Pedigree economy: characteristics, types, breeding procedure

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Pedigree farms in Russia are called agricultural enterprises of a special variety, engaged in the improvement of existing breeds, the creation of new ones, the sale of high-quality seed material, etc. The Ministry of Agriculture controls and regulates such work in our country.

Farm animal breeding in Russia is a complex structured system with many steps. Successful breeding work includes a whole range of very important activities. In principle, thoroughbred animals with excellent productivity indicators can also be bred on ordinary farms. However, breeding work can be carried out in full, of course, only in specialized farms.

Definition

They call livestock breeding in our country a complex of organizational and economic activities aimed at:

• for the qualitative improvement of livestock;
• improvement of existing breeds;
• breeding new breeds;
• creation of breeding and commercial herds.

In Russia, among other things,state book of breeding animals. We also collect information about all the most valuable herds of certain breeds in our country. A breeding certificate is issued for each animal in the Russian Federation.

What is a breeding farm

The main task of such enterprises is therefore the targeted selection of farm animals of different species. Of course, breeding work is organized on farms of similar specialization on a scientific basis.

Several thousand such farms are currently registered in Russia. For example, breeding work with cattle in our country today is carried out by about 1200 specialized enterprises. At the same time, the organization that regulates the activities of such enterprises is the Head Center for the reproduction of farm animals. In their work, breeding farms are guided primarily by breed standards.

Responsible for the work to improve the quality of agricultural animals of the Ministry of Agriculture, namely the Department of Breeding. Each region, among other things, has its own service that checks the work of breeding farms and issues various kinds of permits.

Types of farms

Currently, there are five main types of breeding enterprises in Russia:

1. Tribal plants. In such farms, in-depth work is being done to improve the quality of agricultural animals. Enterprises of this type deal exclusively with elite representatives of breeds of cows, goats, pigs, and sheep. Breeding farms of this species received young animals withcertain qualities are later supplied to farms or used to replenish the herd of producers.
2. Tribal loudspeakers. Such farms buy young animals at breeding plants. Animal reproduction is carried out here to obtain milk or meat. The main task of farms of this species is to preserve the qualities of young animals. Currently, any farm in our country can receive the status of a breeding reproducer by decision of the Ministry of Agriculture.
3. Farms for artificial insemination. In such farms, they are engaged in obtaining and selling breeding material. Breeding work at the enterprises of this variety is not carried out.
4. Embryo Transfer Organizations.
5. Breeding centers for the breed. Farms of this type are working to improve the genetics of animals.

In addition to these main varieties of breeding farms, there are also many service enterprises in this direction in Russia. These can be, for example, hybrid breeding centers, seed storage stations, various laboratories, etc.

Organization of work on farms

At enterprises of this type, among other things, pedigree, production and final records are mandatory. The preparatory stage of breeding work in this case is the assessment of animals:

• by origin;
• development and growth;
• productive qualities;
• disease resistance;
• technological qualities andex.

Based on such data, breeding farms engaged in improving the breeds of pigs, small cattle, cattle, perform booting, that is, determining the breed value of animals.

Actually, the breeding process itself in such farms includes two main methods: selection and selection. The first technology implies:

• Sorting animals.
• Selection for breeding.

The selection procedure consists primarily in creating parent pairs. In this case, two main technologies can be used:

• Homogeneous selection.
• Heterogeneous.

When using the first technology for selection, animals are selected that are similar in conformation and productive characteristics. Such selection is used to consolidate the pedigree qualities in the offspring. In the second case, in breeding farms engaged in breeding pigs, sheep, cows, pairs are completed from animals that differ in breeding characteristics. The purpose of this selection is to improve the breed qualities. The extreme form of heterogeneous crossing is hybridization.

Breeding order

There are only two methods of mating animals in breeding farms:

• pure breeding;
• crossing.

The last one can be:

• industrial;
• introductory;
• transformative;
• reproductive.

Also farms can practice such a technique as hybridization.

Purebredbreeding

In this case, animals of the same breed are crossed to obtain high-quality offspring. The main goals of this method are:

• preservation of the valuable properties of the breed and their further improvement;
• increase in the number of representatives of the breed.

Successful pure breeding of pigs, goats, cows in breeding farms can only be subject to the correct selection of producers, as well as the creation of the most favorable living conditions for animals.

Crossing

The use of this technique involves the mating of animals belonging to different breeds. The young animals obtained as a result of such crossing are called crossbred. This breeding technique is used on farms to improve existing breeds, or to create new ones.

Industrial crossing, in turn, can be simple, complex or breeding. In this case, breeding farms specializing in cattle, pigs, small cattle, goats perform a simple one-time mating of representatives of different breeds. Crossbreeds of the first generation are used as ordinary productive animals. With a simple industrial crossing, two breeds are involved in the process, with a complex one - 3-4. In breeding breeding, animals are selected as producers, "complementing" each other on some basis.

Introductory crossing is also called blood fusion. Apply this technique to eliminate any shortcomings of the breed. This technique is often used on farms that specialize in breeding work with a wide variety of farm animals. Crossbreeds of the first generation using this technology are mated with the best representatives of the improved breed within 1-2 generations.

Transformative or absorption crossing is used in breeding farms in Russia to radically improve the breed. Usually in this case, three-five-time mating of crossbreeds with producers of an improving breed is performed.

And a particularly interesting process. Reproductive crossing allows you to create a new one from two or more breeds - with completely individual qualities.

Hybridization

This term refers to the crossing of animals of different species. For example, the mating of horses and donkeys results in mules. Hybridization is used to obtain custom animals or new breeds that retain the valuable properties of the original species. In addition to mules, hybridization products can be, for example, crossbreeds of wild and domestic sheep, forest boars and pigs. In breeding farms, hybridization, of course, is used less often than other crossing methods.