GENEALOGICAL STRUCTURE AND PRODUCTIVE QUALITIES OF KAZAKH WHITE-HEADED CATTLE LINES AT “SULTAN” FARM

Abstract

The article presents the results of evaluating the genealogical structure, productive, and morphological qualities of the breeding stock of cattle at the “Sultan” farm. The analysis included body weight, milk yield, body measurements, and overall conformation scores of adult cows from different factory lines of the Kazakh White-Headed breed. It was established that the average live weight and milk yield in the sample exceed the herd averages and meet or surpass the breed standard. The highest milk productivity was observed in the Korol 13582 and Zamok 3035 lines, while the greatest body weight and conformation scores were noted in the Salem 12747 and Mailan 13851 lines. Morphological parameters of line cows were relatively uniform: Salem and Mailan lines demonstrated larger body size and stronger bone structure, whereas Zamok and Baikal lines had a more compact body type. Heritability analysis showed that genotype has a moderate influence on most parameters; the highest heritability was found for milk yield and chest width, and the lowest for body weight and cannon bone circumference, indicating a high degree of population consolidation. To improve the genetic potential of the herd, targeted mating of parental forms and the introduction of unrelated animals from other regions, selected according to appraisement and farm-specific criteria, are recommended.