At a working meeting with the chairman of the regional executive committee, the state of affairs in animal husbandry in the Shumilino and Lepel districts was discussed.
As reported by Vladimir Mashero, First Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Agriculture and Food Committee, based on the 2016 results, the farms of the Shumilino region had the lowest milk yield per cow – 2,772 kg (the regional average is 4,108 kg), and there is not a single agricultural enterprise whose annual result reaches 3,400 kg.
Unsatisfactory indicators were observed in terms of calf births (minus 847 calves compared to 2015), calves per 100 cows (55), insemination efficiency (43%), daily weight gain of cattle (462 g), and average sale weight of livestock (244 kg). According to economists' calculations, agricultural enterprises in the Shumilino district lost 21.4% in revenue due to low milk quality and 62% due to the sale of livestock at inadequate weights.
While the Shumilino district has experienced a sharp decline in dairy herd productivity since 2012, the farms of the Lepel region are gradually reducing their output, despite ranking eighth in the region for average milk yield per cow (4,396 kg). However, this is not a satisfactory result for a region that recently achieved significantly higher yields. In 2016, gross milk production was 98% compared to 2015. According to Vladimir Mashero, the remarks regarding the work of Lepel region's livestock breeders are minor but affect the indicators. Overall, the district has reserves and a large number of highly productive cattle, so strict adherence to the entire technological chain is necessary to increase efficiency.
After hearing from the regional leaders, Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev noted that over the past two years, the farms of the Vitebsk region have increased productivity: the average milk yield per cow has grown by 448 kg. If the lagging regions had worked with greater efficiency, the overall result would have been higher. It is necessary to start with order and discipline in every area. Even by ensuring proper feeding and maintenance of animals, the 2% lag can be significantly overcome. At the same time, there are instances where windows are not insulated in frost, and from
silage trench feed is given to livestock mixed with snow.
Nikolai Sherstnev recommends that the Chairman of the Shumilino District Executive Committee, Alexander Snarov, who took over the district about a year ago, move away from the mass of current problems, the solutions of which should be handled by specialists, and systematically focus on the most important tasks of fulfilling socio-economic parameters. It is necessary to develop a step-by-step plan to get out of the situation together with the heads of farms and monitor its implementation.
Each indicator does not exist on its own, but is part of a work scheme, the clear execution of which brings results. If the help of specialists from the regional agricultural production committee is needed, you should ask for it.
The head of the region gave an example when last year specialists from the committee spent two weeks providing practical and methodological assistance by visiting one of the farms in the Vitebsk region. In a short period, at a typical complex, daily milk yield per cow was increased from 4 to 12 liters. So, a way out can be found from any situation.
Sergey Lyashuk. Photos by Anton Stepanishchev. "Vitebskiye vesti".