The volume of meat product sales has increased in the Vitebsk region

The region's livestock breeders performed quite well in the first half of the year. 1974 kilograms of milk were produced per cow. This is 167 kilograms more than last year. Moreover, more than a quarter of the increase was achieved in the dry month of June. The sale of beef cattle increased by 10.5 percent, and poultry by 5.5 percent. Pig farms are being filled after African Swine Fever, and by the end of the year, their livestock should reach 340,000. The region has prepared feed in the same volumes as last year.

Nevertheless, according to the chairman of the regional executive committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, a 5-10 percent increase in production will change the situation little. To ensure the viability of a number of farms, to purchase plant protection products, fuel without problems, update the machine and tractor fleet, pay wages on time, and settle bank loans, it is necessary to produce at least twice as much. This is precisely the task set for the region's agricultural sector. And not only has it been set, but concrete ways to solve it have also been outlined.

For example, the region has 50 farms that own one-fifth of all the land but produce only 5-6 percent of the output. In some of them, milk yield per cow for the half-year did not even reach one ton. In Gorodok Agroservice, for instance, it was only 915 kilograms.

What is the way out? Soon, these agricultural enterprises will undergo a "reboot": the herds will be transferred to farms that have all the conditions for high milk yields – professional staff, a good feed base, and appropriate facilities. This is also relevant because some districts have milking parlors that are not fully utilized.

Some farms will be generally recommended to completely switch from the dairy sector to the meat sector.

It is precisely in this direction – the raising of young bulls – that the greatest changes await the Vitebsk region. The focus is on breeding beef cattle breeds: Aberdeen-Angus, Hereford, Charolais, and others, which yield up to two kilograms or more of average daily weight gain, and their intensive rearing period is half that of ordinary cattle.

According to Vladimir Mashera, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Agriculture and Food Committee, the region has a good starting point for this. Firstly, there are the necessary facilities: 11.8 thousand places are still unoccupied at fattening complexes. Secondly, the feed base is significantly improving.

Despite the drought, the region has accumulated feed at last year's level, and its procurement continues. And finally, most importantly, a rather strong breeding base has been established.

To be fair, I must note that some farms in the Vitebsk region have been successfully engaged in beef cattle farming even before. For example, the "Galubichi" branch of the Glubokoye meat processing plant purchased about two and a half dozen Hereford heifers from Hungary back in 2008. Later, it added another 74 from the "Lipavtsy" OJSC in its own region. Since then, they have raised and delivered half a thousand bulls to their meat processing plant and have almost as many now. The cost price of meat is 30 percent lower solely due to the breed. However, the branch currently lacks a specialized fattening facility, so although the weight gain is among the highest in the region – 834 grams per day – it is still not two kilograms.

In the near future, the region plans to create powerful fattening facilities for beef production. The Glubokoye district is set to become a kind of testing ground where pilot projects will be implemented. Little needs to be added here. Only the construction of a fattening facility is required, and at the meat processing plant, whose reconstruction is being completed this year, an additional scalding chamber will be equipped.

Vladimir Saulich

, "Sel'skaya Gazeta".