BREEDING PROSPECTS OF PEDIGREE AYRSHIRE DAIRY CATTLE IN THE STAVROPOL TERRITORY

Abstract

Abstract: Сattle breeding work is a purposeful improvement of productivity and other
hereditary traits of animals, which includes a number of zootechnical and organizational
measures. The dawn of breeding in Russia began only after the October revolution. By 1974,
99% of animals in the dairy cattle population were purebred. However, after the collapse of
the Soviet Union, dairy cattle breeding suffered greatly. Total holstinization led to the loss of
many breeds. The pride of Soviet animal technicians – the Black Pied breed is almost completely absorbed now. The breeding population of dairy cattle in the Stavropol Territory is
represented by 6 breeds: Ayrshire, Red Steppe, Black Pied, Holstein, Yaroslavl, Jersey. All in
all, in breeding organizations, there were 8,076 kg of produced milk with an average fat content of 3.92% and protein of 3.21. The analysis of statistically significant indicators of Ayrshire cattle productivity was carried out. In the Stavropol Territory, Ayrshire breed has been
raised since 1988 in the agricultural production cooperative collective breeding farm "Kuban"
in Kochubeyevsky District. In 2019, this farm received 7601 kg of milk with fat content of
3.78% and protein content of 3.9%. On average, the fat content decreased by 0.32 abs.% of
the breed standard, and protein – by 0.11 abs.%. In comparative terms: the Holstein breed is
in the first place in milk productivity (8214 kg of milk), the second place – Ayrshire, the third
place – Black Pied (7562 kg), and the fourth place – Yaroslavl (7385 kg). Thus, Ayrshire cattle breed is quite competitive.