And only later did these games turn into a safe and beautiful view sports.

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

Since the Middle Ages, cows have become the main agricultural animal in almost all countries of Europe, and here they have also undergone the greatest genetic changes, resulting in the emergence of highly productive modern breeds. Subsequently, breeding animals were brought to the Northern and South America, New Zealand, Australia. Now the best and largest herds of dairy cows are in Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, New Zealand. The USA, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay invariably hold the leadership in beef cattle breeding. This geographical division is not accidental, it is explained by some physiological characteristics of cattle.

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

Dairy cows have a particularly high need for water, which is why highly productive dairy farming thrives only in temperate climates.

The stomach of cows is four-chambered, and the food in it is digested in several stages. First, the food eaten enters the so-called scar, from where, after 30-40 minutes. reflexively burps back into oral cavity. The repeated chewing of food is called chewing gum. The chewed food again enters the stomach and moves to the next section - the abomasum. This is where digestion actually takes place. Two more departments, a book and a grid, specialize in the assimilation of liquid food (milk, water). The volume of the stomach in cows can reach 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 absorb nutrients plant mass. One cow can eat up to 70-100 kg of feed per day.

Among other features, relatively early sexual 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. Pregnancy in cows lasts 285 days. Usually a cow brings one calf, twins and triplets come across less often. Most a large number of normally developed fetuses amounted to 8 pieces. After calving, a cow is able to give milk for up to 10 months, after which a period of forced rest and the next calving follows. Dairy cows are difficult to start (interruption of lactation), the world record belongs to the cow of the Guernsey breed, which after calving was milked for 8 years! The high reproductive load also causes 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 keeping the cow becomes unprofitable. At the same time, with good care, record-breaking animals can maintain high productivity up to 10 or even 19 years. In Finland, Denmark, Germany, Holland, they traditionally take care of the longevity of cows and even insert artificial teeth into elderly animals. For example, 80% of the world record holders with lifetime milk yields over 100 tons now belong to the Netherlands. In general, cows can live up to 20-30 years, and the age of the oldest centenarian was 78 years.

Cow's milk has no equal in taste, so it accounts for 84% of world production, another 12% comes from buffalo milk and only the remaining part from the 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 contains relatively little fat, so beef is considered one of the most useful varieties this product. The rigidity of the meat is eliminated by the early slaughter of fattened young animals, resulting in a tender veal. Due to its high hemoglobin content, beef has dark color, but at the same time it is also distinguished by a high concentration of iron. For this reason, it is recommended to use it for people suffering from anemia, engaged in heavy physical labor. In addition, cattle serve as a supplier of a number of delicacy products: beef tongues and "marbled" beef with an even distribution of fat between muscle fibers. The technology for obtaining 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 (they are hung from the ceiling with straps). So that the animals do not suffer from cramped conditions, they are given daily massages, fed exclusively with grain, drink beer and sake, and play 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, a good steak is valued above any other meat dishes.

Horn bracelets.

Other raw materials worth mentioning are leather and horns. If the former is used for furniture upholstery, the manufacture of belts and shoes, then horns are now almost never used as a raw material. But in ancient times, dishes were made from them (hence the “horn of plenty”), powder flasks, musical instruments(hunting horn), jewelry, salt shakers, snuff boxes, hair combs. The horn has a pleasant smooth texture and warmth, it replaced modern plastic for our ancestors.

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

Arba harnessed to 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 the heavy wagons of the first American settlers across the endless prairies of North America. Oxen are no longer found in developed countries, but draft cattle are still popular in Asian countries. Buffalo and zebu races are held here annually, and in different options competitions, the driver can ride on a smart 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 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.

Although we usually think of cattle as purely practical animals, they also play a prominent role in the entertainment industry. First of all, it is worth mentioning the bullfight - the successor of the ancient Greek games with bulls. There are two varieties of this fun in the world: in the Spanish bullfight, the bullfighter is obliged to kill the animal in front of the audience, in Portuguese, either the bullfighter or the horse rider opposes the bull, and the victory is counted by the number of injections, 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 horns of the victim. The obvious injustice of this 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, man 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 pen 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 stampede and screams, the bulls somehow manage to hook on the horns or trample a couple of people.

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

Americans do not lag behind the temperamental southerners, their entertainment originates from the usual work processes that cowboys performed on farms. Over time, riding bulls, catching calves with a lasso, and managing a herd on horseback turned into independent disciplines of rodeo. Although this sport does not look bloodthirsty at all, it is very far from humane treatment of animals. During the breakage of bulls and the catching of calves, injuries often occur, both in people and in cattle, and in terms of severity they are not inferior to each other. Cow fights look the most innocent. These competitions are held in Switzerland and only heifers participate in them. Animals simply butt heads, figuring out which of them is worthy of being the leader, at the end of the battle, the participants part with the world.

"Battle of the Queens" - traditional cow fights in Switzerland.

In connection with such a diverse 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 buffalo, as well as several breeds of yaks, gayals and bantengs. a brief description of types of cattle and a description of the most famous breeds are given below.

Bulls and cows

They are descended from the extinct aurochs. Depending on the degree of genetic closeness 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 without horns (horns). In general, the shape of the horns is a very variable sign ...

in some animals they can reach incredible sizes.

The bull of the Texas long-horned breed 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 their lives, and the bull is still young, they will become even longer in the future.

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. In the largest bulls, the mass can exceed 2 tons. IN Lately there is 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 goby, is recognized as the smallest in the world. His height is only 76.2 cm.

According to the productive purpose, the breeds are divided into dairy, meat-and-milk, 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 of medium size: height at the withers 140-155 cm, weight of bulls 960-1200 kg, cows 670-750 kg. Animals are most often polled, rarely have short, slightly curved horns. The color is black-and-white, occasionally red-and-white individuals come across. Gobies are suitable for fattening for meat, the yield of which is 50-55%. Cows have a pronounced milky constitution: a huge bowl-shaped udder is 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, therefore Holstein cows are the most common dairy cattle in the world. They are found everywhere and have been used in breeding a number of other breeds (for example, black-and-white). However, high productivity also leads to high demands on the conditions of detention, these cows are quite sensitive to stress.

Holstein cow.

Ayrshire - like other breeds, its name comes from the place of origin, the county of Ayrshire in Scotland. The breed was finally formed in the 19th century, now it is the leader in popularity in the northern countries (Canada, Finland, Sweden). It is distinguished by a strong constitution, excellent adaptability to cold climates and not too large size: 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-and-white, occasionally red and white animals come across. 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 pleasing - a high content of proteins and a low content of somatic cells. Animals of this breed are precocious, hardy, easily adapt to the harsh climate, but do not tolerate heat well. Ayrshire cows are somewhat shy and can act 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 physique, strong constitution. Height at the 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 rear parts of the body are black, in the middle there is a wide white belt. Meat yield is 52-60%. Milk yield reaches an average of 3500-5000 kg of milk per year. Dutch cows have strong, cupped udders and correct form teats adapted for machine milking. They were used to breed a number of dairy breeds, including the Ayrshire. Animals of this breed are early maturing and easily adapt to different climates, but are susceptible to a number of dangerous diseases(leukemia, tuberculosis).

Dutch cows in the pasture.

Jersey - bred in the 18th-19th centuries on the British island of Jersey. It is distinguished by 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 polled, rarely 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 their low weight, but also by relatively modest milk yields (3000-3500 kg per year). This disadvantage is more than offset 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 produce cream, so they are considered indispensable in those farms that specialize in the production of butter. These cows are widely used for crossbreeding to increase fat in other breeds. Due to their small mass, they do not trample pastures; moreover, they are undemanding, but 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 build, with a wide body, deep chest, developed dewlap and heavy thick skin. Height at the withers 140-160 cm, weight of bulls 850-1300 kg, cows 550-900 kg. The horns of these cows are regular in shape. Most often there is a fawn-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 dairy cows. On average, a cow gives 3500-5000 kg per year, and record holders 10,000-14,000 kg with a fat content of 3.8-4.1% (sometimes up to 6%). The yield of meat in the carcass is 55-65%. Animals are unpretentious, easily adapt to various climatic conditions, digest roughage well, rarely get sick, and are distinguished by a calm character. Simmentals are used to improve meat qualities in dairy and milk-meat breeds.

Representative of the Simmental breed.

Gray Ukrainian - one of the oldest breeds, leading its origin directly from the tour. It was formed in the Middle Ages by folk selection in the steppes of Europe. Similar breeds originated from gray Ukrainian cattle: Hungarian gray, Gascony, Maremma. All of them are quite high-legged, have a narrow chest, a long neck and long lyre-shaped horns pointing upwards. The color is exclusively gray, calves are born fawn. All these breeds are now few in number, and some are endangered. The reason for this is 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 high 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 shortcomings with other advantages. They are extremely unpretentious, hardy, easily adapt to cold and hot climates, eat the lowest quality food, are prolific, calm, intelligent, and most importantly, resistant to such conditions. dangerous diseases like tuberculosis, leukemia, and even plague. After the bulls and oxen were no longer used to transport goods, their mighty strength was unclaimed and the breed fell into decline. In some countries, these cattle are trying to breed as exotic native animals.

Hungarian gray cattle is descended from the Ukrainian gray breed.

scottish highlands - bred in Scotland based on local stock. This breed cannot be called popular, but in terms of exoticism it surpasses all others. In winter and summer, these cattle are grazed on 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 lies a short but dense undercoat. The constitution of animals approaches that of meat: they have a short head with a wide forehead, long horns, at first growing to the sides or forward, and in old age they bend upward. The most common color is red and red, less common are black, white, fawn individuals. The meat of these cows is lean, with a high content of protein and iron. Scottish highland cattle are very unpretentious, easily adapting to cold climates, use pastures efficiently, and have a calm disposition. At the same time, cows can be aggressive due to their pronounced maternal instinct. This breed is often kept in zoos and nature reserves as attractive pets.

Scottish highland cow with calf.

It would seem that it could be more exotic than Scottish cattle, but the breeders do not sit idly by, and “fluffy cows” have already appeared on one of the Iowa farms. True, they have not yet been formalized into a separate breed and exist only as a selection group. But the lack of official status, these animals more than atone for their unusual appearance. "Fluffy cows" are compact, come in black, red, piebald colors, and most importantly, they have a thick, moderately long coat. Thanks to special care, their coat forms a perfectly even plush surface that emphasizes the outlines of the body.

"Fluffy bull" selection 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 distinguishing feature breeds - incredibly long horns, growing either up 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 cause inconvenience to their owners. On the contrary, the network of blood vessels located inside the horn allows you to effectively cool the body.

Watussi cow herd.

meat breeds

Shorthorn - The breed originated 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 meat type: an elongated, wide and rounded body, a short massive neck, a shortened head, a strongly protruding chest, and well-developed muscles. The skin is thick, soft, loose, the coat is sometimes curly. The height at the withers reaches 128-130 cm, the weight of bulls is 900-1000 kg, cows 410-720 kg. Despite the small udder of cows, with good care, they can produce up to 3500-4500 kg of milk per year. The 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 on the conditions of detention. Being natives of the north, shorthorns do not tolerate the steppe climate well, and besides, 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, a wide, barrel-shaped body, a deep chest, a short neck, and a wide forehead. The horns are short, polled specimens are often found. The color is red with a white head, legs and belly. The skin and coat are thin. Height at the 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 gray Ukrainian. The main difference between zebu and ordinary cows - a large hump at the withers, similar to a camel's. True, this hump is filled not with adipose tissue, but with connective tissue. This unusual appearance led scientists to look for the wild ancestors of the zebu, but they were never found. In the end, the researchers concluded that the zebu descended from the aurochs as a result of a mutation that was steadily passed down from generation to generation. Zebu have become widespread in India and the countries of Southeast Asia, where they compete with buffaloes in terms of numbers, they were also brought to South America and Africa. The selection of these animals is carried out separately from cows, although there are also hybrids between ordinary cattle 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 are somewhat less milky and massive, they are more high-legged and mobile, less early and prolific. They compensate for these shortcomings with unpretentiousness, good-naturedness, excellent adaptability to a hot climate and a number of specific diseases.

Miniature zebu.

buffaloes

In the domesticated state, only Indian buffaloes are known. 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. In connection with 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 different from cow's, it is used to produce 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 unpretentiousness and resistance to a number of tropical diseases.

Preparing a rice field for sowing in Vietnam. Buffaloes, who themselves are very fond of water, are indispensable for working in a humid climate.

The body type is similar to small cows, but they have long hair on the underside of the body, as well as a tail with long hair, similar to a horse. Most often there are wild black yaks, brown and piebald individuals are less common.

Yak under the saddle.

The mass 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%. Yaks are also indispensable as draft and pack animals. One individual can carry up to 100 kg of payload on its back, rising to a height of up to 6000 m. At this height, a person feels clear signs lack of oxygen and noticeably weakens, and the yaks remain operational. Among all types of cattle, these animals are the most frost-resistant, therefore all year round can be carried out on pastures and in open pens. In addition, yaks are suppliers of specific raw materials. - wool (she goes to make blankets and ropes) and ... manure. If cow manure is considered a by-product, then in the highlands, yak manure is indispensable as a fuel. Crossbreeds of yaks with ordinary cows and zebu are known.

Domestic yaks wandering on a high mountain glacier.

bantengs

An Asian variety of cattle that originates from a wild animal of the same name. Outwardly, bantengs are very similar to domestic fawn cows. Since they are limited in distribution in the countries of Southeast Asia, due to the beliefs of the local population, they are not bred for meat. The use of banteng 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.

Gayali

Another variety of Asian "cows". They are descended from a large wild bull - gaura. Compared to their wild ancestors, gayals look shorter, but more massive. They are characterized by short, thick horns. Guyal coloring can copy wild (dark brown body and light legs) or be piebald. Due to the large mass of gayals, they are bred for meat by those inhabitants of India who do not profess Hinduism and eat beef. The meat of these animals has excellent palatability and milk is high in fat. Like bantengs, gayals are distinguished by good-naturedness and phlegm, they are used for plowing and transporting goods. At the same time, they are the smallest variety of cattle. Probably, such unpopularity is explained by the narrow range of their wild ancestor. Hybrids of gayals with ordinary cows are known.

Bison and bison

They breed well in captivity, breeding of bison is especially widely practiced, the meat of which is supplied to the trading network under the original name (just 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.

Product Description
marketing plan
Production plan
- Milk
- Meat
Calendar plan
Financial plan
What equipment to choose
- - - Similar business ideas:

We propose to consider a business plan for breeding cattle on the example of a small farm in the Ulyanovsk region. This business plan can be used as a feasibility study for agricultural activities. enterprises when receiving a loan from a bank or with participation in state support.

Description of the cattle breeding project

We bring to your attention a feasibility study for the creation of a small enterprise for breeding cattle.

The aim of the project is to breed beef and dairy cattle for the subsequent implementation of agricultural production. products to the population in the form of milk and meat.

The production of this type of product is a promising direction, since the market meat products is one of the largest food markets. Meat products are in constant demand both among the population and organizations when purchasing meat products for further processing.

To increase your chances of starting a profitable business, check out free courses on earning money in real estate. You can not only learn about the different types of income generation, but also start putting them into practice.

How to start a project

Construction of premises for livestock breeding;
Acquisition of young meat and dairy cattle;
Raising and breeding animals in order to obtain a finished product in the form of milk and meat;
Sales of finished products (milk and meat) to the population.

To implement the project, it is planned to attract credit funds in the amount of 650 thousand rubles. The entire amount of the loan received will be directed to the acquisition of fixed assets and the construction of premises for the maintenance of livestock.

How much money is needed to start a cattle breeding business

No. p / p	Name	Amount, rub.
1	Construction production premises 30m*6m (including)	170 000
1.1	Expanded clay concrete blocks (3 thousand pieces)	90 000
1.2	Sand (10t)	4 000
1.3	Cement (50 bags)	14 000
1.4	Lumber (5 cubes) and roofing	40 000
1.5	Crushed stone (10t)	12 000
1.6	Construction works	10 000
2	Cows, 5 heads	250 000
3	Young cattle (calves), 12 heads	170 000
4	Feed (barley, oats, hay, straw) for 12 months	60 000
TOTAL		650 000

To carry out the production activities of the enterprise, individual entrepreneurship was registered.

Which OKVED to indicate when registering this business

Main activity individual entrepreneur on OKVED is code 01.2 - animal husbandry.

What taxation system to choose for breeding cattle

The simplified taxation system (STS) was chosen as the taxation system - 6% of gross income.

At the beginning of the project, the following livestock will be purchased:

Cows at the age of 24 months - 5 heads;
Young cattle (calves) at the age of 6 months - 12 goals;

There are 17 goals in total.

The bulk of the feed will be purchased from farmers. processing enterprises at a retail price. The rest of the feed (hay and straw) will be partially harvested by the individual entrepreneur.

The production activity of the economy will be carried out with the involvement of 2 employees for the position of laborer.

Table No. 1: Planned staffing

Position	Number of employees, people	Salary, rub./month	Total, rub.
Handyman	2	10 000	20 000
TOTAL	2	—	20 000

Product Description

The project provides for the purchase of young cattle from third-party organizations with further rearing of the livestock on the farm and the sale of meat and dairy products.

The activity of our farm will be divided into 3 stages:

purchase of young animals (age up to 6 months);
animal care;
realization of the received production - meat and milk.

To obtain a high milk yield, it is planned to purchase a highly productive black-and-white breed of dairy. This breed cows are able to bring during the lactation period (305 days) about 8000 liters of milk with a fat content of 3.5 - 4% or 20 liters of milk per day. The live weight of an adult cow is from 450 to 600 kg. In one calendar year, a cow consumes an average of 18 tons of feed.

Simmental calves will be purchased to grow beef cattle. This breed of cattle is characterized by increased meat productivity, by the age of 18 months the bull is gaining weight from 850 to 1100 kg.

The cattle diet will include:

compound feed;
Straw;
Hay;
haylage;
Roots;
Beet;
Potato;
Cakes and meal.

marketing plan

The main competitors of our economy will be similar producers, personal subsidiary farms, peasant farms and larger agricultural production complexes.

Sales of manufactured products are planned to be carried out in the following areas:

Sales of products at retail outlets in the city of Dimitrovgrad, in particular at the "meat market";
Sales of meat and milk locality at the place of registration of an individual entrepreneur;
Sale of manufactured products in small wholesale to reseller organizations;
Sale of products in the form of outbound trade (from the car) in neighboring settlements.

The sale of products will be carried out at prices:

Retail beef: 250 rubles/kg;
Wholesale beef: 170 rubles/kg;
Retail milk: 35 rubles/l;
Wholesale milk: 24 rubles/kg.

It is planned to sell up to 2250 liters per month. milk and 350 kg of meat, or:

Retail milk - 1000 kg;
Wholesale milk - 1250 kg;
Retail meat - 150 kg;
Meat in bulk - 200 kg.

Production plan

To determine the main economic indicators of the enterprise, we will calculate the planned costs and income of our economy.

To grow and maintain 1 head per month, an average of 1.5 tons of feed (hay, straw, grain) is required. One adult cow eats about 50 kg of feed per day. The average cost of a feed ration (50 kg) per day is 80 rubles, per month - 2400 rubles per head. For the maintenance of 17 heads per month, an average of 41,000 rubles will be spent.

The total monthly cost will be 79,000 rubles.

How much can you earn from this business

Let's move on to calculating the monthly gross income of the farm.

Milk

On average, one cow gives 20 liters of milk per day. The first 2 months, 10 liters of milk will go to feed the calves. In the future, all the milk goes to the sale. Considering that 2 months are allotted for calving, the planned volume of milk sales per year will be 5400 liters per cow:

30 days*20 liters/day*8 months=4800 liters
30 days*10 liters/day*2 months=600 liters

Accordingly, from 5 goals per year, you can get up to 27,000 liters of milk.

Meat

Bulls bought at the age of 6 months, with proper nutrition and care for 1 year, will gain up to 500 kg of live weight, with a meat yield of 70%, about 350 kg comes out of each.

Accordingly, from 12 heads you can get up to 4200 kg of marketable meat.

Table No. 3 Average monthly income of the farm

No. p / p	Name	Price per kg, rub.	Sales volume per month, kg.	Revenue per month, rub.	Revenue per year, rub.
1	Retail milk	35	1000	35 000	420 000
2	Wholesale milk	24	1250	30 000	360 000
3	Retail meat	250	150	37 500	450 000
4	Meat wholesale	170	200	34 000	408 000
TOTAL		X	X	136 500	1 638 000*

In total, the total amount of monthly revenue will be 1,638,000 rubles.

* For ease of calculation, the volume of sales is indicated by months. However, in the financial forecast, for the first time in several months, meat will not be sold (unlike milk), but as the young animals grow, the entire volume of meat will be sold. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of meat will cover all previous costs of keeping animals, and the rest of the funds will be our profit.

Calendar plan

To implement the project, it is necessary to carry out the following activities:

Table No. 4 Calendar plan for the implementation of the project

N p / p	Project stage name	the date of the beginning	expiration date	Stage cost
1	Construction of a production facility	01.05.2013	01.07.2013	170 000
2	Purchase of young cattle	01.07.2013	15.07.2013	420 000
3	Purchasing feed	01.07.2013	15.07.2013	60 000
4	Start of activity	15.07.2013	—	—

It is planned that the sale of milk will begin in autumn 2013. The sale of the first batch of meat is scheduled for the summer of 2014.

Financial plan

The organization of the economy will require investments in the amount of 650 thousand rubles. For these purposes, a bank loan will be issued.

The main expenses of the farm will be the cost of raising animals, that is, for feed - 41 thousand rubles a month. The second largest item of expenditure is the payment of wages to two workers - 20 thousand rubles. per month.

Based on the above data, it is possible to calculate the main indicators of the economic efficiency of the economy.

How much can you earn in the end in the production of cattle

Net profit based on the results of annual sales of milk and meat will amount to 556,720 rubles.

Farm profitability = 58,7% Project payback with such indicators will be 14 months.

What can be done right now

Download premium cattle breeding business plan with quality assurance

This is a complete finished project, not a school essay. There are no such projects in the public domain. The content of the business plan for the production of cattle:

Confidentiality
Summary
Stages of project implementation
Object characteristic
marketing plan
Technical and economic data of equipment
Financial plan
Risk assessment
Financial and economic justification of investments
conclusions

What equipment to choose

Tractors for transporting feed and manure removal from barns.
Various attachments for tractors necessary for collecting and harvesting hay: mowers, rakes, tedders, plows, etc.
Gazelles for the transportation of dairy and meat products to the market.

In addition to the basic equipment, it is also required to purchase milk cans, shovels, pitchforks and other agricultural tools.

What documents are needed to open

It is necessary to breed cattle for commercial purposes for the sale of meat and milk with the registration of an individual entrepreneur or LLC, depending on the volume of production and the number of co-founders. Documents required for registration of an individual entrepreneur: an application certified by a notary, a photocopy of the passport and IND code, a receipt for payment of the state fee, as well as an indication of the required OKVED codes. After that, the conclusion of a veterinary examination of animals will also be required in order to be able to trade meat and milk in the market.

Do I need permission to open

To open a farm, you will need to obtain permission from the employees of the fire inspection and the sanitary and epidemiological station. In addition, you need to open the front color on the communication and choose the optimal form of taxation.

Cattle breeding is better directed to the production of two types of products: milk and meat. For the sale of milk the best option will conclude a contract for wholesale with the nearest dairies. So you can always supply fresh goods to the market, regardless of the amount of milk produced. To sell milk at retail, we advise you to consider the option with selling milk through a milk dispenser.

Additionally, you can set up the production of skins, wool, as well as young animals. Also remember that success in the cattle breeding business is mainly in the health of the animal, so it is imperative to hire a full-time cattle breeder and a veterinarian. It is better to start a business with a small farm, and gradually invest the money received in its expansion. This will allow you to better feel the market, coordinate contact with the consumer and amortize start-up costs.

How to increase your chances of success even before the start of the project

Before finally making a decision on what kind of breeding business to start, pay attention to other business plans, it is better to invest a little time and a small amount of money on detailed research now than to think sadly about who needs my products later.

4 ready-made breeding business plans that you can download right now

See also a few similar premium business plans:

Business plan for breeding sheep, goats, rams
Poultry farming business plan
Business plan for breeding ostriches
rabbit farm business plan

Any business requires registration and bookkeeping:

Open an IP for free without leaving home (online)
How to easily keep accounts and submit reports via the Internet without a staff of accountants, using an online service

One of the most profitable businesses for farmers is the production of meat. The better the livestock of cattle, the higher the income. To obtain the maximum benefit, it is necessary to choose beef cattle. They are adapted to certain conditions cultivation 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.

Cattle of meat breeds with a high content of fat and muscle mass. Such breeds are able to accumulate fats from a young age and quickly gain weight even under adverse growing conditions. This group includes Gallovuy, Kalmyk cows, Kazakh white-headed and some others.
Large cows that grow slowly and have a low percentage of fat. 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 in breeding new breeds.
Very large individuals obtained by crossing zebu and domestic animals. Beef cattle belonging to this group easily adapt to hot climates. The representatives of the group have excellent immunity. This classification includes cows of the Charbrey, Brangus, Santa Gertrude breeds.

There are many meat breeds of cattle, differing in conditions of maintenance, care, reproduction. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, farmers must be able to navigate the selection of the breed.

Hereford cattle

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

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

A grown cow weighs about six hundred kilograms, and the weight of bulls exceeds one ton. Of this figure, about 80% is meat, and the rest is bones.

Newly born calves weigh about 35 kilograms. With proper care and a good diet, a calf adds 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.

Products obtained from Hereford cows are distinguished by 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 the Rostov and Volgograd regions. Less often, representatives can be found in the central regions.

In Russia, meat breeds of cattle, namely Kalmyk cows, have many advantages, for which, in fact, they began to be grown 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, on some individuals there may be white stripes located on the body or on the belly. Kalmyk cows are easy to care for. They are omnivorous and undemanding to feed. Animals are happy to eat even thorns and dead wood.

Growing 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 average frosts, therefore, when kept in the northern regions, it is necessary to build a warm room for them.

A distinctive feature of the breed is its precocity. Adult bulls are able to gain weight up to a ton. 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 rapidly gain fat mass, which is perfectly preserved throughout the pasture season. Because of this feature, some farmers keep animals on pastures all year round. But this is possible only in those regions where the winter is mild.

The offspring of cows is not large. Average weight calf is about 25 kilograms. Young animals are 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 with a fat content of 4.5%. With proper care, the animal is able to give at least twenty liters of milk per day. Cattle meat has a marble shade and a small fat layer. It is juicy and of the highest quality. The product is highly valued by famous chefs of the country because of its excellent taste.

Kazakh breed

To the best meat breeds KRS carry 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 body. The breed is very large, with a dense constitution. In the warm season, the animals are covered with short hair, and in winter it grows thick and long.

White-headed cows perfectly adapt to any growing conditions. They quickly gain weight not only in the grazing variant of keeping, but also in stalls. Cows of the Kazakh breed weigh about 550 kilograms. They give small offspring. Newborn calves weigh about twenty kilograms. Every day, young animals gain eight hundred grams of weight. As soon as the young growth gains two centners of weight, they stop feeding it with milk, transferring it to ordinary feed.

Limousin breed

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

The breed was bred in Europe over a hundred years ago. Cows are red. 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 the cow, the young growth reaches 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 breed of cattle is the Simmental. It was taken out in Switzerland. Over the years of its existence, cows have spread throughout the world and have been successfully raised not only in Europe, but also in America, in Russia.

The breed has double benefit. It gives 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 unpretentiousness of Simmentals, when breeding this breed, it is worth choosing the right breeding herd. When importing animals from abroad, you should buy cows in countries with similar climatic conditions. This is due to the low adaptive ability of animals. They are hard to get used to the new conditions of detention. Because of this, the reproduction function may be disrupted, growth and development of young animals are delayed, and productivity decreases.

Breeding cows

Having information about the existing meat cattle breeds and their characteristics, you can select cows that will be easy to grow in the region. With proper maintenance, already at eighteen months of age, animals can be slaughtered. By this time they will gain a good weight.

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

While raising cows, the farm receives milk. It is rarely used for feeding calves. Most often, milk is replaced by milk replacer, and the natural product is sold. This is additional income for farms.

Before answering this question, it is necessary to always remember such a fact as an axiom:

In poultry farming, investments pay off in 1-2 years, in pig breeding in 3-4 years, in cattle breeding in 8-10 years.

Everyone understands that capitalism is in the yard, to which we joyfully jumped a quarter of a century ago, and now it is stupid to blame the fact that private capital does not want to invest in this industry, but follows the path of least resistance (pig and poultry farming) - at least stupid.

And you put yourself in the place of a farmer or owner of an agricultural holding, huh? Of course, it's convenient to talk from the side ...

Gobies, and especially cows, keep, guys, incredibly difficult and troublesome. Any villager knows this.
This is not a pig that eats everything that is not given to it - from grass to fishmeal and meat waste.
Cattle need especially balanced feed (see previous post), spacious barns, periodic walking and more thorough care.
I'm not talking about the fact that the fertility of a pig is an order of magnitude higher than that of cows, and the increase in live weight is faster than that of bulls.
Yes, and in the pigsty per unit area is placed "more meat" than in the premises for livestock.
Simply put - pigsties are cheaper.

I must say that the fact that Russia is still among the leading countries in the production of beef is a fact in itself surprising to me:

Pay attention to the countries that are ahead of us in terms of the number of cattle: Brazil, China, USA, Argentina, Mexico...

All are countries with a mild and warm climate. It is clear that raising cows in these states is much more profitable and easier than in Russia, a northern country, where cattle have to be kept for several months in expensive, heated barns, with all the amenities.

This is fact number 2 to remember.

Then, you ask, why was there 2.5 times more cattle in the RSFSR than now?

Everything is tritely simple - the Soviet Union invested huge subsidies in this sector.

I will not forget my conversation with a young livestock specialist in the late 80s, when the whole school went to the local state farm to collect turnips.

Then, drinking with us, ninth graders, home-made mountain ash on the parapet of a turnip field, he said that each kg of beef from their farm costs twice as much as imported meat from the mainland.

And there were tens of thousands of such state farms in the USSR.

Of course, we have traditional areas for cattle breeding: the Republic of Kalmykia, the Orenburg region, the Rostov region, the Stavropol Territory, the Republic of Bashkortostan, Altai region, Tatarstan, etc.
But a significant leap in beef production requires global investment in these regions.

But here is an interesting point: over the past five years in agricultural organizations, despite the active support of the state, the number of cows has decreased by 460 thousand heads, while the number of farmers has increased by almost the same number - by 400 thousand heads.

Some experts believe that the reason for such polar results may be a more responsible attitude of farmers to their business.

But I think that it is much more convenient for a farmer to keep and care for a small herd than even for a collective to keep under the supervision of several hundred or thousands of animals.

For example, if a farmer who owns three cows raises their number to eight in three years, he will receive 0.2 million rubles.
According to this practice, small farms of the Republic of Tatarstan provide more than half of all agricultural products in the region, while subsidiary farms account for only 9% of state support.

So can change the strategy and give cattle breeding completely at the mercy of private farmers, increasing subsidies for private cowboys?
Leaving the state only the production of pork, where are the successes undoubtedly noticeable?

I don't know, time will tell... In the end, truth is born in search.