A PROSPECT OF DEVELOPMENT OF BEEF CATTLE BREEDING IN UKRAINE.

Abstract

Beef production is the most complicated issue of agricultural development in Ukraine. Annual beef production does not exceed 0,4 million tones while the real demand of population in beef equals to 1.7 million tones. The recommended norm of consumption of all types of meat adopted in our country is about 82 kg per capita. The share of beef in total annual meat consumption is 9.1 kg or 25.3% as compared to the medically recommended standards of nutrition. There are two sources of beef production increase in Ukraine, dairy beef (98-99% of all beef in Ukraine today) and relatively new branch to Ukraine - specialized beef production.

A significant decrease in the number of dairy cattle (from 8.5 million cows in 1990 to 2,6 million - in 2013), has led to a shortage of this type of meat. Restoring the number of dairy and mutual purpose breeds to the level in 1990 is a complex process and is not necessary to obtain. It’s enough to have 3,4 million cows averaging 5,7 tones of milk per cow per year in order to provide enough milk for Ukrainian population. If properly used, this livestock number will produce up to 0.8 million tones of beef, or about 47% of the demand. Deficiency (about 0.9 million tons) should be eliminate through the development of specialized beef cattle breeding. For such quantity of beef the beef cattle inventory should amount 9 million heads including 3.2 million cows.

Productive and biological characteristics of the beef cattle should be considered in the technology of meat cattle breeding such as limited milk productivity, low reproductive ability of cows, increased cost of feed for beef production. It is possible to develop on the basis of extensive principles, without high costs spent on machines and capital constructions, skillful use of biological traits, instincts and energy of animals. It does not require highly skilled workers. Only under such conditions we are able to obtain cheap meat from beef cattle. Remember: the presence of beef cattle does not mean the presence of beef production. Only specialized beef breeds, plus special technology and the ability to manage the herds provide high economic efficiency of beef from beef cattle.

Beef cattle survive economic competition with milk and other animal species for productivity, limited to one calf every year and the high cost of feed under the following conditions: the feed unit should be 2 times cheaper than in dairy and other livestock sectors, this limitation can be solved through creation and use of all seasonal pastures; the cost cattle place for beef cows in stall period should be 3-4 times cheaper than for dairy cattle.