Switzerland breed of cows: description and characteristics, pros and cons of cattle, care

Universal, or meat and dairy, breeds of cattle were bred in order to simultaneously obtain two types of products - milk and meat. Among such animals, representatives of the Swiss breed of cows stand out. Consider the description and characteristics of this type of livestock, their advantages and disadvantages, how to keep them, feed them, breed them at home, take care of their he alth.

Origin story

The Schwyz breed was bred in Switzerland, in the Alps, in the canton of Schwyz, from which it got its name. At first, cows were not only raised for milk and meat, but also used as draft animals.In the 19th century, they were already common in neighboring countries. Until now, there is the largest number of Swiss cows.

In Russia, Swiss cows appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, in Soviet times they were used as improvers of local livestock. Currently, farms for growing cattle of this breed are located in the Stavropol Territory and Krasnodar, in the Smolensk, Nizhny Novgorod, Bryansk and Tula regions.

Description and characteristics of the Swiss breed

According to the productive characteristics, the Swedish can refer to both dairy and beef cows. Within the breed, there are 2 directions - meat and dairy and milk and meat, which is considered a feature of the breed. Despite the fact that the animals are very close genetically, representatives of these trends have different indicators of milk yield and slaughter meat yield.

Shvits, no matter what breed they belong to, large animals, height at the withers - 130-150 cm, body length - 1.7 m. The average weight of females is 500 kg, bulls - 900 kg (maximum - 1100 kg).

The head of the Swiss is small, with a wide forehead. The animals have horns (light with black tips), but they are short and due to the calm nature of the cows, they are rarely used. The exterior of any Swiss cows, both meat and dairy, gravitates towards meat proportions. Their muscles are well developed, the body is rectangular, the chest is deep, the legs and neck are short. The udder is large or medium in size, the nipples are developed, the belly is rounded.

The color of purebred Swiss cows is gray-beige or ash (by the original shade of animals it is easy to distinguish from representatives of other breeds), but brown Swiss cows were bred in Russia after crossing with local cattle. Brown cattle are not considered purebred, but their productive characteristics do not suffer from this. The nose is dark, the lips and chin are light.

For a year, a Swiss cow can give 3.5 thousand kg of milk, and it will be fat (3.6-4.2%), and with a high percentage of protein (at least 3.2%).Record milk yields are 9-10 tons per year. Due to the high fat content of their milk, cows are well suited to farms that produce butter and hard cheeses.

Excellent quality of milk is explained by the fact that the famous Swiss cheese was made from it. Swiss cows manage to show the highest milk yields when they are freely kept on pasture. Schwyz can also be good beef cows. They are characterized by intensive weight gain, high slaughter yield (62%).

Newborn calves weigh 35-40 kg, if fed abundantly, they can gain 1-1.1 kg of weight each day. By the age of one year, heifers can reach 250 kg, bulls - 300 kg. You can slaughter 1.5-year-old animals, which by this time can weigh 350-380 kg. They are kept for fattening no more than 2-3 years, then they become less profitable.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros and consversatility of use, you can get both meat and milk;excellent quality of milk;good he alth;precocity (heifers can occur at 1.5 years);calm character, animals can be kept in a herd, they do not create conflicts, even young bulls;adaptation to changing conditions.intelligibility in feed and delivery time;tendency to overeat;unsuitability for machine milking due to the structure of the udder.

Despite its shortcomings, the breed is considered one of the most promising.

Conditions and care

The Swiss breed is characterized by whimsical diet and conditions of detention. Breeding violations always affect their productivity.

Summer walking area

Meat and dairy breeds are grown according to the stall-pasture pattern. Keeping Swiss cows indoors without walking is not recommended, as milk yield is reduced. If it is not possible to graze cows on pasture, a walking area should be organized near the barn. Its size should be large enough for the animals to move freely (15 square meters per individual).

Animals should spend at least a few hours a day walking. Walking increases blood flow, prevents swelling of the legs and arthritis, diseases of the hooves, and excessive growth of the hoof horn.

Arrangement of a barn

To raise cows at home, it is recommended to build a special room. It should be spacious, well lit, the windows should have ventilation windows or a ventilation system. There is no need to heat the barn, the cows produce enough heat to keep warm in winter, but it should not be drafty.For wall insulation, you can use standard building insulation.

Each Swiss cow should be allocated a separate stall at least 1.5 m wide and 3 m long or a stall 3 by 3 m. It should have an individual feeder and drinker, a floor with a slight slope towards the back wall for manure drainage goo.

If calves are not kept with their mothers, they need to be equipped with a separate room where they will be, except for feeding time. In regions with a cold climate, the calf house needs to be insulated.

Containment conditions

The conditions for keeping a Swiss cow are no different from those recommended for other breeds of livestock. The temperature in the barn in winter should not fall below 5-10 ˚С, in summer it should not rise above 25 ˚С.Both cold and heat have a negative effect on the body of animals. The result is reduced productivity.

You need to pay attention to the cleanliness of the air and bedding. All livestock breeders know how much waste a cow can produce per day. All this should not be left indoors, the animals should breathe fresh air and lie on clean straw. Lighting - natural, through large windows, for effective light supply, their area should be equal to 1/10 of the area of the entire room.

Cleaning the barn

On the floor in the stalls you need to put a bed of fresh straw, change it as it gets dirty. Animals should not stand on dirty straw. Under unsatisfactory conditions of detention, they fall ill with infectious diseases, despite the natural resistance to diseases. Every month it is necessary to disinfect the premises and equipment.

Switzer cows need to be cleaned every day. Cleaning has 2 goals - the skin of animals gets rid of dirt and parasites, massage has a beneficial effect on their physical and mental state.

What the breed is fed with

You need to pay attention to the diet for Swiss cows. Cattle are fed with fresh grass (or graze on a pasture), hay in winter. It is the basis of nutrition for ruminants. It is desirable that the grass and hay contain clover and legumes. In addition, they are given bran, root vegetables, vegetables, whole grains and chopped. Suitable for Swiss cows and content on compound feed. Feeding with combined feeds is convenient, especially for home keeping in conditions of lack of space for pastures and mowing. But it also has a drawback - because of the cost of feed, the cost of production is also growing.

Calves and their mothers need special attention. Cows need to be fed with a mixture of bran and grain, such nutrition will contribute to the rapid recovery after calving and the growth of calves.Animal breeders recommend the following nutrition scheme for Swiss: in the morning - hay and mixed fodder, plenty of water, in the middle of the day - hay and water, at the end of the day - again hay with mixed fodder and water. In addition to hay and compound feed, cattle need to be fed green and succulent feed - root crops and vegetables. They must first be crushed, if the animals swallow large pieces, this will lead to indigestion. Feeding regimen - 3 times a day. At least 45 kg of feed is needed per day for each individual.

Breeding rules

Switzerland cows in Russia are not so many, the breed is rare. Of course, for breeding in the household, and not just on farms, it is better to select purebred parents. But if there is no opportunity to purchase pedigreed bulls and cows, then you can use Schwitz to get crossbred calves. It has been established that in terms of productive indicators they are almost as good as their thoroughbred ancestors.

You can get heifers when they reach one and a half years, bulls - 2 years. Natural and artificial mating is possible. Pregnancy and childbirth in Swiss cattle pass without problems. Cows feed their calves conscientiously, either with or without their mothers.

Animal he alth

There are no genetically determined hereditary diseases in the breed, and in general, Swiss cattle are in good he alth. But under poor conditions, cows can suffer from infectious diseases, their metabolism is upset, and productivity is deteriorating. If you raise animals properly, this does not happen.

Change of residence does not affect the he alth of the Swiss. They easily adapt when transported to another place without experiencing stress. This is especially true for young animals.

Prospects and buying

You can buy a female or male Schwitz at breeding farms. They can also be purchased in Russia, but a purebred animal of the best bloodlines must be sought in European countries - Germany, Austria and Poland. The cost of a Swiss cow depends on its age and gender; it is more profitable to buy calves and raise an animal from them for your own breeding.

Switzerland cows are suitable for keeping in private backyards and small farms. If the rules of cultivation are observed, they will be able to realize the potential inherent in the breed. You can grow schwitz in any region of Russia, they can perfectly adapt to the climate of any area.

Switzerland breed is not among the most common in Russia, but is great for keeping in any of its regions. In addition to productivity, cows have a good exterior and an attractive color. They can be kept in a single copy in a private yard for the needs of the family and make up the livestock of farms from them for profit. Schwitz is a good source of excellent full fat milk and quality meat.

Recommended