Agricultural land of the Tomsk region covers an area of 360,000 hectares. The harsh climate and physiographic conditions significantly complicate the development of agriculture. However, the region is fully self-sufficient in pork, poultry and potatoes, ranks first in the Siberian region in terms of dairy cattle productivity (6,182 kg). Two years ago, Tomsk Oblast launched a project to accelerate the development of beef cattle breeding and in a short time achieved significant success.

A significant role in achieving high rates of agricultural development was played by the project for the accelerated development of beef cattle in the Tomsk region. The project was developed by the Department of Social and Economic Development of the Village of Tomsk Region and the National Union of Beef Producers with the involvement of experts in the field of economics and finance, veterinary medicine and livestock, farmers and other professionals. Based on world experience in breeding beef cattle and taking into account regional peculiarities, the concept of accelerated development of beef cattle was developed.

To reduce the cost of production, the concept of accelerated development implies an extensive keeping of beef herd with year-round free grazing of animals on natural pastures. Based on the climatic conditions of the region, experts have formed the basic requirements for cattle breeds. This is a high growth rate of young stock during a short summer, a large final live weight, high quality of carcasses, good payback of coarse and natural fodder, good reproductive qualities of females for annually obtaining viable calf from each cow, high ability of animals to acclimatize and others. The choice was stopped on animals of Hereford and Galloway breeds that are easily acclimatized, hardy and unpretentious, well adapted to grazing, not afraid of heat and cold, resistant to infectious diseases.

Today, there are three integration sites in the region, uniting large agricultural enterprises and farms of 16 municipalities in the South, North and East zones. The scheme of work is simple and transparent: the cooperation of small and medium-sized businesses allows you to directly solve many of the pressing issues for each farm. The integrator enterprise undertakes dispatch, coordination, information functions, helps farmers effectively build work in terms of feed selection, selection and accounting, to realize the cattle. KFH can also use zootechnical and veterinary support, receive legal, accounting and marketing services, use scientific developments, etc. The farm has a global task - to grow quality calves.

The farmer receives 30 heifers, takes calving and grows calves for up to eight months. For this, nothing special is required of him: high-quality calves are provided by good genetics, healthy cows, clean meadows and hay. Having handed over to the cooperative 30 calves with a live weight of 200-250 kg at the declared price of 140 rubles per kilogram, the farmer receives the first million. A further "fate" of calves is the integrator. It was not easy to find ready to cooperate farmers. In Europe, this approach has evolved over the centuries, but for Russia it is not very familiar. But when the “pioneers” received their first income, as well as comprehensive assistance with participation in competitions and informational support, the cooperative model became much more interesting for KFH. So, at the beginning of 2018, the Vostok platform united five participants of cooperation, in a year - already 11, and by 2025 it is planned to attract a hundred farms to cooperation.

Various tools work in support of cooperation partners in the Tomsk region. The farms are actively using preferential loans under the guarantee of the Guarantee Fund of the Tomsk Region; banking support mechanisms have been developed as an additional source of start-up capital. As part of the concept, a project office has been created, training programs for farmers exist, trips to exchange experience in the best farms of Russia and the world, as well as consultations of experts from national unions of beef producers and breeders of Hereford cattle are organized.

SOURCE: SFERA FM