Efficiency of blood “refreshing” method in cattle pure breeding of the Simmental breed

Abstract

Over the past two decades, pedigree cattle and sperm products have been imported into the Russian Federation from outstanding breeding bulls of the Simmental breed from Western Europe, including Austria, within the framework of the “AIC Development” national project. Specific productive and technological qualities are inherent in these animals due to the direction peculiarities of selection and breeding work with this breed in Austria. World experience has clearly proved that the future belongs to large dairy complexes and farms, which are fully mechanized and automated. Modern Simmental cattle (mostly cows) do not meet the requirements of intensive milk production technology for a number of productive and technological characteristics. Summarizing the world zootechnical experience, it is possible to determine the basic requirements for cows suitable for operation in conditions of advanced milk production technologies. Based on numerous studies, these animals are characterized by high milk production, good reproductive qualities, suitable for machine milking, with strong hoof horn, resistant to diseases and mastitis. Consequently, a significant role is given to the manning of a milking herd with highly productive and competitive Simmental cows, obtained as a result of improving the system of selection and breeding work to further increase the production of marketable milk. The conducted research result shows zootechnical efficiency of using such a breeding method as “refreshing” blood in the breeding process. In particular, the best indicators of milk yield for the first lactation are observed in cows descended from bullsproducers of Austrian selection, -4153.1 kg of natural fat milk. The morphological and functional characteristics of the udders of all experimental first-calf cows meet the requirements of suitability for machine milking. Cows of the Simmental breed obtained by the method of “blood refreshing” are the most cost-effective in the same conditions of feeding and keeping.