Eight hundred one-day-old female chickens from two White Plymouth Rock lines (line L and line K) and their reciprocal crosses obtained from 40 male and 480 females were used to form four genetic groups (LxL, KxK, LxK and KxL). Differences among genotypes, the direct and maternal additive effects, and the heterosis were investigated with regard to the following traits: body weight from 2 to 10 weeks of age and at 18, 26 and 30 weeks of age, age at sexual maturity, egg production per hen-day until 46 weeks of age, average egg weight (between 32 and 46 weeks of age), liveability during the production period, egg fertility, hatchability of set and fertile eggs. The results demonstrated a statistically significant effect of the genotype on body weight during the different age periods (p<0.001), age at sexual maturity (p<0.001), egg production (p<0.01) and livability (p<0.05). On the basis of analysis of direct additive effects, it could be concluded that line L was superior for obtaining combinations with more intensive growth rate. Although the lack of direct additive effect with respect to the other traits studied, there was a positive tendency favouring line K. Maternal additive effects had a substantial effect on body weight in most studied periods and livability, favouring line L. The heterosis was important for body weights at different periods of life (3.76-22.33 %), age at sexual maturity (-8.32 %) and egg production (8.25 %) with positive effects on these traits. The results pointed at a mutual complementary effect between both lines as a result of crossbreeding.

The priority direction of modern animal husbandry is the creation of smart farms, which are managed through the use of automated systems and IT. However, not all farms use new technologies, so this article analyzes the efficiency of milk production in the conditions of the leading enterprises of the Omsk region, located in different climatic conditions, with traditional technology, and then introduced elements of a smart farm. In the course of the study in the conduct of traditional technology of milk production in large numbers were identified violations of animal identification, there was an increase in the duration of the open period and there were lower rates of purity and grade of milk. The introduction of elements of a smart farm at the same enterprises allowed to avoid errors in the identification of animals, to improve the analyzed indicators and to increase milk production.

This article examines the phenotypic features of cattle and their use in breeding to improve the characteristics of milk productivity. As part of the research, 483 black-and- white pedigree cows in the breeding enterprises of the Omsk region were evaluated by a set of characteristics. It was found that the average age of calving cows was 2.5 years. 42.7% in the total cow population were full-grown cows. The maximum level of milk productivity was observed in second lactation cows. The milk yield for 305 days of the second lactation was 6.720 kg, which was 621 kg or 9.24% higher than that in first-calf heifers. The phenotypic characterization of breeding stock allowed us to identify all the necessary reserves for obtaining high-yielding offspring, in order to increase the level of milk production in the black-and-white cattle population of the region. This research was conducted with the use of the technical base and laboratory areas of the Department of Animal Science (Faculty of Animal Science, Commodity Science and Standardization), as well as the Center for the Collective Use of Scientific Equipment of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Omsk State Agrarian University named after P.A. Stolypin”. The analytical data and the results of the research presented in this publication may be of interest for students of specialized educational institutions, as well as for specialists in dairy cattle farming, and can be implemented at breeding enterprises. Keywords: Phenotyping, breeding, milk productivity, cattle

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