AgriVolga became the first enterprise in Russia selling pedigree organic dairy cattle

The Agricultural holding ArgiVolga is one of the pioneers of organic agricultural production in Russia. The production is certified by the first official Russian certifier "Organic Expert". The number of organic cattle in AgriVolga is more than 6000 head. Of these, the dairy organic cattle - 2400 head, including 1300 cows. The dairy herd is kept at agricultural firms Knyazhevo, Zemledelets and Mir.

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation included the agricultural firm Zemledelets in the list of breeding farms - the company received a certificate of the first degree as "Breeding reproducer of the Yaroslavl breed of cows".

‘We have been working towards this for a long time,’ says Elena Yashaeva, General Director of the Agricultural holding AgriVolga. ‘Work on obtaining the breeding status has been going on since the beginning of the activity of AgriVolga. We use our own resources and attract specialists: we are greatly assisted by the regional information and breeding center - JSC Yaroslavskoye for breeding work, we have been cooperating since 2017. This company owns pedigree animals, specialists provide methodological guidance for breeding processes. I would like to express my gratitude to the specialists of Yaroslavskoye for our cooperation.’

According to Elena Yashaeva, LLC Yaroslavskoe for breeding work has developed a breeding plan for the agricultural firm Zemledelets of the company AgriVolga, having previously examined the farm and the herd and given the necessary recommendations. The selection and breeding work plan is being prepared for 4 years.

In a certified breeding farm, Elena Yashaeva explains, it is necessary to carefully observe both the requirements for the purity of the breed, the exterior of the cow, and the requirements for productivity.

‘According to the conditions of obtaining the certificate, we are obliged to keep the Yaroslavl breed of cows pure. All crossbreeds are made fr om the original breeds. Now the Holstein breed is popular, but in the milk of these cows there is no casein, which is needed for cheese production. However, the milk of the Yaroslavl cow is rich in casein, as well as the milk of a cross between the Yaroslavl and Holstein breeds. From 1 ton of milk of the Yaroslavl breed of cows, we get more cheese than from 1 ton of milk of Holstein cows. Therefore, the preservation of the pure Yaroslavl breed is of great value,’ explains Mikhail Bakhvalkin, Deputy General Director of the agricultural holding AgriVolga for dairy farming and breeding work.

At the same time, the farm will be able to develop a pure Yaroslavl breed of pedigree quality, and cross it with the Holstein breed – as Mikhail Bakhvalkin explained, under an agreement with the European Trade Union, this is allowed, these breeds are closely related in genotype. The Holstein breed is considered an improving breed from the point of view of necessity. ‘The Holstein cow gives more milk than the Yaroslavl cow. The Yaroslavl breed gives 4-5 tons of milk, and the Holstein breed - from 8 tons of milk for 305 days of lactation. Our goal is to approach milk yields in the amount of 6-7 tons and at the same time keep its suitability for cheese production in terms of milk saturation with casein. At the same time, the Holstein breed lives two lactations, and the Yaroslavl breed lives four lactations. Thus, we can get even more milk from the improved Yaroslavl breed cow,’ says Mikhail Bakhvalkin.

At the same time, the company will be able to close its need for reproduction and at the same time sell pedigree animals both to its own farms and to third-party farms in the region. The agricultural firm Zemledelets, having received the status of a breeding reproducer, assumes the responsibility to sell 10 percent of the breeding stock of organic pedigree animals. The herd population will be increased taking into account raising of 10 percent of animals for external sale. ‘If you have achieved certain results, you should share them with others,’ says Elena Yashaeva.

Thus, the Agricultural holding AgriVolga became the first to sell organic pedigree cattle. These are new opportunities for the development of all organic agriculture in Russia. Enterprises wishing to switch to organic production will be immediately provided with organic dairy cows.

‘Previously, there was no place to buy organic cattle in Russia. As a result, companies that wanted to engage in organic animal husbandry brought cows from Europe and received organic status. Or - according to a simplified scheme, which is allowed in countries wh ere organic agriculture is just beginning to develop - they transferred cows from the non-organic status to the organic one. To do this, you need to go through the conversion period again, which delays the release of organic products that could already be on store shelves,’ says Oleg Mironenko, Executive Director of the National Organic Union. ‘The fact that now in Russia there is the first breeding farm that can sell pedigree organic cows, will allow many organic enterprises that already have organic feed, immediately, without a conversion period, to have an organic herd. This is very valuable, because over time, the permissions that allow you to convert non-organic animals to organic ones will be canceled. In addition, enterprises that want to engage in organic farming will have to buy organic livestock somewhere. The Agricultural holding AgriVolga is a pioneer in this field: the company has demonstrated the way from creating an organic herd to creating a breeding herd with the possibility of sale. Other organic enterprises can also follow this path, thereby developing the organic sector in the country.’

Organic cheeses will be produced from the milk of organic cows of the agricultural firm Zemledelets. All processing and production is carried out at the plant of AgriVolgi, some raw milk is supplied to All-Russian Research Institute of Butter and Cheese Making (VNIIMS) and to the cheese factory Volzhanka.

The AgriVolga holding plans to transfer the agricultural firm Mir to the gene pool. Here the task will be to preserve the pure Yaroslavl breed of cows, which is necessary for further breeding work.