Content
The post-revolutionary devastation and the ongoing Civil War in the Asian regions of the former Russian Empire, it would seem, did not at all contribute to the calm, competent work of livestock specialists. But time dictated its conditions. It was necessary to eliminate hunger and devastation and feed the population of the cities. Under these conditions, it was decided to create a beef breed of cattle.
The young Country of Soviets could not allocate grain for livestock feed. There wasn't enough grain for people. Therefore, the main requirements for the created breed were unpretentiousness and the ability to gain weight well on pasture. At that time, the ideal place for grazing livestock was the yet unplowed Kazakh steppes, and it was with this in mind that the Kazakh white-headed breed began to be bred.
Breeding history
The basis for the new breed was local Kazakh cattle and the English breed of beef cattle - Hereford. Local cattle did not have high meat characteristics. These were light animals, more like dairy cattle. But due to the specifics of their habitat, Kazakh cattle also did not differ in milk production. But he had other undoubted advantages:
- the ability to survive year-round only on pasture;
- undemanding to feed;
- high resistance to cold and heat;
- resistance to diseases.
Purebred cattle bred in more prosperous regions of the planet could not survive in the conditions of the Kazakh steppe. But it was distinguished by excellent meat characteristics. Therefore, it was decided to cross foreign beef cattle with local breeds to produce animals that retained the ability to survive in steppe conditions, but could also produce high-quality beef.
In 1930, work began on breeding the Kazakh white-headed cattle breed. It was bred by absorption crossing of local cattle with Hereford bulls. The new breed was approved in 1951. As we worked with the Kazakh white-headed population, two types emerged in the breed: meat and meat and dairy. In modern Kazakhstan, this breed of cattle ranks first in number.
Description of the breed
The Kazakh white-headed breed of cows is very similar to one of its “ancestors” - Herefords. But it differs from them in having a larger and rougher head. Kazakh white-headed cats have a well-defined meat type of build. Height 125-130 cm, length 150-155, elongation index 120. Chest girth 187-190 cm. Pastern girth 18-20 cm, bone index 15.
Kazakh white-headed animals are densely built, well-muscled animals. The body is barrel-shaped, with a well-developed dewlap. The skeleton is thin and durable. Legs are short.
The color of the “Kazakhs” is the same as the Hereford cattle breed: red with a white head and white feathers on the belly, legs and tail.
Productive characteristics of the breed
In terms of meat productivity, this breed competes with the Kalmyk and Hereford. The average weight of adult cows is 500-550 kg, bulls weigh 850 kg.The weight of meat-type sires can exceed 1 ton. The weight of calves at birth is small, only 27-30 kg. This makes calving much easier.
The breed of Kazakh white-headed cows has a good response to feed; by the time of weaning at 8 months of age, calves weigh 240 kg. By the age of 1.5 years, heifers manage to gain 320 kg, bulls 390 kg. The average daily weight gain when feeding on pasture is 450-480 g per day. Meat type fattened on concentrates can gain more than 1 kg daily. The slaughter yield of meat is on average 53-63%.
The milk characteristics of Kalmyk white-headed cows are low. Milk yield during the lactation period is 1 -1.5 tons. In Kazakhstan, where work is still underway to improve the breed by re-crossing with Herefords and selecting livestock for productive indicators, milk yield of the dairy type reaches 2.5 tons. From the best cows in breeding breeders 5-6 tons of milk were produced per year. The milk fat content of these cows is 3.8-4%.
Advantages of Kazakh cows:
- resistance to diseases, especially colds:
- the ability to obtain food independently;
- the ability to gain weight well on free grazing;
- easy adaptation to heat and cold;
- easy calving;
- high quality beef;
- If you managed to catch and milk it, then tasty fatty milk with a high protein content.
Cattle are well fattened up by winter, so it is advisable to slaughter culled animals from breeding in late autumn, when their weight is maximum.
Among the disadvantages of the breed, one can note the need for extensive pastures for raising livestock.It is pastures with the possibility of free grazing that ensure the high profitability of such cattle breeding. If you keep cows in a “traditional” style barn with a range, the animals will need to be provided not only with hay, but also with concentrates. Such a diet significantly increases the cost of the final product: “marbled” beef.
The second disadvantage of the breed is a highly developed maternal instinct. The Kazakh white-headed cow is ready to protect her calf even from her owner. Although the influence of Hereford blood softened the character of the original Kazakh cattle, in this respect “Kazakh women” are very similar to Kalmyk cows. This is explained by the fact that both breeds were bred and live in the steppes, where wolves are still found. Without a well-developed maternal instinct in queens, wolves will very quickly kill all the young.
Areas favorable for breeding
Although in Kazakhstan this breed occupies a leading place among cattle, in Russia there are also areas suitable for keeping this cattle. The breeding areas for the Kazakh white-headed cat in Russia are:
- Altai;
- Buryat Autonomous Okrug;
- individual areas:
- Saratovskaya;
- Orenburgskaya;
- Samara;
- Volgogradskaya.
This cattle is also bred in Ukraine and Belarus.
Reviews from owners of Kazakh white-headed cattle
Conclusion
Considering that there are two types in the breed, private owners can even breed these cattle to produce milk. The meat and dairy type has a good milk yield, almost twice as high as that of the meat type. For private owners, this breed is beneficial due to its unpretentiousness and frost resistance. Kazakh cattle do not need a warm barn.
