Red steppe breed of cows: characteristics, photos, breeding features

The red steppe breed of dairy cows is defined as one of the best in the post-Soviet space. Animals are perfectly adapted to the dry climate of the steppe zones. According to the number in world livestock, the breed is the fourth and the second on the territory of Ukraine and Russia. Cows of this breed can be found in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and the Caucasus.

History

The history of excretion dates back to the 18th century. At that time animals in the vast steppes were extremely hardy, but with low productivity. Territorially - this is the southern regions of Ukraine, more precisely, the Zaporozhye region. It is symbolic that such a breed was born on the banks of the Molochnaya River.

To increase the milk yield, it was necessary to inject blood of high-yielding individuals. The red steppe breed of cows (photo in the text) has a controversial origin. Specialists are united in only one: the imported cattle took part in the creation. There are several versions of origin:

• The method of absorbent crossing and partly reproducing Great Russian and gray Ukrainian breeds (both local) with red German cattle was applied;
• This local native breed, formed 150 years ago and called "red colonial" or "red German", its name he received from his - the owners of the German colonists;
• This is a cross between Swiss and Franconian cattle;
• This is a cross between other animals - Trondera and Angelic;
• This is a complex crossing of gray local Ukrainian cattle first with red Ostfriesland, and then with the angelic, Wilstermarish and some other European breeds.

Obtained by the beginning of the 19th century, an array of fairly homogenous livestock was bred "in oneself." The breed was registered in 1923, it began to breed in the breeding farms of the former USSR. The red steppe breed of cows in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus does not fall below the third place in the number of livestock.

Breeding work

The creation and further improvement of the breed is laborious work. It is inextricably linked with the socio-economic development of the state, and plays an important historical role. The red steppe breed of cows was not an exception. The characteristics of breeding at the earliest stages were as follows:

• Selected for milk production;
• Carefully selected animals on constitutional grounds;
• After birth calves were immediately taken and handed out cows without a baby;
• Immigrants were confident in the close relationship between productivity and suit (it was believed that cows of red and reddish-brown color give large milk yields), and selected cows also on this basis.

The result of a long (more than 100 years) selection under certain climatic conditions was the creation of a pedigree group of steppe hardy dairy cows of a red color with a characteristic exterior and relatively high productivity.

Mass mechanization of milking processes required improvement of the livestock by the criteria for the shape of the udder and the increase in milk yield. In the sixties of the twentieth century cows of the red steppe wing were felled by bulls-Anglers. The choice of these animals is not accidental:

• First, the rocks have a related genetics;
• Second, they have a similar type of metabolism;
• Thirdly, they have the same direction of productivity;
• Fourthly, the Angler individuals have a high milk content, a high percentage of fat in milk, a larger living mass, and, most importantly, a better fitness for machine milking.

Later, the blood of the Danish breed was added. In the 90's, the three-breed crossbreeds yielded milk yields to four and a half thousand liters of milk with a fat content of 3.82%. Not the least role in the formation of today's animals was played by Holstein. Each breed has left its mark:

• Red steppe cattle - endurance and adaptability to the conditions of detention;
• Anglers - technological udder and a high percentage of fat;
• "Danes" - long-term use and high yield;
• Holstein - a large living mass, an improved udder shape, adapted to machine milking.

Characteristic

For today, animals are considered one of the best on the territory of Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan. What is the red steppe breed of cows? Characteristic:

• Was deduced in the 18-19 centuries in Ukraine;
• Type of productivity - milk;
• Have a dry constitution, a strong constitution;
• Live weight of bulls - up to 900 kg, cows - 400-500 kg;
• Weight of calves at birth: calves - 27-30 kg, bull-calves - 35-40 kg;
• The average milk yield for the breed is 3,500-4,000 kg (in the child-breeding products - 4,500-6,000 kg), with a fat content of 3.5%;
• Economic use - 4.74 lactations;
• The heifer age reaches to 18 months, with a live weight of 320-350 kg.

Productivity

Red steppe breed of cows for milk production is considered good. On the average, the average milk yield is from 3,500 to 4,000 kg of milk. Tribal farms have higher rates: milk yields on average from 4,000 to 5,000 kg, recorders are capable of yielding up to twelve thousand liters of milk, fat content can reach 5%.

Nadoi depend on the quality of pastures and the duration of the pasture season. The best indicators can be achieved in the steppe zone. Animals are prolific, in three years from one female, four litters can be obtained. The break between calving is just over a year (380 days). To prevent crustiness cows are run from 40 to 60 days.

Meat qualities of the breed are low, the yield for slaughter does not exceed 50%. With the purposeful fattening of the young, the meat output is increasing, but very slightly. The skeleton in animals is light, with poorly developed musculature. It is not profitable to grow such cows for meat.

Exterior

Typical external features characteristic of dairy animals are the red steppe breed of cows. Description of the ex-terrier:

• Height at the withers - 127-132 cm;
• Girth of the chest -183-190 cm;
• Oblique length - 154-160 cm;
• Girth of the pastern - 18-19 cm;
• Suit from light red to dark cherry, white markings are permissible;
• Musculature is undeveloped;
• Torso angular, elongated;
• Neck dry, narrow;
• The head is light, slightly elongated;
• The back is long and smooth;
• Feet strong, dry;
• Chest narrow, deep;
• Udder of medium size, glandular.

Care

Red steppe breed of cows differs unpretentiousness and rapid adaptation to environmental conditions. Animal maintenance:

• Summer period. The best option - free pasture grazing. Location - within 2 kilometers from the farm. They are equipped with canopies and watering. Often, summer camps are practiced, with milking points.
• Winter-stall period. Animals are kept in cowsheds with tied or loose clothing. The conditions must comply with the norms of zoogygiene.
• Feeding. In the pasture, it is necessary to ensure that the animals have enough food, if necessary, they feed root crops and mixed fodders. In winter, the basis of the diet is hay, add mixed fodder, straw, silage (not more than 25% of the total diet) is used as succulent fodder, root crops, necessarily include mineral additives.
• Prevention of diseases. Vaccinate against infectious diseases.
• Care. Periodically, the animals remove the contaminated hair, at each milking thoroughly wash the udder, before the pasture period, pruning horns and hooves.

Features

The animals of this breed are also kept on personal farmsteads throughout the post-Soviet space. Especially it is popular in the steppe zones of Ukraine, Kazakhstan in the Altai, southern Russia. Red steppe breed of cows (reviews of owners pay attention to this) is very hardy and perfectly adapts to different climatic conditions. Calmly tolerates arid summer and hot weather.

Of the peculiarities of the breed, they emphasize:

• Powerful immunity saves animals from the scourge of dairy farming - leukemia;
• Rapid acclimatization;
• Unpretentious content;
• Excellent endurance;
• Good responsiveness to improved content and feeding;
• High nutritional and taste qualities of milk.

According to the names of the offspring that exist today in the breed, one can judge the degree of popularity of the breed: Ukrainian, Kuban, Kazakh, West Siberian, Kulundai (Altai).

Highscores

Over the past half-century, several dozen registered cows were registered with the following indicators:

• For lactation more than 10 000 kg-14 heads;
• For lactation 9000-9999 kg - 32 heads.

The fat content of milk was at least 3.69%. The bulk of this livestock is grown in the breeding plants of Ukraine and Kazakhstan. It is not uncommon for cows of a herd of such farms to have a milk yield of 6000 kg. Red steppe breed of cows can boast of amazing recorders:

• Storm 6070:

- Nadoy - 10,170 kg;

- Fat content - 4.0%;

- farm - collective farm "Proletarian wrestler", Zaporozhye region, Ukraine.

• Murashka 8890:

- Nadoy - 10 497 kg;

- Fat content - 4.05%;

- farm - breeding plant them. Kirov, Kherson region, Ukraine.

• Application form 1910:

- Nadoy - 11 100 kg;

- Fat content - 4.02%;

- farm - breeding plant "North-Lubinsky", Omsk region, Russia.

• Moroshka 201:

- Nadej-12 426 kg;

- Fat content - 3.82%;

- farm - breeding plant "Karaganda", Karaganda region, Kazakhstan.