In order for livestock purchases to live up to their expectations, you need to not just purchase the first cattle that you like, but take into account a number of critical factors. One of these is the adaptation of individuals to a particular climate, as well as the features of keeping in private farmsteads.
That is, it is necessary to take into account some specific characteristics of breeds, cows and individual livestock species. We will try to consider the most popular individuals who prefer to breed and maintain farmers in Russia and the near abroad.
All breeds of cows can be divided into three main types - these are meat, dairy and combined, that is, meat and dairy. In total there are about three hundred, but specifically in our country there is not much variety, and all varieties are limited to seven dozen. This state of affairs was due to the changing climate in most of the Russian territory.
In order for a cow to grow and gain weight, it needs juicy feed, and in our country, the average summer and long winters predominate, which clearly does not contribute to the breeding of this type of cattle. Especially when, as an alternative, there are less costly and early ripening options, with quite good meat.
That is why only if any breed of cows is suitable for Russian realities. Here we need persistent and unpretentious individuals who will survive the winter normally, and are not so picky about feed. They will be discussed in this article.
Dutch breed
This is a dairy breed of cows, and it is considered not only the ancestor of this trend, but also its best representative. Individuals are used by breeders as a basis for breeding more universal and unpretentious breeds.
This breed is very popular not only in Russia, but throughout Europe. Thanks to the tireless efforts of breeders, the yield of milk and meat has increased markedly over the past ten years. In addition, the Dutch breed of cows became more hardy, gained muscle mass and at the same time decreased from its original size by about 20%.
In one year, a burenka can produce up to 5 thousand liters of excellent milk with a fat content of 4%. Dutch individuals relatively quickly reach their maturity, as well as the masses. If a newborn calf is born weighing 35-40 kg, then by the milking (or slaughter) age, it weighs under a ton, gaining 1000 grams per day.
Simmental breed
The Simmental breed of cows appeared thanks to the efforts of Swiss breeders. This country is rich in juicy herbs and is characterized by excellent climatic conditions, so the individual has taken root perfectly on the fat Swiss slopes and pleases farmers with record-breaking boredom.
Naturally, in Russian conditions, such a breed of cows must be bought with an eye to the external environment. The Dutch burenka feels great in the Rostov, Krasnodar and Stavropol territories. Things are a little worse on the Middle Volga, and already north it is necessary to arrange special conditions for it and spend money on expensive food and vitamins.
Breed features
If a cow has a good, or rather regular and fresh grazing feed, then good milk yields are provided. She calmly digests various types of feed, and its maintenance in private courtyards does not cause serious trouble.
For a year, Simmental breed can produce about 5 thousand liters of milk with an acceptable fat content of 4%. If you properly feed the burenka and give it vitamins with expensive supplements, then you can achieve doubled milk productivity.
The weight of an adult Simmental individual can reach almost 600-700 kg, so many farmers do not disdain to breed it for meat production, getting tasty and lean meat.
Ayrshire breed
The Ayrshire breed of cows was bred by Scottish breeders and is characterized by excellent productivity and good endurance. Although the red-and-white Burenka is deprived of such an enviable weight as its older sisters from Holland and Switzerland, the productivity of an individual is no less than this - about 5 thousand liters of milk per year with a fat content of 4%.
One of the distinguishing features of the breed is its adaptability to difficult climatic conditions. An individual feels great in the middle lane, and she does not need such care as, for example, a Simmental cow. The only thing worth clarifying is that the breed, although adapted to the cold weather and the specific winter food, began to tolerate heat poorly. Therefore, for the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories this is not the best option.
The breed received other notable visual differences - these are horns. Even female females have lyre-shaped bone growths. The individual has a wide chest, the same straight legs and a graceful neck. A harmonious figure and the absence of pronounced muscles give out milk breed in the Ayrshire burenka. It should also be noted that the cow belongs to precocious species and by the age of two is ready to give offspring.
Jersey breed
The noble Jersey breed of cows hails from England and has a long selection history. The breeders managed to achieve solid success. The cow was distinguished not only by high milk yield, but also by a record milk fat content reaching 7%.
The reaction of the British authorities to the results of breeders was quite expected. At one time, the export of the Jersey breed outside the state was strictly forbidden. Such drastic measures were caused by fears of mixing individuals, as well as a decrease in the quality of milk production. Year after year, strict prohibitions slowly began to be violated, and cows appeared in the rest of Europe and in Russia.
Distinctive features of the breed
In addition to the amazing quality, the tired individual was distinguished by its unpretentiousness. The climate in England is not the friendliest, so the burenka feels great in our fields and meadows, including arid areas.
The distinctive features of the exterior of the jayser breed are a light skeleton, a massive udder, a long body and a small head. Classic cow color - brown or brownish. With rare exceptions, you can find red spots or some other marks on the skin.
The weight of the female does not exceed half a ton, and the bulls can catch up to 700 kg. In meat breeding, the cow showed itself not in the best way, so the main direction of the breed is high-quality milk.
Holstein breed
Some mistakenly believe that the Holstein breed of cows appeared in Europe. This is actually not the case. The individual is a long and thorough result of American and Canadian breeders. Black cow breeds from Holland were taken as the basis for the new Burenka, and over a hundred years of trial and error they changed it a lot.
Today, the Holstein cow is considered one of the most common in the whole world. One of the most remarkable features of an individual is its high milk yield. For a year, you can get up to 8 thousand liters of good milk with 3.7% fat. Moreover, the cow is distinguished not only by excellent milk yield, but also by a high rate of milk transfer - about 3.5 liters per minute.
Today's Holstein burenki quickly gain their maximum weight, which is almost a ton in females and up to 1200 kg in gobies. The exterior of the breed received a classic: a large and long body, a massive and strong back, as well as a large chest.
In our country, Holstein cows are enviable popular, and it is in the milk direction, and not meat. They are unpretentious, almost omnivorous and can relatively endure climatic adversities.
Schwyz breed
Another Swiss individual worthy of attention. As a result of breeding, the cow got brown color, thin skin and short hair. If you put in a row the above-described individuals, then the body of the Schweiz burenka is noticeably elongated, and the back is practically devoid of bends - even and strong. Everything else has the usual forms: wide chest, tight neck, short muzzle and barely noticeable horns.
Adults in adulthood gain weight up to 600 kg in females and up to a ton in gobies. One of the main features of a cow is its excellent acclimatization to almost any strip. If you take good care of the diet of Burenka and select the diet with proper literacy, then it will thank you with good indicators of milk yield - up to 5 thousand liters of milk per year.
Kholmogorsk breed
Among other dairy individuals, the Kholmogorsk breed is probably familiar to anyone who is even a little interested in livestock. Burenka was born thanks to the efforts of Arkhangelsk breeders.
As mentioned above, the Russian climate does not contribute to cattle breeding in any way, and specialists managed to breed a breed that adequately tolerates domestic weather, plus it has excellent milk yield indicators. Here you can add good fat content of the resulting product - 4%, and the unpretentiousness of the cow itself to nutrition.
Over the year, the Kholmogorsk individual can produce 6 thousand liters of milk. If you take care of the cow with due attention and thoroughness, then the milk yield will increase by at least 20%. The breed was bred as dairy, as indicated by its impressive udder, but the village farmers do not disdain the meat direction, although the mass and quality of the animal meat does not seem to contribute to this. The female gains weight up to 500 kg, and the bulls up to 800.
Yaroslavl breed
Yaroslavl Burenka is considered one of the best among its compatriots. As in the case of the Kholmogorsk cow, Yaroslavl adapts perfectly to the harsh Russian climatic conditions.
The exterior of the animal and the existing muscles do not contribute to the development of the meat industry, but, nevertheless, with proper feeding, you can get a very good result. The weight of an adult female varies between half a ton, and males gain up to 800 kg. As for milk production, here we have a solid result of 5 thousand liters per year, with a fat content of 4.5%. And this is very good for domestic cows.