Agrofirma Slobozhanska Ltd.
Svatove town, Lugansk region
The enterprise is engaged in plant growing and dairy cattle breeding. It processes 4 thousand hectares of land.
First it was dilapidated dairy farm with unhealthy livestock. Beginning in 2004, owner reconstructed four barns, equipped them with open lots, two milk lines, and improved and updated the herd. Also owner plans to build a new barn for 200 heads.
Currently, total herd size is 800 heads of cattle of red and black-and-white breeds, including 320 milking cows. Housing system is fixed. The milking herd is kept in two barns, designed for 200 animals — four sections for 50 heads. In warm season, cows are kept out of the barn every day, when it is cold animals are out at least for 20−30 minutes.
Cows are milked twice a day in two milk lines. One milker has to milk 50 cows. The average milk yield per cow per year is 6 thousand kg. Fresh cows produce 20−24 kg per day. Protein content is 3.3%, fat — 3.9%.
Milk is of Higher Grade and delivered to Kupyansk Dairy Canning Plant.
Dairy cow ration includes 20 kg of corn and sorghum silage, 10 kg of alfalfa hay, 8 kg of concentrated feed (barley grain, wheat, oats, sunflower cake). Feed additives for cows and calves are not used.
The feed is distributed by the feed mixer twice a day.
Calving pen was arranged in one of the barn for dairy cows. The newborn calf is with its mother for 10 days on a deep straw bedding. Immediately after birth it is given 2 liters of colostrum during two days. Therefore, drink milk — 4 liters twice a day. Calves drink milk up to three months old.
From 10 days of age calves are transferred in to groups of 4−6 heads. In addition to the milk, which is necessarily heated, calves consume feed mix, whole grains of oats and corn, and hay.
After 4 months, calves are transferred to another barn and consume corn sorghum silage, alfalfa haylage and hay, straw and 3 kg of concentrated feed.
Heifers are inseminated at 14 months of age and at a weight of 360 kg.