On the uniqueness of the sheep
Foreign expert in sheep breeding assessed the prospects of the industry development in Kazakhstan
Chief Researcher of All-Russian Scientific Research Institute, member-correspondent of Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Honored Worker of Science, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor Vasily Aboneev is engaged in the study of the agribusiness since 1971 and truly devoted to his occupation. The coryphaeus of Agricultural Sciences was invited by the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of RK "Atameken" as a foreign expert to conduct workshops for farmers in the framework of the work of the Center of Agrarian Compences of NCE RK.
Since the trends in the development of sheep farming in Kazakhstan and Russia are alike, it was easy for an expert to find a common language with Kazakh agricultural producers. Aboneev praised the potential of the domestic sheep. "You have first created the first fine-fleeced breed of sheep mjasosherstnyh destinations in the world. For the first time in the world we have done hybridization and created Kazakh arharomerinos based on Kazakh fine wooled. The task – is not to lose it and not to ruin the fruit of many years of work of scientists. To do this, we read a lecture on ways of to increase meat and wool productivity of sheep", - he said.
The professor also mentioned the constraints of the industry in Kazakhstan. "I was driving on the vast expanses of Kazakhstan from Moscow to Almaty and all the time I was looking at the condition of pastures. Of course, they are degraded. This shouldn’t happen. It is necessary to fertalise at least the surface of pastures. In order to get a low cost of production, we need to make maximum use of the pasture. But it is not simple to use, and well-to do: to improve and to calculate at the same time. I told them (farmers ) formula how to calculate", - he said, and uttered an interesting phrase:" It is good to feed cattle - it's expensive, but feed it badly – is even more expensive".
According Aboneev, beef cattle are now slowly beginning to displace the sheep breeding, it is more cost-effective. Sheep farming is - quite expensive industry. However, the professor believes that such an animal, like a sheep, has unique abilities. "It has wedge-shaped jaws, sharp, slanting incisors on the lower jaw and highly manoeuvreable lips. They allow to eat grass at a height of 2-3 cm. It is a super unique animal! No animal in the world gives as many diverse products: wool, krimmer lamb skin, Romanov fur sheep, precoce, furs and leather, lamb, milk - cheese Roquefort the most expensive in the world, plus sheep fat. Sheep eat 560 varieties of herbs from 800 growing in the world. Cattle consumes 420, horse - 415. I'm talking about the efficiency of use of pastures. Sheep eat bad smelling and thorny plants, weeds", - he said.
The professor also cited statistics according to which the global wool production fell by 40.7%, and mutton production increased by 64.2%. According to him, this is due to the fact that the wool – is the most expensive in production, synthetic and artificial fibers replace it.
"If in old day we received overall economic effect by the following ratio: 90% of the profits is wool, and only 10% is lamb. Now we get 10% from wool and 90% from lamb", - said the expert.
Aboneev also noted that the workshops organized by the Centre of Agricultural Competence are very crucial and useful activities. "When I come to Russia, I will also talk about it. These seminars are aimed at training and retraining. They are very crucial", - he said.
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