Among all the varieties of cow breeds, some are more popular than others. The same can be said about the Sychevskaya breed of cows, bred in Russia. Let's consider its characteristics and description, advantages and disadvantages, in what conditions animals should be kept, how to properly feed and care for them, and what diseases livestock should be treated for.
Origin story
The breed was bred in the 1st half of the 20th century in the Smolensk region.Local cows were chosen as the basis of the Sychevsky breed; animals of the Simmental breed were used as improvers. From the resulting offspring, the best were selected over several generations. Then the animals began to be bred “in themselves”, the standard of the new breed was approved in 1950. The goal of breeding Sychevsky cows was achieved - the result was large animals, with a large yield of meat, distinguished by good health, unpretentious, giving a lot of milk.
Today, Sychevsky cows are bred in the Smolensk, Tver and Kaluga regions. Although the breed has already been registered, work to improve it does not stop now. Individuals that are superior to others in valuable productive qualities are used for breeding.
Description and characteristics of the Sychevsky breed
In terms of exterior characteristics, the cows meet the standards of meat and dairy breeds. The sizes and weights of males and females differ; in other characteristics, the animals are similar to each other.
Calves
Calves gain weight quickly, every day their weight increases by 0.8-1.2 kg. They are born weighing 30-34 kg. By the age of six months, calves weigh 200 kg; at 1.5 years they can weigh 350-400 kg.
Bulls
Males, by standard, are larger than females. The height at the withers of animals is 145-150 cm, the length of the body is 155-185 cm. The withers are high and wide, a large head, a short neck, and a flat back. Representatives of the Sychevsky breed have a fawn color; there are red and motley-red animals. The skin of cows is elastic and moderately thick, therefore it is valued as a production raw material.
Cows
Females are slightly smaller in size and have less muscle mass. Properly folded, the coat is short, silky, the color is fawn, red, sometimes red-red. Height at the withers is 125-137 cm, body length is 140-175 cm.The skin, like that of bulls, is of medium thickness and smooth. The weight of cows is 550-600 kg. The queens have a large udder with evenly developed lobes, making them easy to milk. The milk has a delicate, harmonious taste, without the characteristic cow smell.
Types of breed
The breed has several intra-breed types, differing in appearance and productivity.
They have names indicating their place of origin:
- Steppe. The animals have a strong build and are distinguished by the fact that they produce a lot of fatty milk.
- Volga region Small animals, bred as dairy cattle.
- Ukrainian. The Sychevsky breed is the largest.
- Priuralskie. The main advantage is the large yield of meat at slaughter.
- Siberian. Due to their origin, they tolerate low temperatures and other unfavorable conditions.
All Sychevsky cows, regardless of type, are characterized by unpretentiousness, the ability to gain weight on a standard diet, and strong immunity.
Positive and negative sides
When purchasing young Sychevsky cows, you need to take into account their characteristics.
Conditions of detention
For cows of the Sychev breed, it is necessary to organize proper care and provide them with a balanced diet.Despite the indicated unpretentiousness, as a property of the breed, animals must be kept in spacious, warm, bright and clean stalls.
The barn should have moderate humidity and temperature, drafts should not be allowed, and freezing in winter should not be allowed. The room must be cleaned every day to prevent accumulation of manure, and the bedding must be changed. Clean feeders and drinking bowls from residues and care equipment. At least twice a year, thoroughly disinfect the barn premises, whitewash the walls with lime, and remove all waste without exception. Also, once a week, disinfect the room using special preparations in the form of sprays.
When housing in stalls, you need to monitor the duration of lighting in the barn. It should last 12 hours; in autumn and spring, lamps must be turned on to bring the illumination time to the desired level. Cows should be taken out for a walk every day in a fenced area or pasture. In the absence of exercise, milk yield will decrease. Every day you need to clean the animal’s skin and wash away dirty places.
For each individual, it is necessary to leave enough area so that it can freely turn around and move to the feeder. This is at least 2 by 2 m. The barn and fences can be built from any material, but it is recommended that they be natural. The best traditional material is wood. The floor should also be made of wood, not concrete, as is customary.
Despite the practicality of concrete, this is not the best option, since the floor is cold, animals standing on it get leg diseases.
Old hay or straw and sawdust are suitable for bedding. The thickness of the layer in summer may be insignificant, but in winter you need to add enough so that the cow does not catch a cold while lying on the floor.Drinkers and feeders must be securely attached to the walls to prevent the cow from tipping them over. The containers must be spacious so that the animal can easily eat and drink.
Features of feeding
In the summer, cows are grazed on fresh grass, the volume of which can be unlimited; the animals themselves will eat as much as they need. In the evening, feed with concentrates, root vegetables, and vegetables. In winter, feeding consists of hay, silage, root crops and grain. It is necessary to gradually transfer animals from a summer to a winter diet to avoid eating disorders.
They are fed with vitamin-mineral complexes; bulls that are fattened for meat can be given 1-2 kg of feed per day. Pregnant and lactating cows and breeding bulls also need additional feeding.
Breeding Sychevsky cows
Calves of the Sychevsky breed are obtained from purebred individuals or representatives of other breeds are used to obtain high-quality crosses. As already noted, cows giving birth for the first time can have a difficult birth, which needs to be remembered when delivering birth to an animal.
Dairy calves do not have a stable immune system, therefore, until they grow up and get stronger, their health needs to be monitored and vaccinated against common dangerous infections.
An important point is feeding the calves. Since they are sensitive to the lack of nutrients in the food, it is necessary to properly formulate a diet and follow it. Then the animals will grow up properly developed, with good constitution, strong and hardy.
Frequent illnesses
The breed is characterized by resistance to common cow diseases. Animals rarely get sick, provided that they are provided with suitable living conditions.If cows are kept in damp, dirty, cold or, conversely, hot, poorly fed, and not walked, after a while this will lead to the animals weakening, and productivity will begin to decline.
The Sychevsky breed is traditional for cultivation in Russia. The animals are large and productive. From them you can get 2 types of products at once - tasty meat and fatty milk. According to these characteristics, the breed is recommended for home cultivation and breeding, as well as for keeping on private farms with small livestock. The breed has valuable agricultural traits and almost no disadvantages.
