Current status, distribution and ways of preserving mixed cattle breeds

The article presents the analysis of the state (number, prevalence and ways of preservation) of the main breeds of dairy-meat and meat-milk direction of productivity, bred in different natural-climatic, organizational-economic and fodder conditions of Russia’s regions. We present foreign breeding experience of Brown Swiss and Simmental breeds. The number of almost all mixed breeds of cattle is decreasing, and a number of them are in critical condition and on the verge of extinction. The expediency of preserving cattle breeds of mixed productivity direction is obvious -it is dictated by their high adaptability to natural-climatic and economic conditions of breeding areas, long-term productive use, lifelong productivity, high production indicators, resistance to a number of dangerous diseases and other valuable qualities. It is worth making maximum efforts and resources to preserve the gene pool of small and endangered animal breeds.