Key results of breeding, seed production and grassland forage production at the “Poyma” Stud Farm - branch of the Federal Williams Research Center of Fodder Production and Agroecology
Food security relies greatly on the availability of milk products in any country. Therefore, leading farms and their experience shaped by various climatic conditions play a key role in the food industry. “Poyma” Stud Farm is one of the most efficient modern milk-producing farms in the Moscow region. Forage is produced there at highly fertile floodplain lands occupying 84% of forage lands. This article reviews the history and practical knowledge forming the basis for the stable production of top-quality bulk feed. It conducts a retrospective study on different investigations in breeding, seed production and grassland forage production. Seven varieties of grassland crops were obtained and adapted to the floodplain conditions. Their seed production was optimized. The farm annually produced over 100 t of high-quality seeds. The cultivation of grassland swards was improved with regard to the biological potential of local species and varieties of grasses. Technology modernization and keeping up with the latest scientific literature on high-productive forage grasses and stable production of top-quality bulk feed as well as their effective storage and use improved average annual milk yield per cow from 4079 to 9708 kg (by more than 2.3 times) reducing simultaneously feed consumption per 1 kg of milk from 1.37 to 0.90 feed units and increasing cost efficiency from 16 to 28%.