Pedigree farms in Russia are called agricultural enterprises of a special variety engaged in improving existing breeds, creating new ones, selling high-quality seed material, etc. The Ministry of Agriculture controls and regulates such work in our country.
Breeding farm animals in Russia is a complex structured system with many steps. Successful breeding includes a whole range of very important activities. In principle, thoroughbred animals with excellent productivity indicators can be bred on ordinary farms. However, in full, breeding can be done, of course, only in specialized farms.
Definition
They call tribal livestock breeding in our country a complex of organizational and economic measures aimed at:
- on a qualitative improvement in livestock;
- improvement of existing breeds;
- breeding new breeds;
- creation of breeding and commodity herds.
In Russia, among other things, the state book of breeding animals is being kept. Also in our country, information is collected about all the most valuable herds of certain breeds. A pedigree certificate is issued for each animal in the Russian Federation.
What is a breeding farm
The main objective of such enterprises is, therefore, the targeted selection of farm animals of various species. Of course, tribal work is organized on farms of a similar specialization on a scientific basis.
There are currently several thousand such farms in Russia. For example, about 1,200 specialized enterprises carry out breeding work with cattle in our country today. At the same time, the organization that regulates the activities of such enterprises is the Head Center for the Reproduction of Farm Animals. In their work, breeding farms are guided primarily by breed standards.
The Ministry of Agriculture, namely the Department of Breeding, is responsible for the work on improving the quality of agricultural animals. In each region, among other things, there is also its own service, which checks the work of pedigree farms and issues various kinds of permits.
Types of farms
At present, in Russia there are five main types of breeding enterprises:
- Tribal factories. In such farms, in-depth work is being done to improve the quality of agricultural animals. This type of enterprise deals exclusively with elite representatives of breeds of cows, goats, pigs, sheep. The breeding farms of this variety receive the young stock with certain qualities in the future on farms or use to replenish the herd of producers.
- Tribal reproducers. Such farms buy young animals in pedigree factories. Animal breeding is done here to produce milk or meat. The main task of farms of this species is to preserve the qualities of young animals. At present, any farm can obtain the status of a pedigree reproducer in our country by decision of the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Artificial insemination farms. In such farms, they are engaged in the receipt and sale of breeding material. Breeding work in enterprises of this variety is not carried out.
- Embryo Transplant Organizations.
- Breeding centers by breed. In farms of this type, work is being done to improve animal genetics.
In addition to these main varieties of breeding farms, in Russia there are also many service enterprises of this orientation. These can be, for example, breeding hybrid centers, seed storage stations, various laboratories, etc.
Organization of work on farms
At enterprises of this type, among other things, tribal accounting, production and final accounting is mandatory. The preparatory stage of breeding work in this case is the assessment of animals:
- by origin;
- development and growth;
- productive qualities;
- disease resistance;
- technological qualities, etc.
On the basis of such data, in breeding farms engaged in improving breeds of pigs, cattle, cattle, cattle breeding is performed, that is, the determination of the breed value of animals is carried out.
The breeding process itself in such farms includes two main methods: selection and selection. The first technology in this case implies:
- Sort animals.
- Selection for breeding.
The selection procedure consists primarily in creating parental pairs. In this case, two main technologies can be used:
- Homogeneous selection.
- Heterogeneous.
When using the first technology for selection, animals are selected that are similar in exterior and productive characteristics. This selection is used to consolidate pedigree qualities in the offspring. In the second case, in breeding pigs, sheep, cows of breeding farms, couples are completed from animals that differ in breeding characteristics. The purpose of this selection is to improve pedigree qualities. The extreme form of heterogeneous crosses is hybridization.
Breeding order
There are only two methods for mating animals in breeding farms:
- purebred breeding;
- crossbreeding.
The latter may be:
- industrial;
- introductory;
- transformative;
- reproductive.
Also, farms can practice such a technique as hybridization.
Purebred breeding
In this case, animals of the same breed are crossed to obtain high-quality offspring. The main objectives of this method are:
- preservation of valuable properties of the breed and their further improvement;
- increase in the number of representatives of the breed.
The successful pure breeding of pigs, goats, cows in breeding farms can only be subject to the correct selection of producers, as well as the creation of the most favorable living conditions for animals.
Crossbreeding
The use of such a technique involves mating animals belonging to different breeds. The young growth resulting from this cross is called crossbreeding. Apply this breeding technique in farms to improve existing breeds, or to create new ones.
Industrial crossbreeding, in turn, can be simple, complex, or tribal. In this case, in breeding farms specializing in cattle, pigs, small cattle, goats, simple single mating of representatives of different breeds is performed. The first generation crossbreeds are used as ordinary productive animals. With simple industrial crossbreeding, two breeds are involved in the process, with complex crossbreeds - 3-4. When breeding, animals that complement each other on some basis are selected as producers.
Introductory crossbreeding is also called blood flow. Apply this technique to eliminate any shortcomings of the breed. This technique is often used on farms specializing in breeding with a variety of farm animals. When using this technology, first generation crossbreeds are mated with the best representatives of the breed being improved for 1-2 generations.
Conversion or absorption crossbreeding is used in breeding farms in Russia to radically improve the breed. Usually in this case, triple-five-fold pairing of crossbreeds with producers of improving breeds is performed.
And a particularly interesting process. Reproductive breeding allows you to create a new one from two or more breeds - with completely individual qualities.
Hybridization
By this term is understood the crossing of animals of different species. For example, mating results from mating horses and donkeys. Hybridization is used to obtain custom animals or new breeds that retain the valuable properties of the original species. In addition to mules, hybridization products can be, for example, a cross between wild and domestic sheep, wild boars and pigs. In pedigree farms, hybridization, of course, is used less frequently than other crossbreeding techniques.