Addressing the issue of increasing the efficiency of dairy cattle breeding, increasing the volume of milk and dairy products is closely linked to the strengthening and development of fodder supplies. The State program of agriculture development and regulation of markets of agricultural products, raw materials and food for 2013–2020 implemented in the Vologda Oblast, as well as other legal documents do not fully promote intensive fodder production. This results in poorly developed meadow and field fodder production, fodder crop breeding and fodder seed production, harvesting, storage, and use of fodder negatively affects the efficiency of dairy cattle breeding in general and determines the range of the existing system problems. In this regard, the purpose for the research is to develop and scientifically substantiate the ways of improving the system of fodder production to increase the efficiency of dairy cattle breeding in the region. In accordance with the intended purpose we have met a set of objectives. Thus, based on materials of the Vologda Oblast, we conducted a brief analysis of the dairy cattle breeding for 2000–2016 which revealed that the overall situation in sub-sectors since 2013–2016 has stabilized: cattle stock is maintained, there is an increase in cow productivity and the total volume of milk produced, etc. We also presented the results of the assessment of fodder production potential and its development in modern conditions. We found that the region possesses quite large reserves for increasing fodder production. It is noted that the increase in crop areas and intensification of regional systems of fodder production, including the improvement of species and variety composition of fodder crops, development of resource-saving technology of their cultivation and harvesting, will increase the total fodder production. The development of efficient fodder production should be based on the maximum use of climatic resources, biological and environmental factors in the region. To develop the ways of improving the system of fodder production in the Vologda Oblast, we analyze the situation in terms of an economic leader – AO Plemzavod Rodina – with the aim of replicating its experience and practice in the farms of the Northwestern Federal district as a whole. It has been revealed that the use of modern scientific research results will help agricultural producers harvest fodder with higher concentration of metabolic energy up to 10–10.5 MJ per 1 kg of dry matter and increase the content of crude protein by more than 14 %, and decrease the consumption of concentrated and protein feeds. In conclusion, it is noted that the implementation of complex measures on the improvement of the system of fodder production development with regard to the above areas, latest scientific achievements, and experience of advanced farms will help increase the total production of high-quality fodder in the Vologda Oblast 1,5–2 times. The theoretical and methodological framework of the research includes fundamental works of domestic scholars and economists, general scientific research methods (abstract-logical, system approaches, generalization, economic and statistical, etc.), statistical (grouping, sampling, comparison, generalization), and graphical and tabular methods of data visualization. The practical significance of the obtained results is determined by their further use by specialists and farm managers, researchers in the field of dairy cattle breeding and fodder production in order to develop areas and measures to overcome the current situation in the sub- industry
Keywords
efficiency, technology, dairy cattle breeding efficiency, improving the system of fodder production, fodder crops, fodders