Montbeliard breed of cows: description and characteristics, content

Montbeliarde cows - elite cattle originally from France. The popularity of Montbeliardes among farmers is due to their versatility, endurance and unpretentiousness. These horned representatives of cattle can quickly acclimatize and adapt to the conditions of any climate. Another advantage is increased meat and milk productivity. The Montbéliarde breed is quite rare: there are about 2 million heads in the world.

History of the origin of the breed

The purposeful breeding process began in the 18th century. Farmers in Switzerland and France wished to develop a new breed of cows, whose representatives would favorably differ in durability and productive qualities.For this, Swiss outbred cows were crossed with representatives of the motley, Charolais and other breeds. Selection work stretched for a hundred years.

Monbéliardes were officially presented in 1889 at the French exhibition. In the same year, individuals were included in the official list of farm animals. These representatives of cattle were first kept in the mountainous regions of France. Later, the breed spread throughout the world's continents.

Habitats

The Montbéliarde breed can be found anywhere in the world, from California dairy farms to the green meadows of Ireland. The highest concentration of heads remains in France among cheese farmers. Montbeliards also live in African countries. For example, in Chile, there are about 3000 representatives of the breed.

Export cows to different countries. Most often, farmers acquire Montbéliardes to improve the quality values of the existing livestock.Less often - for breeding a pure breed without impurities. The cost of an adult sexually mature animal ranges from 100,000 rubles. Montbéliarde cows are successfully kept and bred in different regions:

1. Regions of the Middle East.
2. European states.
3. Canary Islands.
4. Brazil.
5. China.

Description and characteristics of Montbéliarde cows

Representatives of the Montbéliarde breed are easy to recognize because of their bright external data. The average size of an adult is 1.5 meters high at the withers, the body is 1.6 meters long. The weight of a bull reaches a ton, a sexually mature female - 600-650 kilograms.

Montbeliardes have a unique coloration: milky white belly, red-brown spots on the back, light hair on the head.

Appearance

Correct body composition and original coloration made Montbeliardes frequent heroes of commercials. Cows have smoothed body lines, their spine does not stand out. The shoulder blades fit evenly, the back is straight, and the legs are massive. The coat of cows is dense, short. Other Montbéliarde Breed Standards:

1. Large head sizes. The shape is rounded, slightly expanded in the eye area.
2. Symmetrical muzzle.
3. Montbeliarde bulls have a pronounced chest.
4. Mature Montbéliarde cows have larger udders than average.
5. There is a characteristic fluffy tassel at the end of the tail.

Milk productivity

A Montbéliarde female gives 7500-9000 liters of dairy products per year. The duration of the lactation period is 305 days. The peculiarity of milk is a constant composition, a high percentage of protein in the composition, a stable level of fats. These are ideal indicators for cooking higher grades of cheese.

Meat characteristics

Montbeliarde cows have strong immunity, they are also able to digest even the most coarse food. This has a beneficial effect on the quality of meat. The net yield per head at slaughter is at least 68%. At the same time, the meat is juicy, it has little fat and a lot of animal protein. Montbéliarde cows are economically profitable to breed, as they quickly put on weight (average monthly gain is 45 kg).

Description of Montbeliarde meat:

1. Uniform scarlet coloration.
2. No residential areas.
3. Delicate pronounced aroma.
4. The back is premium meat.

Pros and cons

Among the advantages of the Montbeliarde breed are high-quality tasty meat and milk, endurance, unpretentiousness. Cows have a low percentage of somatic cells - this significantly reduces the risk of developing mastitis. Individuals are distinguished by easy calving and a high percentage of fertility.

Among the minuses is the complex nature of Montbéliardes. Periodically, this creates difficulties in breeding and milking

.

Keeping and caring for animals

Warm, spacious rooms are suitable for Montbéliardes. The minimum barn area for a female with a calf is 18 square meters. A suitable barn height is 2-3 meters. A strict division into zones is required: a feeder, a stall, a toilet. 10% of the area must be allocated to the windows, be sure to have lighting in the barn. It is desirable that during the winter months the air temperature in the barn does not fall below -10 degrees.To protect the walls, they are insulated with sawdust, slag. A suitable humidity level is 40-70%. Ventilation recommended.

Clean up in the morning and evening. Manure is cleaned into equipped channels or carried out in buckets. After harvesting, a new flooring is laid, hay / straw is added throughout the day as it gets dirty. Drinking bowls and cow feeders are cleaned and washed before each new filling. General cleaning and disinfection measures are done monthly (treatment with an aqueous formalin solution of 2% and similar compounds).

Feeding and watering

It is recommended to give Montbéliardes balanced feed with a high content of trace elements. Feed individuals should be 2 times at regular intervals. For dairy cows, this figure increases to 3-4.Montbeliardes' favorite delicacies are fresh juicy greens, animal feed, corn cobs, vegetable tops, hay. Animals should always have open and free access to drinking bowls with clean water.

Newborn Montbeliardes are given boiled water after the first 7 days of life, and by the third week of life they completely switch to purified or raw water. Already at 6 months, young Montbéliardes eat the same way as adult cows. The diet of calves should contain corn silage, fresh juicy vegetables, a variety of root crops without rot. Coarse-fiber hay is also good for young animals to stimulate the digestive process.

How to breed a breed

The seminal fluid of Montbéliarde bulls is used for artificial insemination of cows of this or another breed. The process takes place in 2 ways. This absorption crossing is a combination of different breeds to increase unproductive indicators.The second type is the variable fertilization of Montbéliardes. The goal is to breed highly productive offspring.

Puberty in Montbéliardes occurs at 9-12 months. Cows do not have a specific season for breeding; mating occurs throughout the year. Pregnancy of the Montbéliarde female lasts 280-285 days, ending with calving. Usually 1 calf (20-50 kg) is born, less often - twins. After calving, the lactation period begins: the mother feeds the young for 1-3 months, then the calves are transferred to self-feeding.

Frequent diseases

Montbeliarde cows have good immunity. But with improper maintenance and the absence of elementary conditions, there is a risk of infection with infectious pathologies, including:

1. Nekrobacteriosis or hoof disease - purulent-necrotic processes on the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs of a cow.
2. Leptospirosis - pathogens affect the internal organs and central nervous system, the process is accompanied by severe intoxication.
3. Actinomycosis is a fungal infection of tissues and organs with the formation of characteristic foci on the body of a cow.
4. Brucellosis is a violation of the functioning of the sexual, nervous, bone and cardiovascular systems of a cow.

When the first alarming symptoms are detected, you should immediately seek veterinary help. The farmer should be alerted by a decrease in milk volumes, apathy, partial or complete refusal of food, and an increase in the general body temperature of the cow. Detection of the disease at an early stage is a guarantee of successful and rapid therapy. In most cases, the animal is completely cured.

Montbeliard breed of cows belongs to the category of "elite".Individuals are distinguished by their meat and dairy versatility, which is suitable for both small farms and entire factories. The breed is widespread on all world continents. Features and advantages of Montbeliardes - unpretentiousness, endurance, immunity. But suitable conditions of detention and good care are a guarantee of high milk yields and tasty meat at the end.

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