The Duration of Economic Use of Black-and-White and Holstein Cows under the Conditions of the European North of Russia

Recently, a tendency has been observed that the economic life of dairy cows is decreasing. Intensive selection oriented to the increased milk production in cows has resulted in a decline in productive longevity and reproductive capacity worldwide. In the Russian Federation, the average age of cows in the milking herd was 2.45 calvings in 2022, and the average age at retirement was 3.12 calvings. Shortening the service life of animals in dairy farming reduces the profitability of the industry, since cows do not live to the age of full realization of their genetic potential. According to the results of the analysis of the economic use of Black-and-White and Holstein cows in the European North of the Russian Federation for the period from 2020 to 2022, it was found that Black-and-White cows have a later first calving, but they outperform Holstein cows in terms of the age at calving and the age at retirement.