Lyubov Kalashnikova warned about the danger of the disappearance of the number of gene pool breeds of dairy cattle in the Russian Federation

“Practically everything is on the wane,” said Lyubov Kalashnikova, speaking at the 33rd International Specialized Exhibition Agrocomplex-2023 in Ufa.

She clarified that the Bestuzhev breed of cows is among the first to be in danger of extinction. So, according to her, if in RUSSIA there are only 5 thousand cows of the Bestuzhev breed, then only 1 thousand of them are purebred. The same applies to the Kholmogory breed of animals. In total, there are 54 thousand representatives of this breed, but only 1 thousand of them are purebred, and there are only 500 heads in breeding farms throughout the country.

“It is no longer possible to talk about the creation of gene pool farms,” the expert added.

According to her, as part of the gene pool conservation strategy, a list of gene pool breeds is needed. “It is necessary to approve such a list in order to realize that all 13 breeds of dairy cattle are in the danger zone,” the HEAD of the laboratory believes. The same applies to pig and beef cattle breeding, she added.

The expert proposes to determine which breeds are considered gene pool, which farms can be classified as such, as well as which animals should be kept in these farms. Lyubov Kalashnikova proposes to create a breeding program for gene pool breeds. “We need a systematic approach. To begin with, what is now available, multiply, breed, and then think about improving,” she said, adding that in the regions with the participation of local specialists, it is necessary to create a commission that will go to farms and select animals for their conservation and reproduction.