Equation with many unknowns
Cattle breeding is complex and specific job. First of all, because it combines the three cornerstones: people, animals and equipment. But there is another feature. It is multifactorial business, consisting of a considerable number of variables. Can we do the work of dairy farm, a complex and multifactoral production, transparent and manageable? About this is our conversation with Ivan Perov, manager of farm management systems company «DeLaval» (Russia).
Infertility of heifers:economic losses
Vladimir Malovanyy, veterinary «Henus Ukraine» Ltd. (Unit ABS Global in Ukraine)
Currently, Ukrainian milkmen are looking for cows and heifers to fill new and reconstructed farms both in Ukraine and abroad. All of them prefer animals from abroad. Why? They say that they have higher performance than local ones. Perhaps they are genetically better, but the most important thing is properly grown youngstock.
Cheap and ... effective
In our magazine number 3 in June of 2012 we described Ltd. «Vitchyzna» in Sumy, and its owner and manager Sergei Chyzhyk. In particular, how in 2005 he bought neglected farm in the village of Shpotivka (Konotop district) where 300 cows were kept. In seven years new owner and his team have created at this place successful and modern farm, building the entire infrastructure from scratch. This year the magazine «Milk and Farm» again visited the farm in Shpotivtka to make sure that an efficient infrastructure can be created without the crazy investments, «cheap» does not mean «bad». It was the ideology which governed the «Vitchyzna» when building feedlots — grounds for keeping heifers.
Insurance for farmers
The insurance market of agricultural products in Ukraine is still in its infancy, and agricultural insurance culture among Ukrainian farmers has not emerged. Agricultural companies and insurance companies almost lost interest in agricultural insurance through the abolition of the system of state support, which operated in 2007-2009, current legislative changes designed to create a strong and effective insurance support for farmers. Will it work at full strength or will be ruined, as happened with many initiatives of our politicians, to be seen.
The economics of dairy production at the big complexes
From the speech of Sergey Bykov, a member of the supervisory board «Ukrainian dairy company» at the V Ukrainian Conference «Dairy Business 2012», held in November 1, 2012
Dairy cattle — the way from a social project to business
Historically, the USSR dairy cattle breeding was a social project, which provided employment of the rural population, but not industry profitability. Over time, the situation has changed, though not as quickly and dramatically as we would like. Market offered to producers technological innovations, but their unsystematic application did not give the desired results.
Under close supervision
Animal breeding of the XXI century is unthinkable without automated accounting software and management. All progressive managers are convinced in it, considering it a natural and logical step. These programs facilitate the work of dairy farm employees: managers and veterinarians. They are a reliable tool for the control, management and planning strategy for business owners and investors.
Summer camp for cows
Use of summer camps is well known but forgotten practice of keeping cattle. However, in the Poltava region is the company that successfully uses this system. It helps to reduce the cost of livestock keeping, revitalizing them, repairing facilities and solve many other current issues.
Wrong investments
Investments always kept a significant impact on the development of any economic sectors, and therefore dairy cattle are no exception. But now the question of return of investments in dairy production is particularly acute — both experienced professionals working in this area most of his life, and those who have just joined dairy production are worried about it. This was the topic of our conversation with Elman Hasanovych Orudzhov, well- known expert in dairy cattle.
Beef Production — profit or losses?
Demand creates supply - so short you can define the state of Ukrainian beef cattle. And more precisely, the lack of demand leads to a complete collapse of this industry.
Cooperatives. Is it so simple?
Tatiana Antonenko, International Dairy Magazine
The development of cooperative movement in the dairy industry in Ukraine began many years ago. Let us recall the Galician Regional Economic-Dairy Union, later known throughout Europe as «Maslosouz». It was, one might say, a successful economic project of West-Ukrainian cooperation of the first half of the twentieth century.
