Sychevskaya breed of cows: description and characteristics, rules of keeping

Among all varieties of cow breeds, some are more popular than others. The same can be said about the Sychevskaya breed of cows bred in Russia. Consider its characteristics and description, advantages and disadvantages, in what conditions it is necessary to keep animals, how to properly feed and care for them, what diseases cattle should be treated for.

Origin story

The breed was bred in the 1st half of the 20th century in the Smolensk region. For the basis of the Sychevskaya breed, local cows were chosen, animals of the Simmental breed were used as improvers.From the resulting offspring, the best were selected over several generations. Then the animals began to be bred "in themselves", the standard of the new breed was approved in 1950. The goal of breeding Sychev cows was achieved - large animals were obtained, with a large yield of meat, distinguished by good he alth, unpretentious, giving a lot of milk.

Today, Sychev cows are bred in the Smolensk, Tver and Kaluga regions. Although the breed has already been registered, work on its improvement does not stop even now. Individuals that surpass the rest in valuable productive qualities go into breeding.

Description and characteristics of the Sychevskaya breed

Cows conform to the standards of meat and dairy breeds according to their exterior features. The sizes and weights of males and females are different, the animals are similar in other characteristics.

Caves

Calves gain weight quickly, every day their weight increases by 0.8-1.2 kg. They are born with a mass of 30-34 kg. By the age of six months, the weight of calves is 200 kg, at 1.5 years old they can weigh 350-400 kg.

Bulls

Males, according to the standard, are larger than females. Growth at the withers in animals is 145-150 cm, body length is 155-185 cm. The withers are high and wide, large head, short neck, back is even. The color of the representatives of the Sychevskaya breed is fawn, there are red and variegated-red animals. The skin of cows is elastic and moderately thick, therefore it is valued as an industrial raw material.

Cows

Females are slightly smaller in size, have less muscle mass. Properly folded, the coat is short, silky, the color is fawn, red, sometimes red-red. Height at the withers - 125-137 cm, body length - 140-175 cm. The skin, like that of bulls, is of medium thickness, smooth. The weight of cows is 550-600 kg. The uterus has a large udder with evenly developed lobes, so it is convenient to milk them. Milk has a delicate, harmonious taste, without a characteristic cow smell.

One cow can produce up to 4-5 thousand liters of milk per year. Individual queens can produce up to 10,000 liters. Fatty milk - 3.5-4%, it contains 3.2-3.6% protein.

Breed types

Several intra-breed types are distinguished in the breed, differing in conformation and productivity.

They have names indicating their place of origin:

Steppe. Animals have a strong constitution, they are distinguished by the fact that they give a lot of fat milk.
Privolzhsky. Small animals, bred as dairy cattle.
Ukrainian. The largest in the Sychevskaya breed.
Priuralskie. The main advantage is a large yield of meat during slaughter.
Siberian. Due to their origin, they tolerate low temperatures and other adverse conditions.

All Sychev cows, regardless of type, are characterized by unpretentiousness, the ability to gain weight on a standard diet, and strong immunity.

Good and bad sides

Pros and consprecocity;easy adaptation to climatic features;disease resistance;the ability to give a lot of meat and milk.difficult childbirth in first-time cows;sensitivity of calves to nutritional deficiencies in food, which can lead to the development of rickets and other diseases associated with metabolic disorders.

When buying young Sychev cows, you need to take into account their characteristics.

Containment conditions

For cows of the Sychevskaya breed, it is necessary to organize proper care, provide them with a balanced diet. Despite the indicated unpretentiousness, as a property of the breed, animals should be kept in spacious, warm, bright and clean stalls.

In the barn there should be moderate humidity and temperature, drafts should not be allowed, freezing in winter. The room needs to be cleaned every day so that manure does not accumulate, change the litter. Clean feeders and drinkers from residues, care equipment. At least twice a year, carry out a complete disinfection of the barn, whitewash the walls with lime, and remove all waste without exception. Also, once a week, disinfect the room with the help of special preparations in the form of sprays.

When stall keeping, you need to monitor the duration of lighting in the barn. It should last 12 hours, in autumn and spring it is necessary to turn on the lamps to bring the illumination time to the desired level. Cows should be taken daily for a walk in a fenced area or pasture. In the absence of exercise, milk yield will decrease. Every day you need to clean the skin of the animal, wash dirty places.

For each individual, it is necessary to leave enough space so that it can freely turn around and move to the feeder.This is at least 2m by 2m. The barn and fences can be built from any material, but it is recommended that they be natural. From traditional materials, it is best to take wood. Make the floor also wooden, not concrete, as is customary.

Despite the practicality of concrete, this is not the best option, since the floor is cold, animals get leg diseases when standing on it.

Old hay or straw, sawdust is suitable for bedding. The thickness of the layer in summer may be insignificant, but in winter it is necessary to pour enough so that the cow, lying on the floor, does not catch a cold. Drinkers and feeders must be securely attached to the walls so that the cow does not turn them over. The containers must be capacious so that the animal can easily eat and drink.

Feeding Features

In summer, cows are grazed on fresh grass, the volume of which can be unlimited, the animals themselves will eat as much as they need. In the evening they are fed with concentrates, root crops, vegetables.In winter, feeding consists of giving hay, silage, and also give root crops and grain. Transferring animals from summer to winter diet should be gradual to avoid eating disorders.

They are fed with vitamin-mineral complexes, bulls that are fattened for meat can be given 1-2 kg of feed per day. Pregnant and lactating cows, sires also need additional feeding.

Sychev cow breeding

Sychevskaya calves are obtained from purebred individuals or representatives of other breeds are used to obtain high-quality hybrids. As noted, first-time cows can have difficult labour, something to keep in mind when delivering an animal.

Dairy calves have unstable immunity, therefore, until they grow up and get stronger, their he alth must be monitored and vaccinated against common dangerous infections.

The important point is feeding the calves. Since they are sensitive to nutritional deficiencies in the feed, it is necessary to properly formulate and follow a diet. Then the animals will grow up properly developed, with good constitution, strong and hardy.

Frequent diseases

The breed is characterized by resistance to common bovine diseases. Animals rarely get sick, but on condition that they are provided with suitable living conditions. If cows are kept in dampness, dirt, cold or, conversely, heat, poorly fed, not walked, after a while this will lead to the fact that the animals will weaken, productivity will begin to decline.

Sychevskaya breed is traditional for cultivation in Russia.Animals are large and productive. From them you can get 2 types of products at once - tasty meat and fatty milk. According to these characteristics, the breed is recommended for home growing and breeding, as well as for keeping on private farms with small livestock. The breed has valuable agricultural traits and almost no flaws.