Dynamics of quantitative and qualitative indicators of dairy cows in the Vologda Region for 201–2023

Dairy cattle breeding is one of the key industries in the Vologda Region. Funds are allocated annually for the development and maintenance of this industry. An important role in the production of high-quality milk is assigned to the breed. Five breeds of dairy cattle are bred in the region: Holstein, Russian black pied, Ayrshire, Kholmogorskaya and Yaroslavskaya. For a long time, the Vologda Region was dominated by Russian black pied cattle. In 2020–2021, its share was 72% of the total number of cows bred in the region (42.36 thousand heads in 2020 and 44.82 thousand heads in 2021). From 2022, the number of Russian black pied cattle is decreasing (up to 36%, or 22.17 thousand heads), and the number of Holstein cows is increasing. In 2022, the share of Holstein breed animals was 46% (28.26 thousand heads) of all cows bred in the Vologda Region, in 2023 – 70% (42.02 thousand heads). The total number of Ayrshire, Kholmogorskaya and Yaroslavskaya breeds does not exceed 30% of the total number for the entire period under review. The number of cows of these breeds decreased in 2023 compared to 2019. Despite the reduction in the total number of cows (-2.41 thousand heads in 2023 compared to 2019), overall, there is an increase in milk yields. The total weight for all farms in the region was 9,113 kg. Milk yields of animals of all breeds, with the exception of black and white, are higher in 2023 compared to 2019. Cows of the Ayrshire, Russian black pied and Yaroslavskaya breeds had the highest average yield in 2020, cows of the Kholmogorskaya breed in 2021, and the Holstein breed in 2023. The indicators of the mass fraction of fat and protein in the milk of representatives of all breeds are higher in 2022–2023 compared to other years under consideration. Consequently, to improve dairy cattle populations, it is necessary to stabilize the number of livestock while maintaining a high level of animal productivity.