Ukraine without meat: the number of cows of meat breeds is decreasing in the country (expert opinion)

Nowadays, there are almost no cows of meat breeds in Ukraine. Experts predict that their number will not increase in the future. This was reported by Yevgeny Shatokhin, expert of the USAID’s project “Support for agrarian and rural development”, writes “Agro-Center”.

“The are three main reasons: investment in the “meat cow-calf” business has a payback period of more than 15 years; the percentage of arable land in Ukraine in the coming years will increase; abandoned land will be used again, and there will be fewer pastures; this production is dependent on weather cataclysms,”

explains the expert.

Dairy farms are building the only source of high-quality livestock, which, to a greater or lesser extent, accept the model of using meat bulls on a part of cows. Such a strategy will diversify the risks and sources of income.

“It makes sense for large dairy farms in Ukraine to grow such large number of animals, smaller farms will be able to earn additional money on young calves that are 2-10 days old as the professional market is formed.”