To increase the productivity of animals, breeders are constantly developing new breeds and improving existing ones. This is especially important for farmers involved in the production of meat and milk, since these products are in high demand among consumers. For such farmers, breeding highly productive red Danish cows is considered a win-win option.
Breeding history
This breed is a representative of the dairy and meat and dairy trends in animal husbandry, the origins of which go back to the 18-19th century, when Danish peasants crossed local cattle with the Angler, Ballum, North Schleswig, and Shorthorn breeds.
The Danish Red is considered as one of the branches of the Scandinavian massif of red dairy breeds, which also includes the Norwegian and Swedish, which are close to the Finnish Ayrshire.
How the breed developed
The first link in the development of the Danish The cow is considered an Angler breed. To increase weight and improve external characteristics, she was crossed with Shorthorn bulls. Half of the animals born from them were mixed with highly purebred Danish bulls. As a result, the red Danish cow acquired a solid physique, powerful muscles, began to weigh more, and produce more milk. Thus, one of the most productive dairy cattle breeds in the world was obtained, which breeders are still working on, trying to improve it.
Red Belarusian cattle are also being improved by crossing with Danish ones. Moreover, this is being done for the second time: it was first practiced in the 20-30s of the last century. Then the Red Belarusian was improved by adding blood from the Red Polish and Danish breeds, and later they began to crossbreed with the Estonian Reds and Latvian Browns. In recent years, there has been a new infusion of red Danish blood.
Characteristics and appearance of the breed
The Danish breed is characterized by a beautiful color, in which shades of red vary from lighter to darker. Some individuals are marked with white spots on the belly and udder. These are large cows, reaching 130 cm at the withers and weighing 550-800 kg. The constitution is average, the body is deep, wide, the legs are short and massive. The width of the thoracic region is 43 cm, the width of the rear part is 55 cm.
Body Description:
- light head on a thin elongated neck;
- the nasal mirror is gray;
- the back is straight and wide with a sagging lower back;
- massive dewlap.
They are distinguished by developed muscles and skeletal system, the skin is thin and elastic. The udder is large, round or cup-shaped, and the nipples are cylindrical. A distinctive feature is the increased milk flow rate, which increases overall productivity.
Productivity reaches 9000 kg per lactation. The protein content of milk reaches 3.2-3.5%, fat - from 3.9 to 5%, which exceeds the same indicators for the Holstein-Friesian breed. These cows are distinguished by excellent meat qualities, so animals unsuitable for milk production are fattened.
The slaughter yield of meat reaches 57-59%. They gain weight quickly, weight gain - 1.4 kg per day.
Pros and cons of the red Danish cow
They quickly reach maturity, are distinguished by increased meat and milk productivity (up to 9000 liters), and are unpretentious. The peculiarity of these animals is their cheerful, friendly, active character.
Keeping and caring for animals
The Red Danish breed is unpretentious and easily adapts to different conditions, however, in order to maintain proper productivity and proper body weight, it is important to comply with certain conditions:
- Optimal indoor temperature conditions. It must be warm so that the cow does not waste her body’s reserves on heat exchange, which significantly reduces her productivity.
- Lack of drafts (cause illness and inhibit body weight gain).
- Purity. It is important to remove manure regularly.
- Constant access to water.
- Good ventilation is provided in the room, especially in summer.
The Danish Red cow does not like hot climates, so in summer a constant supply of fresh air is needed. When grazing, a shady place is selected for protection from the sun during the hot period, and also provides access to water.
Diet features
The cow's diet must be complete and balanced. Its basis is considered to be hay and green grass, which are supplemented with silage, concentrates, and root crops. Before daily walking, the cow is fed 2-3 kg of straw, this prevents gas formation.
When fattening animals for meat, it is necessary to ensure:
- grain – up to 45% of the diet;
- bran – 14-16%;
- sunflower cake – 30%;
- corn – 7%;
- mineral supplements – 7%.
From the arrival of spring until the end of autumn, the cow is kept on pasture. This increases productivity as well as the rate of weight gain. If there is a lack of greenery in the pasture, concentrates and root vegetables are given.
Breeding specifics
A young cow of the Danish breed is ready to hunt at the age of 12 months, but early matings have an unfavorable effect on the further development of females, so farmers take measures to ensure that the first calving occurs at the age of two.
Childbirth is quick and easy: from 30 minutes to one hour. Pregnancy lasts 295 days. During the prenatal and postpartum periods, the cow needs a favorable temperature regime. Features of development:
- The weight of calves at birth is 33-37 kg, they are distinguished by increased growth energy: they gain 1200-1400 g per day;
- the weight of a one-year-old bull is 420 kg;
- the weight of full-aged cows is up to 800 kg, bulls – up to 1000.
The Red Danish breed is used for purebred breeding, as well as for re-crossing with individuals derived from it.
Frequent illnesses
Cows of this breed are resistant to diseases, have good immunity, and have strong hooves. To maintain health, regular vaccinations are carried out, the first at eight days of age.
Animals are resistant to mastitis, but it is necessary to express milk in a timely manner so as not to cause this disease. For preventive purposes, animals are given a lick containing the necessary set of minerals.
In our country, the red Danish breed has gained great popularity. It is happily bred by large and small farms. Under favorable housing and feeding conditions, young animals show increased growth energy, and adult cows show excellent productivity and fertility.
