CREATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYMMENTAL HERD IN THE SOUTH URAL ZONE
The purpose of the research was to study the composition and structure of the herd, the dynamics of breeding animals' population and the assessment of the breeding and productive qualities of animals in the herd by the complex of Simmental cattle traits of the Kalinin breeding farm, Orenburg region. The breeding and productive qualities of animals in the herd have been assessed on the basis of the standard set of characters. All the animals evaluated by phenotypic signs and the available information about their genotype have been referred to Simmental cattle, obtained by crossing Simmental cows with Red-Spotted Holstein sires. The Holsteins were used to improve the genetic potential of Simmental cattle and the offspring obtained from crossing these breeds are referred to as an improved breed. Currently, the animals of the Kalinin JSC, Orenburg region, are classified as belonging to the purebred Simmentals