The scientist spoke about animal husbandry during the Great Patriotic War

During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. several million heads of farm animals were evacuated from the territory of hostilities to other regions, said Valery Mikhalishin, chief expert of the information and computing center of the Federal Center for Animal Health (FGBU "ARRIAH" of Rosselkhoznadzor ).

History has not known such large-scale movements of livestock. Due to the lack of vehicles, cattle were driven in herds, without organizing places for feeding and rest. As a result, a large number of animals died during the transfer, the scientist said.

Despite the evacuation, 7 million horses, 17 million cattle, 20 million pigs, 27 million sheep and goats remained in the occupied territory. Part of the cattle was killed by the invaders for meat. Livestock of breeding value, exported to Germany.

During this period, the number of cattle in the country decreased by 60%, sheep - by 70%, pigs - by 90%, horses - by 77%. Such a situation led to catastrophic consequences in ensuring the food security of the population and the army, the expert noted.

In 1943, a government decree was adopted on the return of livestock "according to the payroll", that is, as much as was accepted, so much should be returned. Given that over the years a significant part of the livestock died, the combined livestock was subject to return without taking into account the epizootic state.

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After the end of the war, only about 2 million cattle and 206,000 horses were returned from Germany on the terms of reparations to the USSR. Veterinary stations were organized for inspection, but this did not guarantee the well-being of animals for chronic diseases, Valery Mikhalishin drew attention.

Thus, as a result of the movement of livestock both within the country and importation from outside, in the post-war years, the problem of livestock breeding with brucellosis, tuberculosis, anthrax, rabies, foot-and-mouth disease, scabies and many other diseases has sharply increased. For many diseases, the number of unfavorable points numbered in the thousands. It took the country several decades to eradicate outbreaks or reduce outbreaks of animal diseases to sporadic cases.