Going for a cow, you need to know by what signs you can distinguish an animal with high and stable productivity. You also need to consider the purpose for which it is bought. Depending on this, the breed of the corresponding direction is selected - dairy, meat or combined. The following are the selection criteria for cattle and examples of the best cows.
Dairy Cow Selection Criteria
It is better to choose a dairy cow according to a whole range of criteria. The amount of milk yield can be determined based on visual signs. Consider methods for evaluating the milking qualities of dairy cows.
Table 1 shows the productivity of some popular dairy breeds for milk.
Table 1
Breed | The average annual milk yield, kg | The fat content of milk,% | The intensity of milk yield, kg / min |
Istobenskaya | 3700-4000 | 3,4-5,5 | 1,6-1,8 |
Red-motley | 5000-6500 | 3,9 | up to 1.8 |
Jersey | 4300-5700 | 5,3-7 | up to 1B8 |
Ayrshire | 6000-7000 | 3,8-4,3 | up to 2.0 |
Red steppe | 3500-4500 | 3,2-5,3 | 1-1,2 |
Yaroslavskaya | 3500-6000 | 3,4-3,7 | up to 1.6 |
Kholmogorsk | 3500-8000 | 3,6-4,0 | 1,1-1,3 |
Holstein | 5500-7500 | 3,6 | up to 2.5 |
Black and white | 5500-8500 | 3,4-4,2 | 1,2-1,4 |
Exterior
When choosing a dairy cow, pay attention to the external data of the animal:
- Head. It should be light, small in size, elongated. But not wide and enlarged. Massive heads with a shortened muzzle are a sign of meat breeds.
- Withers. Must be straight, high, moderate width. In meat breeds, it is wide and even, rather low. Acute withers occur in cows with poorly developed muscles.
- Chest. Usually long, width is not the most important indicator.
- Dewlap. Small and narrow. In meat breeds, the fold at the bottom of the neck is much wider.
- Neck. Thin, long, folded.
- Back - direct. If sagging or hunchbacked is a defect.
- Small of the back - at the level with the back, without depressions it passes into the croup.
- Ass Wide maclocs, hip joints, and ischial tubercles.
- Belly. Moderately tightened, not saggy.
- Legs. Strong. The disadvantage is the proximity of the hocks.
- Suit. It does not matter. Important only for breeding farms.
- Skin and hairline. The coat is smooth and shiny. Not dull, tough and disheveled. Subcutaneous tissue - a little. The skin is dry, thin, fairly mobile. Beef cattle have thick and loose skin.
Udder analysis
The amount of milk added can be judged by the shape of the udder. What you need to know:
- A large udder does not mean large milk yields. An excessively large udder of irregular shape is often found in small dairy cows.
- High milk yield is indicated by a cup-shaped udder with evenly developed lobes.
- Nipples should be small. It is undesirable that they be rude.
- The back wall of the udder should protrude slightly between the hind limbs.
- The bottom of the udder should be parallel to the ground, and extend to the hock joints.
- The front wall of the udder should be advanced forward, smoothly passing into the line of the abdomen.
- In a dairy cow, veins on the udder are well developed.
- On palpation, the udder should be loose and grainy, without compaction.
- Do not take a burenka with an excessively large udder, it will interfere with the movement of the animal.
Age
The age of the cow is determined by the rings on the horns and teeth:
- With an old cow, rings on the horns may wear out. The absence of rings can also be observed after a long illness.
- Over the life of a cow, 32 teeth grow - 24 molars and 8 incisors. The incisors change at a certain age: central - at 14-20 months, middle - 18-28, middle outer - 24-36, angular - 35-45 months.
- Erasing cutters individually for each cow. It depends on the type of feed consumed. Erasing permanent incisors begins in 3-5 years. By 7-10 years, they become rounded, in 8-11 - quadrangular. At age 15, the teeth become round again. After 16 years, almost complete abrasion of the incisors occurs. Hemps remain in place of the teeth, which subsequently fall out.
Before buying, you definitely need to milk the burenka to make sure that the milk is moving normally. If it does not flow well, the animal may develop mastitis.
Physiology
The health status of a cow is assessed by the following criteria:
- the mucous membrane of the eye should not have redness or bruising;
- there should not be purulent discharge in the nose;
- the nose should be wet;
- the skin is smooth, without ulcers and ulcers;
A weakened animal is characterized by restless behavior, it has no appetite, and the lower jaw looks slightly shortened.
It is necessary to measure the temperature, pulse and respiratory rate - indicators depending on age are summarized in table 2.
table 2
Physiological indicators | Age | |||
six months | year | 1,5 years | more than 1.5 years | |
Pulse, beats per minute | 70 | 59 | 57 | 67 |
Respiratory rate, breaths per minute | 31 | 20 | 18 | 21 |
Temperature, degrees Celsius | 38,7 | 38,4 | 38,3 | 38,3 |
Last lactation milk yield forecasts
Approximate annual milk yield can be calculated on the basis of patterns of change in milk yield during lactation. This may be useful in evaluating the milk production of a purchased cow. To perform the calculation, use the data from table 3.
Table 3
Daily milk yield by months of lactation, l | Estimated milk yield for 305 days of lactation, l | |||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | 1200 |
6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1500 |
8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1800 |
9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2100 |
10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2400 |
11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2700 |
12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3000 |
13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3300 |
14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 3600 |
16 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 3900 |
17 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 4200 |
18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 4500 |
19 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 4800 |
20 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 5100 |
21 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 5400 |
22 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 5700 |
24 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 6000 |
25 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 6300 |
26 | 29 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 6600 |
27 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 6900 |
28 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 7200 |
For example, on control days from a cow in the fourth month of lactation, 15 liters of milk were milked. According to the table, such a cow will produce 3900 liters of milk.
When buying a dairy cow, you should make sure that she is pregnant. The heifer should be inseminated at the age of 18-20 months. Late insemination is undesirable. With early pregnancy, growth and formation of the heifer may stop, with late pregnancy, the animal becomes lethargic.
Dairy Cow Breed Overview
Representatives of dairy breeds are leaders in milk volumes. These are the most economical dairy cows. Today in Russia, about one and a half dozen dairy breeds are distinguished, differing in their exterior and milk yield. But all of them are united by one thing - in order to achieve high milk yield, it is necessary to satisfy the needs of the burenki in the feed and ensure appropriate conditions of detention.
Consider the most popular dairy breeds in Russia and their indicators in order to make the right choice for your farm in the future.
Holstein
Many breeders consider the Holstein breed the most productive. Holstein milk yield is a conditional standard with which the productivity of other dairy breeds is compared. Holstein bred in the United States, and their ancestors come from Holland. Today, this milk breed is bred all over the world. Feeding and growing conditions have a decisive effect on the amount of milk yield.
Holstein, being a dairy breed, remains a good supplier of meat. Bulls differ, in comparison with meat breeds, with a low meat yield. The weight of cows is 600-700 kg, bulls - 1100 kg.
External signs of Holstein cows:
- The height of the cow is 140-145 cm, the bull is up to 160 cm. The maximum height is 180 cm.
- Color - red-pinto, black-pinto, bluish-pinto.
- The head is small, neat.
- The body is long.
- The chest is wide and deep.
- The sacrum is wide.
- The back is long.
- Croup - straight.
- Legs are short.
- The udder is in the form of a bowl, large.
Blunt pinto cows are extremely rare, they appear due to a combination of white and black hairs. The most common color is piebald, these cows have the highest milk yield. Red-piebald individuals give less milk. Previously, they were completely rejected, but today they have been separated into a separate breed - they have less milk yield, but milk is fatter.
The productivity of the Holstein breed in milk is 7500-8000 l / year. Milk yield depending on color:
- black-piebald pie - 7300 l / year, fat content - 3.8%;
- red-piebald - 4100 l / year, fat content - 3.96%.
Advantages of the Holstein breed:
- high milk yield;
- high quality milk;
- good meat productivity - carcass yield is 50-55%;
- precocity.
Disadvantages:
- Demanding for food, if the diet is not nutritious enough, the fat content of milk can drop to 1%. Even if the amount of feed will be sufficient. In winter, they need hay - grain and bean, vitamins. In summer, grazing in meadows with lush herbs is needed.
- They react poorly to stress - milk production and weight drop.
- High purity requirements. If the cowshed is dirty, cows may become sick.
Ayrshire
The breed is from Europe. Cattle are dehydrated, not hornless. Cow weight - 540-600 kg, bulls - 800 kg. External signs:
- growth at the withers - 130 cm;
- light skeleton;
- chest - deep;
- the head is neat, small;
- addition is proportional;
- legs are short, correctly set;
- udder - average;
- color - red-pinto.
Productivity:
- for milk - 5000-7000 l / year, fat content - 4.2%;
- meat yield - 50-55%.
Advantages of Ayrshire breed:
- high quality milk;
- easily adapt to difficult climatic conditions;
- simple content;
- good health;
- offspring appear early.
In Australia, Europe and other countries, ayrshirs produce up to 9,000 liters of milk per year. To achieve such indicators, western cultivation technologies are needed.
Disadvantages:
- complex character, shy;
- do not tolerate heat;
- too mobile.
Black and white
This dairy breed was bred in the USSR in the middle of the last century. "Pestrushes" spread widely across the regions, second only to the red breed and simmental in livestock. The breed has several types - they distinguish Altai, Siberian, Ural and Great Russian.
External signs:
- growth - up to 132 cm;
- color - the base is black, and bright white spots are randomly located on it;
- the body is powerful and proportionate;
- elongated body;
- head of medium size, elongated;
- horns are gray, dark at the ends;
- medium-sized chest - up to 75 cm wide;
- the back and lower back are straight;
- legs are powerful, straight.
Burenki from the central regions weigh 600-650 kg, bulls up to 1100 kg. Ural cows have a drier constitution, and Siberian cows are smaller in size from their black-motley counterparts. The mass of Siberians is 550 kg.
Milking depends on the diet and the conditions of detention. Average milk yield - 7600-8000 l / year. Fat content is 3.5-3.7%, protein content is 3.0-3.2%. The meat yield after slaughter of a black-motley breed cow is up to 60%.
Advantages of the breed:
- good immunity;
- valuable meat;
- quick adaptation to different climatic conditions;
- average precocity;
- diet with a minimum of concentrates;
- high quality products - fat milk and low-fat meat.
Breeders are working to eliminate the shortcomings of the breed, they are faced with the tasks:
- eliminate differences between different types of breed;
- increase the yield of meat;
- increase milk yield, fat content and protein content in milk.
Kholmogorsk
The breed was bred in the Arkhangelsk region by crossing local breeds with Dutch. The weight of cows is 480-590 kg, bulls - up to 1000 kg.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 130 cm;
- elongated friable body;
- the back is straight;
- the back and lower back are wide;
- color - black and white, less often - black or pinto, very rarely - red;
- neck - long, thin;
- chest circumference - 196 cm.
Milk productivity - 3600-5000 l / year. The fat content is 3.6-3.9%. The output of meat during slaughter is 45-52%.
Advantages of the Kholmogorsk breed:
- a combination of high milk and meat productivity;
- precocity
- tolerate cold climates;
- good meat yield for bulls.
The lack of milk can be considered a disadvantage, but breeders are working on this issue. The breed is not suitable for the southern regions - productivity drops sharply.
Yaroslavskaya
Pronounced representatives of the dairy breed. The weight of cows is 350-450 kg, bulls 700-900, maximum 1200 kg.
External signs:
- height - 125-127 cm;
- the body is dry, angular, the skeleton is well developed;
- the front part of the head is elongated;
- narrow and deep chest;
- wide croup and thin, short legs;
- bowl-shaped udder, medium size;
- color - mostly black with a white muzzle, rarely red.
Milk productivity - 5000 l / year. Fat content - up to 4%. The meat yield is up to 60%.
The breed is responsive to feed, when the diet improves, the milk yield immediately increases. But this is also a minus - it is worth slipping low-grade concentrates to the Burenka, as productivity will drop immediately. Yaroslavl disease resistant, including leukemia.
Dutch
All the dairy breeds were obtained by crossbreeding with Dutch cows. Cows weigh up to 800 kg, bulls - 1200 kg.
External signs:
- growth - up to 132 cm;
- a well-fed body and a straight line of the back;
- color - mottled, there are large spots, black and red.
Milk productivity - 4500 l / year. The fat content of milk is 3.8-4%.
Advantages of the Dutch breed:
- good meat yield - 60%;
- large yields;
- precocity
- high quality milk.
Disadvantages:
- increased requirements for cleanliness;
- insufficiently high immunity - there is a susceptibility to infections;
- exactingness to feed;
- instability to stress.
Jersey
The most unpretentious in terms of content of the breed. Weight of cows - 370-400 kg, bulls - 560-760 kg. The probable homeland is England or France.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 120 cm;
- the back in adults is concave;
- case - narrowed;
- tail - raised;
- the head is small, with a narrow forehead;
- neck - thin, folded;
- the udder is large, bowl-shaped.
Milk productivity - 3000-4500 l / year. There are record holders with milk yield up to 10,000 liters. Fat content - 5-7%.
Pros of the Jersey breed:
- high milk production;
- high nutritional value of milk - a lot of calcium and protein;
- reduced feed intake due to compact physique;
- almost do not suffer from mastitis;
- no problems with legs - due to light weight;
- do not trample pastures.
Disadvantages:
- few meat products due to flat ribs and chest;
- in the hind limbs - incorrect setting;
- increased shyness.
Red steppe
A red steppe cow is capable of horning a rival. Cow weight - 400-650 kg, bulls - up to 900 kg. Slaughter meat yield - 53%.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 127.5 cm;
- long body;
- narrow and long loins;
- short, correctly set legs;
- uneven top line - pronounced differences between sections of the spine;
- color - red, white marks on the forehead, stomach, udder, legs are possible;
- croup - medium length;
- the udder is small, round, nipples are cylindrical.
Productivity depends on the climate in the breeding zone. If the feed is juicy, plentiful, a red steppe cow can produce more than 5000 liters of milk per lactation. In arid regions, milk yield is not more than 4000 liters. The fat content of milk is 3.6-3.7%.
Advantages of the breed:
- easily adapts to different climatic conditions;
- quickly walks up weight on lush grass, and during a period of drought eats dry grass, preserving the gained weight;
- easily tolerates heat in summer - at 30 ° C, and in winter - cold winds;
- strong immunity.
The disadvantages of the breed:
- light weight;
- thin skeleton;
- there are defects of the udder.
Meat selection criteria
Meat cows are selected according to several criteria, and the most important of them is the exterior. What you need to pay attention to when choosing cows of meat breeds:
- torso - strong and short;
- head - large;
- withers - more massive and longer than milk;
- neck - muscular;
- back and chest - wide;
- legs - short, widely set;
- skin - thick, covered with thick hair;
- udder - large, nipples - weak, being in an upright position, set close to each other.
What else you need to know when choosing a meat cow:
- Age. It affects productivity. The peak milk production occurs at 2-6 calving. It is not advisable to buy old cows.
- Health status. Signs of a healthy animal are vivacity, firm gait, soft shiny coat, eyes are clean, not inflamed. There should not be a cough, but on the udder - hardenings.
- The number of calving. In private households, cows are kept up to 10-12, rarely - up to 18 calving.
If you look at the beef cattle from the side, the body is close in shape to a rectangle, and for dairy cows - to a triangle, the sharp top of which is directed to the head.
For the meat industry, the main characteristic is weight. But you can’t choose a meat breed only by weight. The profitability for meat is also important - how much, in%, the weight of the meat is based on the weight of the carcass. The data for popular meat breeds are in table 4.
Table 4
Breed of cows | The total weight of the carcass of a cow, kg | The total weight of the carcass of a bull, kg | Average profitability for meat,% |
Limousine | 500-600 | 1000-1100 | 68-70 |
Holloway | 350-500 | 600-850 | 58-62 |
Russian hornless | 500-600 | 900-1250 | up to 80 |
Aberdeen Angus | 600-800 | 800-1000 | 60-70 |
Kazakh white-headed | 400-550 | 600-900 | 55-60 |
Kalmyk | 400-550 | 600-1100 | up to 60 |
Hereford | 600-800 | 1000-1350 | up to 70 |
Normal physiological indicators in table 5.
Table 5
Animal sex | temperature | pulse | breath |
Bull | 37,5-39 | 50-60 | 15-25 |
Cow | 37,5-39 | 50-80 | 15-30 |
When choosing young meat, they are guided by the following criteria:
- ability to acclimatize;
- female performance;
- meat quality and yield;
- growth rate.
Review of meat cows
Meat breeds differ from dairy breeds in faster weight gain and higher meat yield. Their meat is higher in quality. Beef cattle have a large torso with well-developed muscles.
Hereford
Herefords are the most common beef breed in the world. Weight of bulls - 900-1200 kg, cows - up to 850 kg. Slaughter yield of meat - 60-70%. Massive animals come in three types:
- red horned;
- red hornless;
- black ones.
Meat producers are more likely to choose hornless cows - it is easier to deal with them. Herefords are distinguished by a strong physique.
Their external signs:
- the neck is short, the head is large strong;
- short legs;
- weakly expressed mammary glands.
Benefits:
- adapts to different climatic conditions;
- easy calving;
- low calf mortality;
- large meat yield;
- early maturity and quick weight gain;
- they live for a long time - up to 18 years, are not picky about food;
- give valuable marble meat;
- give valuable skin - it is used for making shoes, haberdashery.
Hereford disadvantages:
- Low milk production of females. They are not subject to milking. There is only enough milk to feed the calves in the first months of life.
- Demanding on cleanliness and care.
- Consume a huge amount of feed. There are difficulties with providing food in the winter.
- Poor drafts and humidity.
Aberdeen Angus
Aberdeen-Angara cows and hornless bulls - they have no horns. The weight of cows is 500-550 kg, bulls are 750-950 kg. The suit is usually black, less often red.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 120-150 cm;
- heavy but small head;
- the muzzle is short; the nape is very narrow;
- muscular and short legs, strong, correctly set;
- wide body, heavy and deep;
- upper back line is even;
- there is practically no neck - the head immediately merges with the shoulders.
These are very large and flexible animals that do not show signs of aggression. Slaughter - 1.5-2 years. The meat yield is 60%.
Benefits:
- fast growth;
- valuable marbled meat;
- good growth on any feed;
- genes convey meat qualities;
- adapts well to the climate of Russia;
- It tolerates cold weather easily.
The disadvantage is weak legs. If the animal is gaining a lot of weight, they may not be able to bear it - the legs may break. Or the aberdines just fall to their feet due to the heavy weight. Bulls are quickly put on meat, but cows cannot be obese in any way - there may be problems during pregnancy and hotel.
Charolese
Old French breed. It is considered the largest breed in the world. Previously used as draft power. They have large muscle mass. One of the most popular meat breeds. The weight of cows is 900 kg, bulls - 1100 kg. Cows do not have powerful muscles, in appearance they look like an ordinary burenka of the central band. Slaughter meat yield - 65%.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 155 cm, bulls - 165 cm;
- small and short head with a wide forehead;
- round elongated horns;
- the neck is thick and short, with a pronounced crest;
- wide and deep chest;
- the back and lower back are even;
- legs are short, set wide, powerful;
- color - creamy white, red, black;
- the udder is small, regular in shape.
Benefits:
- strong legs and hooves - this is important for massive cattle;
- large meat yield.
Disadvantages:
- the presence of horns - animal horns have to be removed so that there are no conflicts in the herd;
- heavy calving.
Ukrainian meat
3/4 of the parents are represented by a foreign composition. Charolaises, Simmental and Kian cows participated in the creation of the breed, as well as the local breed - the gray Ukrainian cow.
Features of the breed:
- tall, the height of the cows - 130 cm, bulls - 150 cm at the withers;
- the weight of cows is 550 kg, bulls - 1200 kg.
Benefits:
- unpretentious to the maintenance and feeding - can eat pasture;
- grow fast;
- thick skin - goes to the manufacture of leather shoes and other products;
- high meat yield - up to 64%.
The disadvantage is the relative novelty of the breed. Registered in 1993. Little known.
Kazakh white-headed
It weighs less than its ancestor - Hereford. Bulls weigh up to 850 kg, cows - up to 500 kg.
External signs:
- elongated, barrel-shaped body;
- strong and light skeleton;
- flat line of the back;
- color - different shades, but the head, tail, breast, legs, belly are white.
The advantage of the Kazakh breed is the ability to survive in extreme conditions. Adapted to meager nutrition, winter in the cold steppe. A very profitable option, as it does not need special care. Productivity in meat - 53-63%.
Disadvantages:
- increased fat content of meat;
- the narrow skeleton does not allow to achieve maximum meat productivity;
- the marble effect of meat is lost;
- cows are aggressive after calving.
Selection criteria for combination cows
Choosing a cow of a combined breed, you need to decide - what is the purpose of breeding, what will be the focus? Some breeds provide excellent meat quality, others - nutritious and tasty milk. And vice versa. It is necessary to study the characteristics of each individual breed, and only then decide which option is better.
Exterior
If the emphasis is on milk yield, special attention should be paid to the udder:
- Dimensions - The udder should be quite impressive, but not saggy, not dangle between the legs, almost reaching the ground.
- Udder shape - bowl-shaped. Milk veins are well developed.
- Optimal nipple length - 6-8 cm.
Exterior Features for Highly Dairy Cow:
- elongated torso;
- strong physique;
- a small head with an elongated muzzle;
- horns - thin, of small length;
- neck - in folds;
- withers - rounded, low hanging;
- dorsal, lumbar and back - a straight line;
- legs are long and strong;
- thin and shiny skin;
- the tail is thin and long;
- the sacrum and chest are wide.
Other signs when choosing meat and dairy cattle:
- A healthy animal should not hunch, nor should its sag.
- Pointed or bifurcated withers - indicates a weak development of muscles.
- Wide sacrum - indicates light calving.
- Saggy belly is a bad sign. The abdomen should be large and barrel-shaped.
When choosing a cow with the expectation of good meat productivity, you need to pay attention to such signs:
- the body is strong and shortened;
- the head is large, the horns are pointed;
- withers - longer and more massive than dairy cows;
- broad back and chest;
- neck - muscular;
- skin - thick, covered with thick hair;
- the udder is large, but the nipples are poorly developed.
Age
It is important to clarify the age of the animal. A cow gives good milk yield up to 6 years of life. Older than this age, taking a burenka is not profitable. Too young cows have low milk yields. Most of all they give cow milk after the 4th-5th calving. For several years, Burenka gives a lot of milk, then a smooth decrease in daily milk yield begins. There are highly productive cows that give maximum milk yields up to 15-17 calving.
Depending on whether the buyer focuses on meat or dairy productivity, the previously set selection criteria are applied, respectively, for meat and dairy breeds.
The farmer tells beginners how to choose the right cows for exterior, udder. You will learn in the video why you need to milk a cow yourself before buying:
Meat and dairy cows
Productive cows for meat and milk have always been appreciated. Especially the owners of small personal households. On large farms, meat and dairy breeds are more in demand; on private farmsteads, universality is more valued. Combined breeds are divided into two more directions:
- meat and dairy;
- milk and meat.
Simmental
The breed comes from Switzerland. The brightest representative of meat and dairy breeds. They were brought to Russia in the middle of the 19th century. After crosses that lasted until 1980, many branches of Simmental appeared:
- steppe;
- Volga
- Ukrainian
- Siberian
- Sychevsky;
- Far Eastern.
The animals are large, the weight of cows is 600-700 kg, bulls - up to 1200 kg.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 140 cm;
- the chest is broad and the back is even;
- legs are medium;
- neck is short;
- horns - widely planted;
- color - fawn-motley, with shades of red or red;
The cows of the Simmental breed are also very large, but only 5 cm below the bulls. Even their calves are large; birth weight is 46 kg.
Productivity:
- for milk - 4000 l / year, fat content - 4%;
- meat yield in adults - 68-70%, in young animals - 55%.
Benefits:
- fast weight gain;
- high productivity in all respects;
- stamina and good health;
- calm disposition, obedience;
- unpretentiousness in feed and maintenance.
Disadvantages:
- a lot of bones in the carcass;
- there is an incorrect structure of the hind legs - because of this, the animal walks slowly;
- due to the large weight, the back in animals may bend;
- a pronounced inverse relationship between milk and meat productivity is why farmers keep the meat herd separately from the milk, avoiding crossbreeding.
Kostroma
This is one of the best combined breeds in Russia. It has a very interesting history of creation - it was taken out during the war. Registered in 1945. Breeders created the breed to quickly get meat and milk. Ancestors - Algauz, Schwyz and local Central Russian cows.
The weight of cows is 500-700 kg, bulls gain up to 900 kg.
External signs:
- color - gray, red;
- strong, stately build;
- short legs.
Productivity:
- for milk - 4000-7000 l / year, fat content - 3.8-3.9%;
- meat yield - up to 65%.
Benefits:
- resistance to leukemia;
- long live and have strong immunity;
- high lactose content in milk - up to 5%;
- high productivity - daily weight gain up to 1300 g;
- low cost due to unpretentiousness in feed.
Disadvantages:
- low milk yield - in practice, it is rarely possible to get more than 5000 l / year, and the use of animal feed does not give a positive effect;
- the breed is not adapted to heat - it is not recommended to breed in regions south of Tambov and Lipetsk;
- in large herds, milk production decreases.
Shvitskaya
The breed was bred in the 14th century in Switzerland. It is one of the five best meat and dairy breeds in Europe. Cow weight - 800 kg, bulls - 1200 kg.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 130 cm;
- stocky body, legs - wide set;
- color - brown, different shades;
- coat is short, thick, with undercoat.
Productivity:
- for milk - 3700 l / year, fat content - 3.8%;
- meat yield - 58-60%.
Benefits:
- high productivity in meat and milk;
- hardy, almost not sick;
- gain weight quickly;
- calm, balanced disposition.
Disadvantages:
- require high-calorie feed in large quantities;
- low milk productivity;
- the udder is small, non-standard, not suitable for machine milking.
Red Gorbatovskaya
The breed was bred in Russia. Obtained by crossing Tyrolean cows with local ones. Cow weight - 600 kg, bulls - 900 kg.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 120 cm;
- body elongated, with a broad back;
- the udder is small, well developed;
- color - red, there are white blotches.
Productivity:
- milk - 3000 l / year, fat content - 4.2%, sometimes up to 6%;
- meat yield - 55%.
Advantages of the Red Horbatov breed:
- good immunity to leukemia, tuberculosis, brucellosis;
- quickly adapts to different climatic conditions;
- unpretentious to feed;
- calm disposition.
Disadvantages:
- the udder is often not suitable for machine milking;
- low milk yield compared to dairy breeds.
Alatau
The breed was bred in foothill Kazakhstan in the 50s of the last century. Cow weight - 600 kg, bulls - 900 kg. External signs:
- growth at the withers - 130-150 cm;
- legs are short, powerful and strong;
- neck and chest are small;
- tight constitution and saggy butt.
Productivity:
- for milk - 4000-5000 l / year, fat content - 3.9-4.0%;
- meat yield - 60%.
Cows of the Alatau breed are capable of weight gain even on meager pastures with high salinity of soils.
Advantages of the Alatau breed:
- unpretentious in leaving;
- good milk yield;
- good weight gain at the pasture;
- resistant to disease - the breed inherited this trait from local Kyrgyz-Kazakh cattle;
- easily adapt to difficult climatic conditions;
- quickly gaining weight;
- hardy;
- delicious meat;
- calm disposition.
No flaws. Kyrgyz-Kazakh cows are unprecedentedly hardy and have the highest immunity.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire breed bred in the eponymous English county. Cow weight - 500 kg, bulls - 800 kg.
External signs:
- growth at the withers - 140, for bulls - 160 cm;
- color - red-motley, shades of different intensities;
- physique - strong, proportional;
- the back is straight;
- boka - barrel-shaped;
- the neck is short, massive.
Productivity:
- for milk - 4500-5000 l / year, fat content - 4.4-4.6%;
- meat yield - 45-50%.
Advantages of the Yorkshire breed:
- calm and friendly disposition;
- fast weight gain - all combined breeds are superior in this indicator;
- rapid puberty - insemination is fashionable to carry out at 14 months;
- unpretentious in food - in addition to grass, eat branches, bark, leaves;
- The breed is suitable for increasing herds.
Disadvantages - demanding on cleanliness and ventilation. Stagnant air is fatal for Yorkshire cows.
Cow productivity signs
The most difficult and responsible thing is to choose a milking burenka. The people have long had signs that used to select a cow-nurse:
- Udder - not saggy, in shape should look like a full barrel.
- Character - calm, balanced. How to check? Offer the cow a piece of bread. A suitable cows will respond melancholy to a treat - it will begin slowly, waddle to move to food. Now the buyer needs to go to the udder and try to milk the cow.
- Taste of milk. If the milk is sweet, the cow is healthy, and her milk is nutritious. Milk is bitter in a sick animal.
- Jets of milk should be thick and the color should be saturated white.
- Pit between the horns - the deeper it is, the greater the milk yield.
- If there is a lot of sulfur in your ears - the milk will be fat.
- Lowered forelock - A sign of high yields.
- End of tail rounded, yellowish - a sign of fat content.
You need to choose a cow with a clean udder and a fit physique - these signs indicate that the owner took good care of her - washed, cleaned, fed properly.
Cow after purchase
When a cow is bought, you need to show maximum attention to it. The animal must get used to the new house and the new owner. To a burenka it is necessary to address affectionately, to show kindness in every possible way. There is even a popular belief - in order for a purchased cow to quickly get used to the owner, you need to give her a piece of bread from the stove door.
Choosing a cow is a crucial step, which determines the prosperity of the farm and the success of your business. Proceed sequentially - first determine the direction and breed, and then proceed to assess the productivity and external data of the applicants.
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Russia. City Novosibirsk
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