ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT STATE OF BEEF CATTLE IN RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN (2023–2025)

Abstract

Analyzing cattle population dynamics by productivity category is important for assessing the effectiveness of livestock production sectors in a country or region. The objective of this study was to examine the dynamics of beef cattle populations in two countries (the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan) and a number of parameters of their production efficiency.

In the Russian Federation, a trend was identified for a 6,9% decline in the number of beef cattle and their crossbreeds with dairy breeds between 2023 and 2025, with their share of the total cattle population decreasing to 21,5% and the share of this category of cattle in slaughter production decreasing to 22,1%. In the Central, Northwestern, and Ural Federal Districts, the breeding stock population declined during the analyzed period, negatively impacting the composition of other age and sex groups. In the Northwestern and Ural Federal Districts, the breeding stock population remained at the 2024 level, and the Central and North Caucasus Federal Districts led the way in increasing beef cattle production for slaughter. An analysis of breeding stock population dynamics in Kazakhstan indicates an increase in beef cattle production by 2025. Compared to 2023, the increase was 18,3%, compared to 2024 – 9,1%, while the number of dairy and beef animals in these periods, compared to 2023, decreased by 71,9%, compared to 2024 – by 58,8%. In terms of regions, the leading positions in beef cattle with multidirectional dynamics of parameters were occupied by Akmola, Almaty, Zhetysu, Kostanay and West Kazakhstan regions, and in dairy and beef cattle – by Abay, Aktobe, Almaty, Atyrau, Zhetysu, Karaganda and West Kazakhstan regions. In the remaining regions, the number of breeding cattle remained almost stable.