V. I. Blokhin1, I. M. Dunin2
1) Head of the Central Animal Husbandry Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Moscow. Russian Federation.
2) Director of the All-Russian Russian Institute, for Animal Breading. Moscow. Russian Federation.
Dairy cattle
Dairy cattle plays a great role in the promotion of food. Actually all 77 regions of the country take part in the dairy cattle selection program. According to official information of State Statistical Office (as of I January of 1995) there were 29,s millions of cattle including 10.0 millions of cows in all categories of agricultural enterprises. The most significant breeding animals were concentrated in 233 breeding units and 232 breeding farms. In total there were 3.4 % and 2.8 "/o of dairy cows in the above mentioned enterprises respectively. The average milk yield of registered cows (5.7 millions) was 2707 kg for the last lactation and the percentage of fat was 3.67 %.
It should be noted that during last previous years (I 990-1994) the number of animals decreased by 35.7 % and the annual average milk yield by 41 kg per cow. ‘The main reason of the present situation seems to be due to the changes in socio-economic conditions in Russia. As a result, economic relations between the different kinds of enterprises have been broken
Under the present hard financial conditions which prevail in the country, budget support is much reduced. It concerns both federal and regional resources. For the time being there is a paradoxical situation as the production of each kilogram of milk just brings economic problems and losses.
Other problems of animal breeding are to be found in the organisation and optimization of the milk control scheme which is being applied in Russia. Each month specialists of breeding farms check milk yield. % fat and % protein per each cow. Then they enter the results in official breeding certificates. The main disadvantage of this system is the lack of objectivity in pedigree documents. Practically it is not possible to control the information given in these certificates. So the final result of breeding activity in the population of animal depends on the accuracy of information in official papers which are the property of farms. Obviously, the specialists of farms are not independent and they are interested in increasing cows productive traits in official breeding documents.
From our point of view there is a need to organize independent milk laboratories, the results of which must be recognized official both by the farms and the milk plants as being official. First the results of milk laboratories should be passed on to breeding organization where they arc collected as official information and then transmitted to the farms.
In the Russian Federation the official estimation of cow breeding values is based on an annual procedure, called "bonitirovka". On the basis of the result, the cows are distributed in different classes: "elite-record", "elite", "first", "second". According to official instructions each animal should be estimated by means of a number of points: for milk yield: maximum 60 pts, for exterior: 24 pts, pedigree: 16 pts.
A cow can belong to "elite record class" if it has got 80 or more points, to "elite-class": 70 - 79 pts, to "first class": 60-69 pts, to "Second class": 50-59 pts. Official instruction include estimation scales for each trait, and it is on their basis that the class is finally decided upon.
Another scheme is used for the estimating sire breeding value. The total formula for official estimation of sires is: BV, = (D - H) b where:
Bv, - breeding value of i-th sire;
D - milk yield of daughters;
H - milk yield of herd mates;
b - weighted coefficient, according to the number of daughters.
On the basis of breeding value index (BV) the sires can be distributed in Al, A2 and A3 - categories for milk and B1, B2 and B3 for fat (%). Sires having been classified under one of these categories can be used in selection schemes, other must not be used for breeding purposes.
In 1995 specialists of the All Russian Research Institute of Animal Breeding have worked out new methodology for sires breeding value estimation, based on the principles of mixed model equation system. Now the Ministry of Agriculture and Food recommends that this procedure be introduced in practica.
In the Russian Federation activities are based on a regional structure. Breeding operations are organized by some state agricultural enterprises as regards different kinds of animals in each region. In these operations, the following units are involved, i.e.: the Breeding Department, the Group for artificial insemination, the A.1. stations and the market Division.
Moreover. in respect of dairy cattle the breeding scheme includes immuno genetic laboratories, veterinary service organisations and milk laboratories. The breeding activity of the pedigree organizations is coordinated by "Rosplemobjedinenie" which is an organisation under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Russian Federation.
There are twenty nine breeds of dairy cattle in Russia.
For number of breeds having interregional importance breeding associations and selection centres have been established. These organisations introduce selection programs within the whole animal populations.
The main principle of dairy cattle breeding in Russia is line breeding. The main goal of this method is creating of genealogic scheme for the various different breeds and to avoid inbreeding non-registered depression in herds.
The perspective directions for improving of breeding activity in dairy cattle of Russia are as follows:
- the combination of number of breeds in uniform populations;
the improvement of identification and registration systems for breeding animals;
the reorganization of breeding service structure based on new economic principles;
the selection and economic optimization of breeding programs;
- the creation of a modem information system;
- the integration of Russian breeding organizations with international organisation, and associations.
Sheep breeding
According to official information of the State Statistic Office the total number of sheep in 1994 decreased to 3 I.8 million of animals. There were 97 breeding plants and 75 breeding farms which maintained most of the important pedigree animals.
During the last four years the number of breeding animals decreased by 32.5 %. During this period the wool yield was reduced by 21.6 % for all farms, and by 12.3 % for pedigree farms.
The main reasons having lead to such poor situation arc:
- the unoptimal cost policy;
- the absence of internal wool and meat market:
- financial shaking position of most farms;
- the very small amount of support by the state and the Region.
The breeding work is carried out by specialists of farms which have official breeding certificates. Official estimation of breeding values of females is carried out on the basis of final score procedure. According to the results the animals are distributed into classes: "elite", "first", "second". According to this distribution specialists define how to use each animal in particular.
The main breeding principle in pedigree farms is pure breeding. For improving wool quality Australian merinos are used in the main pedigree units.
The perspective directions of activities in sheep breeding are: to unite single breeds with the same goals and phenotypical characteristic in the overall population: to create a registration system for pedigree animals;
- to optimire selection programs;
- to create an information system on world quality.
Pig breeding
In 1995 the number of animals in pig breeding was 25 million. This number is about twice less than 1991. The production of meat has diminished by I.6 millions tons (34.5 %).
To-date breeding base for pig breeding includes 66 pedigree plants and 485 breeding farms.
Among 24 breeds of pigs the first place is taken by Large White (90.1 %), the second position is held by Landras (2.0 %) and the third one is Large Black (1.3 %). Obviously, the overall pig breeding in Russia is presented as a monobreed structure.
The main reasons which have led to so negative consequences are:
- the changes in economic policy;
- the cost rise of energy resources;
the high cost of veterinary services;
the hybridization programs having been neglected;
the low financial support to selection programs.
The scheme for the control of productivity and genetic evaluation of pigs must be redefined.
At present the control of animal productivity is being carried out according to official instructions. It consists in a complex assessment of pigs, including exterieur (body) and productivity trails.
The main genetic evaluation practiced in pig breeding in Russia is the assessment of malts and females by "daughters/herd-mates" methods at specific stations. Also the evaluation of phenotypical traits is used.
The selection centres and associations for swine breeding work out authorize or ban the introduction of specific programs in practical breeding.
Perspective directions for carrying out in pig breeding are:
- to work-out and introduce resource-saving technologies;
- to regulate power and possibilities of the enterprises, involved in swine breed production;
- to review and revise the standards of production in swine breeding;
- to organize an optimal system for producing formula feed;
- to work out and introduction of modern program for crossbreeding system;
- to organize an information analytical system in swine breeding.
