Volume: 2, 2023
2nd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: A037
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL2.A037
Published online: 19 April 2023
ICDSUPL, 2, A037 (2023)
Milk production and cattle breeding in Ukraine – wartime challenges
Kostiantyn Vasiukov1*, Vadym Perenesiienko2, Wioletta Sawicka-Zugaj3, Vasyl Terpai4, Witold Chabuz3
1 Department of Biological Bases of Food and Feed Technology, Faculty of Production Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin; Głęboka str., 20-612, Lublin, Poland
2 LLC «Meat Factory Favoryt Plus», Ulyanov str., 49000, Dnipro, Ukraine
3 Department of Cattle Breeding and Genetic Resources Conservation, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin; Akademicka str., 20-950, Lublin, Poland
4 Association of brown Carpathian cattle breed; Mukachivska str., 89670, Shenborn, Zakarpattia region, Ukraine
* Corresponding author: kostiantyn.vasiukov@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
Milk production in Ukraine is one of the most important and developed branches of the agricultural economy. According to the statistics, before February 2022, the largest share of supplying consumers with dairy products was represented by small farms and farmsteads. This fact indicates significant changes in the industry, as in the 1990s the situation was just the opposite – large farms supplied a bigger share of milk production. In addition, there was a positive trend in the productivity of dairy cows: in 2014, the average milk production per lactation was 5000 kg/cow; 2017 – 6000 kg/cow; 2021 – more than 6500 kg/cow. It is important to note that, according to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, there was a 5.9% decrease in national milk production in 2021 compared to 2020. In the period February 2021 – February 2022, a decrease of 6.6% in the cow population was also observed, which reached a number of 1552700 animals. A full-scale war, which covered the whole country of Ukraine, is considered to be the reason for the situation. The regions with the largest national milk production suffered direct occupation. The infrastructure of farms and dairies was destroyed and cattle died due to starvation, massive missile strikes and carpet-bombing. A serious situation is also observed in the aspect of genetic resources of Ukrainian local cattle breeds. The grey steppe and red steppe breeds, which are among the most valuable, are now critically endangered. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, as of September 2022, more than 8 cattle breeds were maintained in Ukraine, including 16 regional types and more than 25 breeding lines within different cattle breeds. It is interesting to point out that 4 breeds (Volyn meat breed, Polissia meat breed, Southern meat breed, Ukrainian meat breed) and 3 types (Polissia regional type, Znamenskyi type of Polissia meat breed and Kovelskyi type of Volyn meat breed) represent autochthonous meat cattle.
Currently, in wartime, government launched programmes to subsidize cattle breeding and cattle population growth to support small farmers.
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How to cite
K. Vasiukov, V. Perenesiienko, W. Sawicka-Zugaj, V. Terpai, W. Chabuz, 2023. Milk production and cattle breeding in Ukraine – wartime challenges. In: 2nd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL2.A037