Black-motley breed of cows: description and characteristics, rules of keeping

Black-and-white breed of cows has long been used in the territory of the former CIS countries. Farmers everywhere choose this breed for unpretentiousness, endurance and high milk yield. Cows have a good-natured disposition, and meat has high taste characteristics. The black-and-white cow is a great choice for the beginner, inexperienced farmer.

Origin story

For the first time the breed was bred and described in the early 40s of the 20th century. Crossing of local cattle with imported bulls of the Dutch and Swedish breeds was carried out. Additionally, lines of Friesian black-and-white cattle were introduced.After the final formation of the type of constitution, animals with a red color were taken out of the studbook and only black-and-white ones were left.

The breed was officially recognized only by the beginning of the 1960s. It was widely distributed in the Ukrainian and Belarusian USSR, but is now gradually being replaced by imported foreign breeds.

Breed habitats

The countries of the former Soviet republics, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan, continue to be the main breeding areas for Black-and-White cows. Young growth - bulls and heifers, are well adapted to the conditions of a temperate climate and endure even harsh winters on poor food. The productivity of a commercial herd with abundant feeding reaches 5,000 thousand liters of milk per year. Cows with a characteristic suit fit into the studbook only.

Description and characteristics of the black-motley cow

The breed is medium in weight and milk production. Adult cows reach a weight of 500 kg, and breeding bulls weigh more than a ton. The direction of breeding is dairy, but if necessary, young animals can be grown for meat. The meat is tender, not tough, low in fat. Herds make good use of pastures and gain weight even without the use of concentrated feed.

The breed is undemanding to environmental conditions. For the winter, cows are overgrown with thick wool, allowing them to survive harsh winters. Already at two years old, the cow is completely ready to start mating and receive milk, so the breed is considered precocious. Calves weigh 50-60 kg at birth.

Pros and cons

The breed cannot be called ideal: like any fruit of selection, it has its pros and cons.

Pros and consUnpretentiousness and adaptability to difficult climatic conditions.With good feeding gives a decent amount of milk.Cows and bulls are disease resistant.Representatives of the breed are easy to find in any region of the country.Animals are not too large, give little low-fat meat.Milk yields are low relative to the breeds of foreign selection.The fat content of milk is not higher than 4%.There is no generally accepted breed type, so cows from different regions vary greatly.

Selection is underway, both in Russia and Ukraine, to bring the breed to a single standard, as well as increase milk productivity. For higher milk yields, it is recommended to cross cows with bulls of Danish and Dutch origin.

How to maintain and care for properly

Caring for black-and-white cattle is no different from keeping other cows.The barn must be clean, dry and bright. Natural lighting prevails. In winter, artificial lighting should be turned on for at least 6 hours a day. Animals adapt well to the off-season, overgrown with hair, so you can alternate pasture and tethered content.

Milking is carried out every day: in the morning and in the evening. Before the milking procedure, animals are examined and the slightest bruises or abrasions are immediately treated, especially on the udder. Delayed treatment can lead to loss of cow productivity and reduced farmer profits.

It is desirable to combine juicy and concentrated feed. New grass should be introduced into the diet carefully - grazing is gradually increased from several minutes to several hours. Cattle are especially sensitive not to cold, but to drafts. Therefore, cracks and holes in the barn must be sealed with heat-insulating material. Dairy cows undergo regular veterinary examinations, especially if the milk is for sale. It is forbidden to sell non-certified products.

Diet

The diet of the pied pepper depends on the physiological state of the animal. The owner must regulate the supply of food throughout the year. Dairy cows need a large amount of protein, so they increase the percentage of hay, bran, oilcake in their diet. In summer, you can transfer animals to alfalfa, clover, herbs. The more varied the diet, the more the need for nutrients and minerals is satisfied. Therefore, it is recommended to add fresh vegetables - beets, carrots and turnips.

Calves are introduced to solid foods as soon as possible. This increases the weight gain, and also saves more milk for sale. At first, hay and mixed fodder are mixed in equal proportions to a state of homogeneous, semi-liquid mass and fed to calves in a bucket. Gradually, the mixture is made more and more solid, and at the end only hay is left.

Specific breeding

The main goal of breed selection is to improve milk and meat productivity. To make the calf large and hardy, it is recommended to cross cows with representatives of the Dutch or Friesian breed. The main selection is purebred, therefore, breeding animals without impurities of extraneous blood have the main value. Stud books are open, but only the blood of the breeds listed above is allowed.

Inbreeding, or closely related mating, is used only in experimental breeding farms. On commercial dairy farms, inbreeding can lead to a sharp drop in productivity and mass death of calves.

According to the theory of selection, bulls should be improvers, and cows should be improved animals.Therefore, the bull must meet all breed standards, have the correct weight, constitution; to have good he alth, endurance and unpretentiousness, and most importantly - to surpass a cow in all the listed qualities. It makes no sense to cross a first-class cow with a bad bull just for the sake of milk - such breeding greatly degrades the class of the breed and, ultimately, leads to losses.

Diseases and prevention

Chests are resistant to disease, but there are common ailments among cows that every farmer should be aware of. Pathologies often develop due to a violation of the technology of harvesting and giving food. Cows have a complex digestive system, so any low-quality food is bad for he alth.

A blockage in the esophagus occurs when a cow is given pieces of root vegetables that are too large to chew.

Food gets stuck in the esophagus and causes excessive salivation, restlessness, refusal of food and water. The signs are bright and hard to miss. The only help in case of blockage of the esophagus is to call the veterinarian immediately, and then grind the food before giving.

Another common pathology is scar tympania. The scar is one of the sections of the cow's stomach. Due to improper feeding, the stomach overflows with gas and causes severe pain. The reasons are grazing on wet grass, overfeeding, giving fermented milk products to calves. Before the arrival of the veterinarian, you can alleviate the condition of the animal - massage the stomach, smear the tongue with a small amount of creolin or tar.

Typical signs of illness in cattle are lethargy, refusal to feed, fever. Normally, the temperature in the rectum of an animal is 38.5-39.5 degrees. An increase indicates poisoning, allergies, or the onset of an inflammatory process. You can see the condition of the animal and other external signs.A he althy cow stands still, eats or chews cud, muscles are not tense, the coat is thick and shiny.

Deviations from the norm should make the farmer alert and call the vet. Care and proper nutrition is the key to the longevity of the animal and high milk yield. Pestrushka is able to provide the owner with milk yield of 5-6 thousand liters.

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