PRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF RED STEPPE BREED OF COWS IN THE CONDITIONS OF MOUNTAINOUS DAGESTAN

Abstract

The Red Steppe breed had been the pride of local breeders for centuries, and its distribution
area was quite large. However, nowadays there are not so many breeding farms that specialize in
breeding cattle of this breed. One of them is “Agrofirma Choh” farm, Gunibsky District, the
Republic of Dagestan, in which the research presented in this article was conducted. The main
indicators of productive and reproductive qualities were determined on the basis of the valuation in
2017-2019. The population of the Red Steppe breed is concentrated on 5 loose housing farms. In
total, the farm had 1023 head of cattle, including 480 cows in 2020. The average daily increase in
live weight of heifers was 721 g, as a result of which the first insemination of animals occurred, on
average, at the age of 19 months with a live weight of 377 kg. On average, the milk yield of the
herd was 3476 kg per cow, fat content of milk was 3.89 %, protein content – 3.17 % with an
average live weight of cows of 503 kg. Among other things, the productivity of first-calf heifers
(n=97) was 3343 kg and 3.89 %-3.17 %, live weight – 492 kg; for the 2nd lactation (n=175) 3466
kg and 3.90 % -3.16 %, live weight – 495 kg. The cows of the 3rd and following lactations (n= 161)
produced 3569 kg of milk and 3.90 % - 3.18 %, live weight – 518 kg, respectively. The duration of
the service period satisfied the requirements of standards. On average for the herd, it lasted 99 days.
The calf crop was 94 head. The profitability of the farm was at the level of 8.3 %.