For a newcomer to animal husbandry, it may be news that cows come in different breeds and different trends. So, there are breeds that are kept exclusively for slaughter, the most valuable in them is meat. In the article, we will talk about such a group of cattle as dairy breeds of cows. They differ both in terms of appearance and in terms of productivity. Each breed has its own advantages and advantages, which will be described later.
Dairy cows
What you need to know about raising dairy cows
In Russia, dairy cows are quite widespread. They are distinguished by a calm disposition and unpretentiousness in content. These are animals that prefer to lead a calm, measured life with a minimum of stress and walking. A favorite place for a ruminant animal of the dairy direction is a green meadow densely populated by forbs. Cows can graze in such a rich area for hours, moving to those areas where the grass has remained untouched.
It is noteworthy that the cow, despite being considered a herd animal, will not blindly follow instinct. She may well separate from the herd, relying on her own experience and intuition, if animals have one in principle.
Every person, even a small child, associates an animal cow with milk, and only then with juicy beef. Milk flow rates directly depend on what and how the cow eats. That is why veterinarians confidently declare that the cow has the most complex digestive system among all cattle. It is noted that in a day, the ruminant type of cattle eats about a centner of grass or compound feed, while giving about 20 liters of fresh milk for one milk yield.
If you believe the reviews of the breeders, then a dairy cow is just a godsend for a farmer, because she does not require increased attention to herself. The most important condition that will have to be met unquestioningly is the constant availability of fresh juicy feed. If it is fulfilled, it will most likely not be possible to see the sick cow, because dairy cows have good immunity. Now we turn to the description of the most common characteristics of breeds of dairy cows.
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Dutch breed of cows
This species of dairy cows developed about 1000 years ago. It is safe to say that it was the Dutch cows that gave birth to many modern breeds, which will be described below. There are recent studies that have documented the fact that the genes of the Dutch cow are present in absolutely every breed of dairy type and even in some beef cattle. Despite such popularity, Burenki cannot boast record milkings, their average figure is only 6 thousand liters per calendar year.
Outwardly, this animal bears a direct resemblance to another dairy breed - the Kholmogory cow. However, if you look closely, you can see that the spots on the coat are clearer and more accurate. This type of cattle has undergone some changes in appearance over the entire period of the breed's existence. So, the back remains straight and wide, the back of the body is powerful, well developed, the limbs are symmetrical, without obvious muscle mass.
It should be said separately that the representatives of the Dutch breed are considered early maturing, that is, they gain weight quickly enough. Already at the age of 6 months, a female can weigh about 160 kg, and a year - at least 300. The first time the females of the Dutch breed are covered at the age of no earlier than 15-20 months, only during this period the animal can be considered sexually mature. At this time, a cow can weigh about 580 kg, a bull can reach a weight of at least 750 kg. At the same time, the calf is born quite fragile and miniature with a weight of about 35 kg.
Quite often, a Dutch cow and a bull are allowed to eat. From one carcass you can get up to 53% of the meat product, and if you're lucky, then 60%.
Holstein cow breeds
This breed originates in America. Breeding works were carried out in the distant 17th century, based on a Dutch cow. The breed is distinguished by excellent indicators of milk productivity, as well as genetically incorporated fat content of milk (at least 3.8%). In one calendar year, you can milk about 7 thousand liters of excellent milk, provided that the cow is provided with normal conditions.
What other features does this breed have?
- High live weight.
- Fast weight gain in young animals with normal maintenance.
- Excellent health - these animals rarely get sick.
It is also worth saying a few words about the external characteristics, that is, the exterior:
- This is a fairly large type of cattle with a developed muscular system.
- The skeleton is large and weighty.
- The color of the coat is white with the presence of large dark spots of black color.
- The head is light and narrow.
If you are thinking about purchasing such an animal, it is worth finding out what indicators of milk yield can be expected. A milk yield of about 5100 liters can be harvested per year.
Black and white cow
This subspecies was born relatively recently, it is considered one of the youngest varieties. Work was carried out in the recent twentieth century, while a Dutch cow mated with local breeds, improving their productivity. The result of the development was a black and white cow, which pleases with good milk yield.
It is also worth mentioning that, due to the fact that the work was carried out in different climatic zones of the former USSR, there are several varieties of animals that are usually found for keeping and breeding in such regions:
- Center of the Russian Federation;
- Siberian District;
- Ural.
At the same time, it cannot be said that the differences between the three subspecies are enormous; we can only talk about a slight difference in size. However, if we talk about adaptability to new feeds, living conditions and other changes, it is the black-and-white cow that endures these periods most easily.
Steppe cow
This cow can be found in many territories, but most often - in the Donbass, in the south of the Urals, as well as in the Rostov region. If you buy such a cow, milk will be produced practically without effort, because the animal is extremely unpretentious.
A steppe or red-steppe type of cows appeared thanks to the work of Ukrainian livestock specialists, that is, on the territory of Ukraine. After that, Western scientists were already engaged in crossing Ukrainian animals with local breeds, improving their milk yield indicators. It cannot be said that milk yields are record-breaking: about 4000 liters are usually collected per year, this is not the highest indicator of productivity.
You can distinguish a cow by a characteristic skin tone, which ranges from red to dark raspberry. The animal is quite unpretentious in keeping and breeding.
Yaroslavl breed of dairy cow
This variety is considered one of the most popular among dairy cow breeds in Russia, as it gives record milk yields. Spending once on the purchase of an animal, you can count on getting more than 6,000 liters of fresh fresh milk every year. At the same time, you do not have to specially feed the animal or select a special food. Moreover, such a cow consumes a record small amount of feed.
The appearance of the animal assumes a black coat with bright large spots of red or brown color. His body has an elongated structure, although the limbs are more mundane and shorter. Also, with a more detailed examination of the udder, you can see that the front located nipples are more widely set in comparison with those on the back.
Aishir breed of cows
The first distinctive characteristic and, at the same time, the advantage of the breed is that these animals are considered early maturing. The first time dairy calves are born to females at about 2 years old, this is a fairly early age for a cow. Thanks to genetics. An ideal place to live Aishir Burenka will be in the region of America or in northern Europe, it is this climate that is ideal for this breed.
Often, Ayshir cows and bulls are bred not only for milk production, but also in order to be further used for meat, that is, for slaughter. There is a completely logical explanation for this, because the representatives of this breed quickly gain weight, already at the age of one year, a calf can weigh about 3 centners. Also, animal meat has good taste characteristics and has a beautiful structure. As far as milk is concerned, the heifer brings in about 5,000 liters per year, provided that she receives adequate feeding all year round and her diet is enriched with vitamins and minerals.
Latvian brown
The direction of this animal was determined at the stage of breeding, although at present it is still customary to attribute the cow to a mixed orientation, that is, to the meat and dairy type, since the meat obtained is really juicy and tasty. The breeding animal has a reddish color, with the presence of a black tint on the ears, hooves, and also closer to the sternum.
Throughout the year, you can count on a harvest of at least 5 thousand kg of milk. It should be said that taste indicators are considered one of the most successful and pronounced. As for the fat content, its indicators range from 3 to 3.7%.
Tagil cow
A cow appeared on the territory of the Urals as a result of crossbreeding of local and, of course, Dutch dairy breeds of cows. In dairy production, these animals are popular due to the fact that they produce milk much longer than other breeds. On average, a cow is considered working for about 2 decades, during the same period it can bring calves.
One of the features of the described suit is that Burenka brings enough fatty milk - at least 5%. Milk yield can be fantastic, which is why this is one of the most dairy cow breeds around. There is evidence that one Tagil cow gave more than 9 thousand liters per year, although not everyone can achieve such a record. If we talk about average indicators, then the annual milk yield can be about 4.5-5 thousand liters of milk.
Jayser suit
The breed was discovered at the end of the 19th century in France; it ended up in Russia after the Second World War. The standard exterior designates that the color of a cow can range from gray to brownish brown, as can be seen in numerous photos and videos.
A distinctive feature of the Jayser tribe is that the animals are aggressive and unsociable. It can also be noted that cows are quite whimsical in care and feeding in comparison with other dairy breeds. The reason this dairy breed lives in Russia is because its milk has high fat content - up to 8%.
Also among jayser cows there are record holders in the number of milk yields. So, the American Jaysian cow gave as much as 11 thousand liters of milk per year, while the average cattle has a productivity of no more than 500 liters.
Comparative analysis of indicators of dairy cows
Here is a visual comparative characteristic of the most popular breeds of dairy cows or, as it is called, grading:
Name of breed cattle | Productivity per year, how many liters gives | Milk fat, approximate rate% |
Aishirskaya | 8659 | 4,22 |
Shvitskaya | 3999 | 3,7 |
Holstein | 9147 | 3,8 |
Red danish | 8732 | 4,1 |
Jersey | 6465 | 4,1 |
Istoben ordinary | 3650 | 4,0 |
Kostroma breed | 5900 | 3,5 |
Steppe Brown | 4400 | 3,8 |
Variegated view | 5400 | 3,6 |
Holstein red | 8325 | 4,2 |
Montbeliard breeds | 7636 | 3,79 |
Norman | 7425 | 4,3 |
Holstein Prima | 10690 | 4,0 |
Sinmental | 5450 | 3,95 |
Tagil | 3700 | 4,7 |
Finnish | 6300 | 4,4 |
Kholmogorsk | 6400 | 4,2 |
Motley black | 6500 | 4,0 |
Red Swedish | 8800 | 4,6 |
Yaroslavl Burenki | 4200 | 4,3 |
In addition, it is worth knowing about the ability to adapt to certain living conditions, this is important for those who decide which breed is most suitable for a business plan.
Dairy cow vital signs
The table presents data on resistance to diseases characteristic of this type of cattle, as well as how the animal relates to feeding with a normal diet. Information is presented in the form of points, where 5 is the best result and 0 is the worst.
The name of the breed of dairy cows | How resistant is the cow to ailments | Is it considered picky about food? |
Ayshirskaya | 4,4 | 4,2 |
Shvitskaya | 2,7 | 3,7 |
Holstein | 3,5 | 4,5 |
Red danish | 4,2 | 4,7 |
Jersey | 3,7 | 4,3 |
Istobenskaya ordinary | 2 | 2 |
Kostroma breed | 4,6 | 4,5 |
Steppe Brown | 4,7 | 4,65 |
Variegated | 3,5 | 4,5 |
Holstein red | 4,2 | 4,7 |
Montbeliard breeds | 3,7 | 4,3 |
Norman | 2 | 2 |
Holstein Prima | 4,1 | 4,5 |
Sinmental | 4,7 | 4,65 |
Tagilskaya | 0,5 | 1,5 |
Finnish | 3,7 | 4,3 |
Kholmogorskaya | 2 | 2 |
Variegated Black | 4,5 | 4,5 |
Red Swedish | 4,7 | 4,65 |
Yaroslavl Burenki | 6,9 | 5,6 |
To summarize, or how to choose the best cow
How to choose the best burenka? As mentioned earlier, it is important to approach the choice of a cow with all responsibility in order to get the maximum benefit from it. You need to carefully and carefully evaluate how the animal looks like:
- The back should be flat, without bending.
- The body is oblong.
- The limbs are symmetrical, powerful.
- The neck should be wrinkled.
- The stomach should not sag.
In addition to all these criteria, it is worth paying close attention to the main organ of the cattle, which will be profitable. The udder should be large, not have inflammation or extraneous neoplasms. Different sizes of the nipples are not allowed, both lobes should be symmetrical, and the pressure should be even and uniform. It is better if a specialized veterinarian can assess the health of the animal, who will use effective assessment methods.
It is worth giving preference to a cow with a calm character and one that is unpretentious in nutrition: it will be easier to take care of the cattle, the purchase will bring a minimum of hassle, and building a business on cows will be a sheer pleasure. The best cow is the one that was chosen wisely and taken care of, only under these conditions will she please the owner with productivity and will give a lot of milk.