Goat breeding is a business with high potential, since a goat is not only milk and meat, but also wool and fluff! By purchasing a goat of a suitable breed and properly equipping the goat shed, you can regularly receive a stable profit without spending a lot on the maintenance of this unpretentious animal.
Although goats cannot be called exotic animals for Russia, there is currently very little goat meat and milk on the food market. And the reason for this is not the lack of demand, but the fact that, for certain reasons, back in Soviet times, under the planned system, preference was given to cattle, and where it was difficult to raise cattle, to sheep. As a result, goat breeding remained the preserve of private households only, and this situation remains to this day. Meanwhile, the goat business can become a reliable source of good income.
Today, about 80% of the total goat population in Russia is concentrated in private households of village residents. There are only a few dozen large livestock complexes specializing in this type of animal throughout the country. However, in last couple years the situation began to change. Entrepreneurs working in the agricultural sector are increasingly interested in the commercial production of goat milk, which is likely to lead to the emergence of more goat farms in the coming years.
The main deterrent that has long scared investors away from this area of agribusiness is the high cost of goat milk - more than 3 times higher than cow milk. However, in the conditions of current economic instability, this disadvantage has been significantly offset by the main advantage of the goat business: the payback period for investments is 5-6 years, while farms for breeding large cattle pay for themselves twice as long.
Goats are quite convenient farm animals for small businesses because they do not require large, spacious premises. Unlike cows, goats can get by just fine with a small shed, which is very important for those who are willing to invest only a small amount at the initial stage. Goats are also quite unpretentious in terms of living conditions and diet. All this makes raising goats at home a very convenient type of business for beginners.
It should also be taken into account that goat's milk is valued even higher than cow's milk, since it is considered more useful: it contains significantly more vitamins. Goat milk is also actively used for medical and cosmetic purposes. In addition, there are wool and down breeds of goats that allow you to earn money by producing raw materials for the textile industry.
Choosing a goat breed
When starting a serious goat breeding business, you should not purchase ordinary animals from a grandmother from a neighboring village. It is better to spend a little more money and buy highly productive purebred goats at a breeding farm.
Among the dairy breeds, the most popular are the Saanen and Megrelian. Saanen goats, bred in Switzerland, are quite demanding in terms of living conditions and quality of feed, but they are the most productive. With an average weight of females ranging from 45-55 kg, they produce 600-700 kg of milk per year, and with intensive feeding - up to 1200 kg. Megrelian goats (originally from Western Georgia) have slightly lower productivity indicators: weight is about 40 kg, milk yield is within 500 kg per year, but with good fattening, milk yield reaches 900 kg.
Breeding dairy goats is just one of the activity options. A goat farm can also specialize in wool production. For this type of product, the Angora breed is most preferred, characterized by very long (up to 25 cm) and uniform wool. Angora goats are less fertile than dairy animals.
Another type of product that can be obtained from goats is goat down, a very soft and lightweight type of wool. At the same time, downy goats produce up to 300 liters of milk per year, and their meat is almost as good in taste as lamb. TO downy breeds include Pridonskaya (little milk, but high fertility), Orenburg (give up to 400 grams of fluff and 350 grams of coarse wool per animal).
For a small farm, dairy specialization is more suitable, since caring for these animals is extremely simple. In addition, finding a market for dairy products is much easier than for textile raw materials. An important condition for the prosperity of the goat business is the presence of its own breeding goat on the farm (one goat for every 50-60 females).
Despite the unpretentiousness of these animals, raising goats at home still requires the creation of minimally comfortable conditions. In particular, goats do not tolerate cold weather well, so it is best to breed them in the southern regions, where it is quite warm even in winter. So, if in summer animals can be kept in a regular barn or stable without any problems, then in the cold season they need a bright and dry room with a constant flow of fresh air (but without drafts) and with an average temperature of at least +8°C.
To keep the goats warm, the entrance to the barn should be through a vestibule. It is better to make the floors wooden, but earthen ones are also allowed. Not only straw, but also sawdust and pine needles are suitable for the role of bedding. To prevent diseases, in the summer the goat's rue should be regularly removed, and the feeders should be cleaned with water, lye and soda.
A pen with an area of 20x20 meters can easily accommodate up to 15 animals. However, it should be borne in mind that if goats are constantly kept indoors, the quality of milk, wool and fluff noticeably deteriorates, and the risk of disease also increases. In this regard, it is necessary to provide at least a small exercise yard. In summer, if possible, animals should go for walks as much as possible. fresh air, in winter - depending on the air temperature - the walk can last from 2 to 6 hours. In this case, the pen should be fenced with a net or a high fence, since goats are very jumping and are quite capable of jumping over a low fence.
Breeding and keeping adult goats is possible in small groups, but goats should always be kept separately, because otherwise the milk of dairy goats will acquire a characteristic goat smell. However, each goat needs a separate feeder. The simplest option is a system of partitions that divide the feeder into sectors, one for each animal.
Feeding goats
Goats are ruminant herbivores, and therefore their diet is fundamentally no different from the diet of cows and sheep. Juicy, roughage and concentrated feeds are preferred. In summer, it is recommended to graze goats on natural pastures, since grass is the most complete and healthy food for them. For this type of animal, mountain pastures are most preferable, but ordinary steppe or meadow areas are also suitable. But swampy pastures are absolutely not suitable for goats, since excess moisture in the feed can lead to problems with the stomach and legs of these animals. For the same reason, it is recommended to take goats out to regular pastures only after the dew has dried.
In winter, the goat's diet is based on roughage: thin tree branches, straw and hay. To increase the productivity of dairy goats, it is also recommended to feed them grain, feed and bran. Of course, we should not forget about feeding with minerals, for which chalk is used, table salt and meat and bone meal.
In summer, goats need to be watered at least twice a day. In winter, the water must be heated to room temperature, since cold water can harm these animals.
You can learn more about the rules of breeding, keeping and caring for goats on specialized websites, as well as in books.
Profitability of goat farming
On average, the cost of one breeding goat of the Saanen breed is about 20 thousand rubles, although you can find offers at both higher and lower prices.
It is recommended to start any livestock business only if the entrepreneur has his own plot of land or the opportunity to purchase/rent it very cheaply. Otherwise, you should look for another type of business to invest in.
Costs for the construction of a goat shed and an exercise pen, the purchase of equipment and all kinds of inventory will amount to at least 250 thousand rubles, depending on the scale of the planned production, the presence/absence of premises that can be converted, and the readiness of the entrepreneur. construction work do it yourself. Another up to 100 thousand rubles will be spent on purchasing feed. Also, starting expenses should include about 20 thousand rubles, which will be spent on transport (transportation of animals, building materials, feed, etc.)
Now let's move on to the more pleasant part - income. Goat breeding as a business involves the sale of milk as the main source of income (about 75% of the income). With the cost of a liter of goat milk at 20-40 rubles, its retail cost is 50-90 rubles per liter in different regions. Depending on production volumes, the product is sold:
- Retail to the end consumer:
- through our own retail outlets,
- targeted delivery,
- Wholesale:
- processing plants,
- catering enterprises,
- retail stores.
The remaining 25% of income goat farm will come from the sale of by-products - young animals, meat, wool, manure.
Based on statistics, we can say that the average payback period for a small farm of 20 goats is 24-30 months. A goat farm with more than 50 animals will recoup the initial investment in three years. On average, the profitability of such production is 25%, but in certain circumstances it can even exceed 40%.
BREEDING GOATS. BUYING AND SELLING. All goat breeds in Russia are divided into two categories - mainly wool and mainly dairy. In addition, goat meat is used for food; their skins can also be used on the farm. Goat farming represents quite a profitable business in conditions modern Russia . But in order for the herd to have good production characteristics, it must be formed from breeding goats. Goats have good reproductive qualities. Breeding goats reach sexual maturity at 5-9 months; they can be involved in breeding at one and a half years. Pregnancy lasts about 150 days. The quality of the offspring depends on the sire, which must be changed every second pregnancy. A goat usually gives birth to 1-2 kids, less often 3-4 kids. A goat gives birth to the healthiest offspring at 3-5 years of age, although it can give birth up to 8 years; a goat can serve as a sire for up to 10 years. When purchasing breeding goats, you need to pay attention to the age of the parents. The main breeds of goats that are bred in Russia are the following - first of all, the well-known Saanen goats, there are Alpine and Nubian. Lots of mestizos. Goat milk is in great demand due to its greater nutritional qualities than cow milk, which determines the profitability of goat farming. Goat meat is used for food mainly in the steppe regions of the country - this is not typical for cities. Goat hair is used in the manufacture of textiles, but not on an industrial scale. Milk remains the main product of goat farming in the country. Goat breeding farms offer quite a lot of breeds for sale, but the Saanen goat continues to be the most popular goat breed in Russia. She has very high milk yield - with one milking, an adult goat after the third lambing can produce up to 6 liters of milk. You can buy a breeding goat of the Saanen breed quite easily; its cost is approximately 10,000 rubles. When purchasing a breeding Saanen goat from breeding centers or from private breeders, you need to inquire about its breeding cards, making copies of them, and the productive characteristics of the parents. If your plans include further goat breeding and sale of breeding goats, then, naturally, the Saanen goat is better suited for this. It is clear that goats that do not differ in breed characteristics will cost less - on average 4-6 thousand rubles, but no one guarantees the stability of their milk yield and the quality of milk. It is also necessary to check the availability of vaccinations and veterinary certificates. Goats are vaccinated against brucellosis and other diseases, which must be confirmed by relevant certificates. Selling breeding goats usually draws attention to their external characteristics. The Saanen goat is very decorative - pure white or milky in color, with characteristic earrings - wool curls - on its neck. About 40% of Saanen goats are born hornless. When buying breeding goats to improve the breed qualities of the livestock, be sure to track all the genetic lines of its ancestors. The qualities of the ancestors will definitely appear in the offspring. And it is necessary to gradually improve genetic lines - this will improve production characteristics.
In 1989, Saanen goats were brought to the USSR from Australia. In Russia, they were located at the Nikonovskoye gas processing plant in the Moscow region. Due to the difficult economic situation in the country's agriculture in the 90s of the last century, the farm for breeding dairy goats on this farm ceased to exist. In order to preserve the unique gene pool of these animals, in 1994, purebred Saanen goats at the age of 4 months were brought to the experimental farm of the All-Russian Research Institute of Sheep and Goat Breeding from the Nikonovskoye State Farm, 4 male goats and 21 female goats.
The institute's scientists were tasked with creating a breeding reproducer. In this regard, it was necessary to increase the number of animals and develop a system for housing animals for the period of expanded reproduction of the herd.
A stall-pasture system for keeping goats was used (Fig. 7, 8.)
Rice. 7. Breeding goats on pasture.
The offspring after goatling were not separated from the queens and were kept on suckling until 4 months of age. As ruminal digestion developed, roughage, succulent feed and concentrates were introduced into the diet in a standardized manner. At one month of age, the live weight of the young animals was 10–12 kg. As the kids developed, they sucked out more milk and thus milked the goat. But in specialized dairy goats of the Saanen breed, the kids are not able to completely suck the milk from the udder. Therefore, the goats were milked daily, although the ability not to give up all the milk during milking was retained by the queens even after the kids were weaned from them. In our experiments, when re-milking the queens after 30–40 min. after the first milking it was possible to obtain an additional 0.2–0.4 kg of milk.
The lactation period for suckling goats is 210–240 days, which is 30–60 days less than the genetically determined capacity of Saanen goats. Therefore, with this method of raising kids, the duration of the lactation period and the milk productivity of the queens were not as high as when kids were raised from the moment of birth. However, with this technology, by the age of 4 months, male goats weighed 32.5 kg, and female goats weighed 27.6 kg. By the age of 7 months, the average live weight of goats reached 36 kg.
Rice. 8. Stall keeping of goats with feeding with hay in the walking yard.
To accelerate the reproduction of the herd, early insemination of goats at 7–8 months of age was used, having reached a live weight of at least 32.5 kg. The first goatling took place at 12–13 months. The offspring from one-year-old goats practically did not differ in live weight, height and development from their peers obtained from older queens. However, queens inseminated at 7–8 months of age gave birth to more singletons. The milk productivity of these animals during 1 lactation was low and amounted to 0.5–0.9 kg of milk per day.
At the initial stage of herd reproduction, the manual mating method was used. The load on one adult sire goat was 40–50 heads per breeding season, and on a 7–8-month-old replacement goat – 10–15 heads. Subsequently, methods of artificial insemination and oestrus synchronization in dairy goats were developed. This made it possible to conduct a breeding campaign in a short time using the best producers.
The domestic industry does not produce equipment for machine milking of goats. Therefore, research was carried out to determine the optimal milking regimes for goats using individual milking machines for AID type cows. The approximate milking time for one animal with machine milking is 2.5–3.0 minutes. Machines for milking goats have been developed. Machine milking of goats is successfully used at the institute's dairy farm.
As a result of targeted selection and breeding work, in 2001 the dairy goat farm received the status of a breeding reproducer and a license for the right to breed Saanen goats. In 2005, the total number of dairy goats was 250 heads, of which 57.6% were queens. The average milk production per lactation is 546 kg, the average daily milk yield is 2.2 kg with an average milk fat content of 3.81%. The average milk productivity of elite class goats was 637 kg of milk over 250 days of lactation. To carry out selection and breeding work in the herd, a selection group of goats with a milk productivity of 704.5 kg in 250 days was selected.
Goats of the Saanen breed of breeding breeder SNIIZhK are quite large animals (Fig. 9).
Rice. 9. Goats of the Saanen breed breeding breeder SNIIZhK.
The height at the withers of adult queens is 73–75 cm, the average live weight is 51 kg. The breeding goats have a height at the withers of 80 cm and an average live weight of 89 kg. The constitution of animals is strong and dry. The body is long, deep and quite wide. The bones are strong, the limbs are positioned correctly. Goats are white in color, their coat consists of a thin awn without noticeable undercoat.
Reproduction specialists carry out selection and breeding work aimed at increasing milk productivity, improving the class composition of goats and the reproductive abilities of animals. In this case, methods of targeted selection and selection are used, work is underway to identify the ancestor of the line of high milk production and high fertility. On the basis of the breeding reproducer, experimental work is being carried out to clarify selection parameters and technological parameters to develop a new OST for the valuation of dairy goats.
The breeding facility has accumulated experience in various technologies for raising kids and milking goats. Experiments were carried out on raising goat kids using suckling, suckling-milking and hand-feeding methods. Defined optimal options raising goat kids depending on the conditions and purposes of keeping. The rate of milk yield during manual and machine milking of goats has been established.
Breeding reproducer is a regular participant and winner of Russian breeding animal exhibitions. Its creation had a positive impact on the development of dairy goat farming in many regions of the Russian Federation and CIS countries. During the period of existence of the reproducer, more than 150 heads of goats and replacement goats were sold to the tribe in order to improve local dairy goats. In this direction, cooperation is being carried out with government organizations, private and farms the following subjects of the Russian Federation: the Republics of Sakha (Yakutia), Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Tatarstan, Mari El, Mordovian, Altai, Dagestan, North Ossetia (Alania), Kabardino-Balkaria; Krasnodar, Stavropol, Altai territories; Astrakhan, Vologda, Volgograd Kaluga, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Samara, Saratov, Sverdlovsk, Chita regions, g. Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as the states of Belarus, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia.
Saanen goats, recognized as the largest in the world, were bred more than 100 years ago through folk selection in the Swiss Alps. These animals have become widespread due to their high fertility, excellent health and record milk yields. The Saanen goat breed is rightfully considered the best dairy breed - the annual milk yield per goat reaches 1000 liters per year.
Breed Features
Goats of the Saanen breed are distinguished by their large size - the weight of an average goat is 75–85 kg, and that of a female goat is 55–65 kg. Some individuals grow up to 90–100 kg. The height of these animals at the withers is 75–85 cm.
Their body is large with a wide chest and a straight, long back, their head is of medium size, slightly elongated compared to other Swiss breeds.
Most often, Saanen goats have short white hair, but cream-colored ones can also be found abroad.
A distinctive feature of these animals is polledness. But you need to keep in mind that only 40% of individuals are born hornless; the rest have their horns burned in the first week after birth so that they cannot hurt each other.
Earrings are often found on the neck - small skin outgrowths covered with hair. Some representatives of the breed have a small beard.
Saanen goats are unpretentious animals, caring for them is not difficult. The main conditions of detention are:
- varied and nutritious feeding;
- regular walks in the fresh air;
- providing a dry room without drafts.
To maintain the immunity of these animals, it is necessary to provide them with a varied and high-quality diet. Their diet must include freshly cut grass (in winter - hay), bran, potatoes and beets.
With regular walking in the fresh air, Saanen goats receive additional vitamins from eaten birch and willow twigs, leaves and tree bark.
Animals of this breed are adapted to being kept in the middle zone. They are easily kept in the cold, but do not tolerate damp rooms with drafts or poor ventilation.
Breeding Saanen goats
Goats of the Saanen breed are early maturing, goats are ready for mating already at 10 months of age. These animals are highly fertile - 80% of individuals give birth to twins.
Based on materials from the seminar at AgroFarm 2015
Vladimir Kozhanov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sernur Cheese Factory CJSC, Republic of Mari-El, Director of the Department of Dairy Goat Breeding of the National Union of Milk Producers, said that “discrimination” against goats is ending, and they will be recognized as dairy animals. Thus, producers of goat milk delivered for processing can qualify for government subsidies.
Another important problem is consumer demand for goat milk - the majority of the population is not ready to consume it.
The topic of the speech Svetlana Novopashina, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Head of the Goat Breeding Laboratory of the All-Russian Research Institute of Sheep and Goat Breeding was “Organization of zootechnical work in dairy goat breeding.”
Goat breeding in Russia is actively developing as an industry agriculture. Pedigree farms for breeding dairy goats of the Saanen breed began to appear and work fruitfully in the country.
SHP "Lukoz" LLC (Republic of Mari-El) is not only the largest, but also the most productive breeding organization, with a high level of selection and breeding work. A new type of Saanen goat will soon appear on the basis of this farm. Breeding farm "Krasnoozernoye" ( Leningrad region) breeds 2 breeds of goats: pedigree Saanen breed and Alpine breed.
CJSC "Prinevskoe Breeding Plant" (Leningrad Region) is the second large breeding reproducer for the Saanen breed of goats. LLC KH "Rus-1" (Stavropol Territory) and LLC "Putilovka" (Republic of Chuvashia) are two not very large breeding farms that enjoy well-deserved authority among goat breeders in Russia.
In addition, there are other farms in the country for breeding dairy goats that are not breeding, but are engaged in preparing documents to obtain this status: Berezka LLC (Kursk region), Peasant Farm Koltsovo ( Voronezh region), "Geyserovo" (Tyumen).
However, there are a number of farms that keep Saanen goats and have a good reputation in the goat breeding community, but are not breeding. The reason for this in most cases is ignorance of where to go and how to properly complete the documentation.
In order to obtain the status of a breeding farm, you need to report annually to the regional service for breeding work and provide this service with a package of documents:
1. Breeding card;
2. List of breed and class composition of the goat herd;
3. Characteristics of the goat herd by live weight;
4. Characteristics of the goat herd in terms of milk productivity. After submitting these documents, the Ministry of Agriculture issues a license for breeding activities for a period of 3 or 5 years. Obtaining this document does not just give the right to sell breeding animals, it is a great responsibility for conducting selection and breeding work. Farms that have received this status are required to competently conduct zootechnical work, mark animals, and work according to a five-year breeding plan. In addition, it is necessary to maintain a certain list of zootechnical documents:
1. Breeding goat card;
2. Breeding goat card;
3. Journal of individual assessment and productivity of goats;
4. Journal of mating and goats;
5. Milk yield logbook;
6. Log book for raising pedigree young animals. The All-Russian Research Institute of Sheep and Goat Breeding has developed regulatory documents“The system of zootechnical and breeding records in dairy goat breeding”, where all the necessary forms will be collected both for submission to the Ministry of Agriculture and for maintaining breeding records.
Mikhail Sannikov, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Scientific Secretary of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “All-Russian Research Institute of Sheep and Goat Breeding” shared information on the development of an electronic database in dairy goat breeding.
Without creating a union (association) to protect the interests of the industry, it is impossible further development. To resolve this issue as quickly as possible, it is necessary to take practical steps. One of the forms of this unification could be the creation of a unified Russian database of breeding resources in dairy goat breeding.
When creating the base, the goal was to maximize access to it and ensure that any goat breeder who wanted to work with it could work with it. Currently, any goat breeder can register in this database and use the Internet to create and expand their own database. This greatly simplifies the work, in contrast to the traditional purchase of licensed programs, the cost of which is quite high.
After the introduction of sanctions, the developers of this program refused to host it on free cloud services abroad. Currently the database is hosted on the RU server.
There are no restrictions on the number or importance of livestock for registration and work in this system. Both large industrial farms and any amateur goat breeder interested in promoting their farm are accommodated. In the future, it will be possible to select farms based on their territorial location, which will greatly facilitate the search for a farm for a potential buyer.
When making entries, each animal is assigned an identification number, which guarantees its uniqueness. This is important when conducting a breeding sale of goats, establishing a pedigree, and issuing a breeding certificate.
Based on the entered information, a register of animals is formed, which allows you to search using any of the available data (animal number, date of birth, date of disposal, etc.).
All this allows us to carry out selection work, for example, to establish blood shares for animals in various breeds to a depth of up to the 6th generation. This exceeds modern requirements for breeding records, since when issuing a breeding certificate, we indicate data only for 3 generations, in some cases – for 4.
The introduction of such a unified register makes it possible to analyze the productive qualities of the offspring and to establish an improver based on individual characteristics, for example, milk yield, fat content, and protein in milk. In this case, analysis of the offspring can be carried out even if it is sold to other farms.
The database allows you to carry out your own accounting of productive indicators, for example, the result of daily or control milkings, quality indicators of milk, etc. The analytical block of the program allows you to summarize the results and conduct a comparative analysis.
Access to this system is free: you must fill out an application for participation and consent to the processing of personal data.
Vladimir Lebed, Head of the livestock production department of ZAO PZ Prinevskoye, Leningrad region, spoke about practical experience creation of the first breeding plant in Russia for breeding dairy goats.
"Prinevskoye" is a diversified enterprise engaged in dairy farming, milk processing, cultivation seed potatoes, vegetables, floriculture, mushroom growing. Today the farm produces 13% of the gross product of the entire mushroom growing industry in the Russian Federation.
In 2007, Saanen goats were brought to the farm from the Netherlands and Germany, because Russia did not have the quantity that was needed. In 2009, the first results appeared - 678 kg of milk. Then work began on obtaining the status of a breeding reproducer. In a short period of time, the numbers turned out to be higher than the program that was planned.
Last year, valuation was carried out: 22 breeding goats, 333 young goats, 800 goats. First lactation – 896 kg of milk (82 heads), second lactation – 925 kg (123 heads), third lactation – 943 kg (181 heads), fourth lactation – 912 kg (79 heads), fifth lactation – 904 kg (72 heads) , sixth lactation – 912 kg (85 heads), seventh lactation – 889 kg (46 heads). Total: the average milk yield according to valuation was 918 kg, which is 78 kg higher than last year.
The main task is to sell breeding young animals that belong 100% to the elite class. This suggests that animals live on our farm for a long time. The goats are indoors. The farm is within the city limits.
By live weight. First lactation: the figure remained at 55 kg for a long time, since last year this figure has increased to 60 kg. Second lactation - 71, third - 75, fourth - 76, fifth - 79, after the sixth, seventh and older - all for 80 kg. The average live weight for goats is 71 kg, for sire goats – 97 kg. The leading breeding goal is large livestock. At the age of 8 months, when the goat reaches a live weight of 36 kg, she is put for insemination. Middle age at lambing 395 days, or 13 months.
Livestock structure: 600-700 kg - 36 heads, from 700 to 800 kg - 112, from 800 to 900 - 131 heads, from 900 to 1000 - 139, from 1200 to 1400 - 31 heads, from 1400 and above - 8 heads.
Since 2011, the farm began to actively engage in artificial insemination, in the same year inseminating 80% of the goat population using this method. From 2012 to the present, the entire goat population has been inseminated using the artificial method. The effectiveness of this method is 96-98%.
Much attention is paid to animal feeding.
Diana Edzaeva, consultant on dairy goat breeding, settled on the import of imported goat breeds to Russia. In theory, it is easy to get goats from abroad. But in practice it turns out that this is fraught with certain difficulties and requires large financial investments.
In Russia there are two organizations that deal with the preparation of documents for the import of animals: Rosselkhoznadzor and the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.
How to obtain an import permit? All documents are prepared by the veterinary service: the acceptance certificate for the quarantine premises is drawn up by the local one, everything else (application, contract for the purchase of goats, transport plan indicating all proposed border crossing points) - by the regional one. As a result, permission to import is given by Rosselkhoznadzor.
Selection of goats in the exporting country
1. It is better to select goats from only one farm. It will be cheaper, more profitable and more practical. Mixing goats from different farms is unacceptable! At the same time, if you plan to buy goats several times and there is no supply contract for 2-3 years at once, then you need to prepare for the fact that the price will increase significantly next year.
2. Young animals are assessed based on the overall level of productivity on the farm, genetics, and stress resistance.
3. The feeding system on the farm has an impact on productivity!
4. The farm must have a valid certificate confirming the absence of scrapie, infectious arthritis-encephalitis and pseudotuberculosis.
Passing quarantine in the exporting country:
1. Before being sent to the Russian Federation, goats must undergo a 21-day quarantine according to the EAEU veterinary certificate.
2. The quarantine facility must be certified.
3. In the exporting country, quarantine is carried out under the supervision of the state veterinarian of the exporting country. In all countries, this is a very significant figure who is usually trusted. Not a single state veterinarian in the country will go against the certificate. A certificate is a protocol according to which goats are supplied and all tests are performed.
4. Tests are taken by a veterinarian in accordance with the EAEU certificate.
5. When importing only to Russia, a representative of the State Veterinary Service of the Russian Federation must be present.
If you bring animals to Russia and quarantine them, but something happens to the animal, the veterinarian does not bear any responsibility.
Costs of quarantine, or why Russians buy goats more expensive than Europeans
1. Europeans do not quarantine. Selected animals are checked only for dangerous infections causing economic damage.
2. The state veterinarian of the exporting country gives permission for export. In the civilized world, it is customary to trust government lighting services.
The State Veterinary Service of the Russian Federation does not trust the state veterinary services of other countries. To monitor the implementation of quarantine measures, the constant presence of a representative of the state veterinary service of the Russian Federation is mandatory.
The Russian veterinarian performs exclusively a supervisory function. Blood sampling, tests, and documents are done by veterinarians of the exporting country. The Russian doctor may require additional tests or close the quarantine at his discretion. He does not bear any responsibility in the event of positive tests in quarantine in the Russian Federation. All costs for slaughter and disposal of livestock are borne by the buyer.
4. Large quantity tests, according to the veterinary certificate, some tests are taken twice. Mandatory requirement– take kids from certified farms for infectious arthritis-encephalitis and scrapie.
Veterinary certificate
1. Required condition export to the Russian Federation is that the farmer has a certificate for infectious arthritis-encephalitis CAE. According to the same certificate, the buyer is required to do a CAE analysis. In civilized countries they act on the principle of either one or the other. In Russia, the test for arthritis-encephalitis must be repeated.
The cattle are imported from a farm that has already been certified for arthritis-encephalitis. There, the entire livestock is monitored for this disease every year. Why get tested for this disease?
2. Test for antibodies to listeria. Listeria is a ubiquitous bacterium. In the EU, testing for listeriosis has been abolished and diagnosis is based on clinical signs. Very often, quarantine can be closed due to listeria. But this disease is not dangerous for humans.
3. Bluetongue, or bluetongue. Tropical disease. Our climate is far from tropical. Europe has been free from this disease for 3 years already, but the certificate requires an antibody test if the animals have not been vaccinated, or a PCR test if they have been vaccinated.
4. The Schmallenberg virus is recognized as non-hazardous and does not cause economic damage in the EU, like the Akabane virus strain. The Russian Federation, without any restrictions, purchases cattle with antibodies against the Akabane virus from the USA and Australia. The main route of spread is through the bites of blood-sucking insects. Infected countries: Germany, Holland, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, etc. It is not present in the Kaliningrad region. If there is no diagnosis, there is no disease; if there is diagnosis, there is a disease.
According to the instructions of Rosselkhoznadzor dated November 7, 2014 No. FS-NV-2/21651, new conditions have been established for the safe import of animals susceptible to Schmallenberg disease and their genetic material. These terms and conditions state the following:
Before exporting to Russian Federation from a country that is not officially free from Schmallenberg disease, animals must be quarantined for at least 28 days in the exporting country;
During quarantine, blood samples from all animals included in the quarantine group intended for export must be subjected to laboratory tests twice using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in order to identify the genome of the Schmallenberg virus. In this case, the first sample is taken from the 1st to the 7th day, the second - from the 15th to the 21st day of quarantine. The virus lives in the body for 3-4 days, in addition, it is not persistent and quickly disintegrates.
Animals are allowed to be imported into the Russian Federation in the following cases:
If during the summer insect vectors in the entire quarantine group with laboratory research no PCR positive animals were detected;
If, during the absence of summer insect vectors in the quarantine group, laboratory tests revealed PCR positive and questionable animals, they were immediately excluded from the quarantine group, and the remaining animals were subjected to repeated PCR tests and negative test results for Schmallenberg disease were obtained. One PCR test for the Schmallenberg virus costs 45-65 euros, depending on the laboratory.
In winter, insects do not fly. The virus lives in the body for 3-4 days, then natural immunization occurs. The virus can be determined by PCR analysis within 8-15 hours after blood collection. There is no guarantee that upon arrival in Russia the animal will not be bitten by a carrier of the disease. If the reaction to the Schmallenberg virus is positive, the animal will have to be destroyed at the buyer’s expense.
5. Pseudotuberculosis (Caseous Lymphadenitis) is a serious disease, but there is no test for pseudotuberculosis in the veterinary certificate. It is a slow-acting, difficult-to-diagnose infection that causes economic loss. Widely distributed in Spain, Canada, France. A farm certificate for the absence of pseudotuberculosis can serve as a guarantee of the absence of disease.
Additional costs: transport; costs of passing the veterinary inspection of the EAEU countries; import VAT 18%. The import duty on purebred breeding goats is 0%, on non-breeding goats – 5%. Even if the animal is not included in the register, the duty will still be 0%; you must show a breeding certificate at customs.
But this is 40% of the problems, the main ones of which begin in Russia. These are the costs of quarantine in the Russian Federation. A Russian veterinarian must do tests in accordance with the certificate. But veterinarians take the initiative and do additional tests for leptospirosis, chlamydia, and helminthiasis.
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