The economic aspects of maintaining the gene pool and promoting extended reproduction at Russian dairy and beef cattle industries

Cattle breeding will remain the most important branch of the agricultural sector for a long time. For many years, the economic department of the L.K. Ernst FGBNU FRC VIZH has been conducting research aimed on the evolution of the gene pool and on territorial allocation of genetic resources, as well as research of dairy and beef cattle breeding and modern problems of forming the domestic market of dairy products and beef. Based on these studies, the concept and the strategy of expanded reproduction at Russian cattle breeding for the near future were developed. By the gene pool, we mean zoned breed populations with a unique combination of traits and characteristics that manifest themselves in regional economic conditions. The transition to breed accounting by origin at Russian cattle breeding has ensured the close relationship between the scientific concept of genetic resources and the economic category of gene pool, which has important industrial and economic significance. Over the past few decades, Russian breeders, despite socio-political difficulties, have not only preserved, but also significantly improved the gene pool of cattle. The transition of cattle breeding to the intensive development based on the using of its own breeding resources has allowed achieving the following results: - stagnation has been overcome at dairy cattle breeding and expanded reproduction and increasing in number of dairy cows has begun since 2023; - at beef cattle breeding – the breeding stock of specialized meat breeds has been significantly increased and the number of mixed cattle has reduced.