Breeding Work With the Ukrainian Black-and-White Dairy Breed in the Sumy Region

Abstract

Researches were carried out in breeding farms for the breeding of the Sumy inbred type of the Ukrainian black and white dairy breed. The total experimental herd is 1150 cows, 1120 heifers and 62 bulls. It has been established that the animals mainly come from breeders of four Holstein lines, such as Starbuck 352790 (28%), Bell 1667366 (27%), Chiff 1427381 (26%) and Elevation 1491007 (15%). In recent years, farms have mainly used breeders of three lines, unlike bulls of the Bell 1667366 line. The breeding value of breeders of different lines is slightly different. Bulls of two Holstein lines – Chiff 1427381 and Elevation 1491007 – have the advantage in terms of average breeding value in the amount of milk fat and protein. The country of origin has a significant influence on the breeding value of breeding bulls. Animals of German selection make up the majority of those used in breeding farms for the breeding of livestock of the Sumy inbred type. A somewhat smaller number of breeders come from the United States of America. The latter are superior to German bulls in terms of average breeding value, both in terms of the amount of milk and the amount of milk fat and protein. Progeny-descendants, which are more distant from the progenitor of the line, are characterized by a higher average breeding value in comparison with bulls, which are closer to the progenitor according to the pedigree. In order to create micropopulations with the desired genotypes for beta- and kappa-caseins, homozygous breeders with the A2A2 and BB genotypes are used at the State Enterprise of the Northeast Institute of Agriculture. The strength of influence of the researched factors on the breeding value is in the range of ή2=11.4-57.9%. The year of the bull’s birth and the distance from the progenitor of the line have the greatest influence on this indicator (Р<0.05-0.001). In order to preserve the population of the Sumy inbred type of the Ukrainian black and white dairy breed, it is necessary to apply the proposed measures, which include the use of genetic material of breeders of the Ukrainian black and white dairy breed and a certain set of biotechnological measures.