Livestock Production Activities

The basic characteristics of livestock production and work in the livestock sector during the period 2011–2021 differ significantly from those in the previous decade. The main difference lies in the fact that, over the past ten years, there has been a considerable revitalization of large so-called “industrial” pig and cattle farms, as well as the gradual development of larger family livestock farms, particularly in cattle production, which is the dominant branch of livestock farming.

As a result, the role of the advisory service has also changed, especially that of livestock advisors, who have had to expand their cooperation to a much larger number of locations and address a wider range of production challenges.

The most important result of this work has been the creation of a significant number of commercial agricultural holdings capable of responding to market challenges, particularly in milk production.

It should be emphasized that significant progress has been achieved in milk yield per cow. Some farms under the supervision of the regional advisory service now reach an average milk yield of around 9,000 liters per cow, which is an excellent result under local production conditions. For comparison, ten years ago farms producing 6,500 to 7,000 liters of milk per dairy cow were considered outstanding.

Technological changes in livestock production during the past decade have been numerous. One of the most significant developments is the introduction of robotic milking in cattle production at a farm in Crepaja.

This was the first time in Serbia that a farm introduced fully automated cow milking, enabling the production of top-quality milk.

Animals enjoy a high level of comfort and welfare, as milking takes place whenever it suits them best. The quality of milk is maintained at the highest possible level, each drop of milk is monitored during the milking process, and there is no possibility of mixing safe and unsuitable milk.

In the field of pig production, a notable technological innovation is the production of piglets for contract fattening, implemented at a farm in Vladimirovac. Piglets are raised up to 25 kilograms without further fattening, after which they are distributed to farmers for further contract fattening based on contractual agreements.

It should also be highlighted that the first nucleus farm in pig production in our area has been established at a farm in Crepaja.

One sector that has particularly marked the work of the livestock breeding and selection service in the past five years is sheep production.

This sector has recorded the most significant progress, considering that five years ago only about 1,800 breeding sheep were under official control. By the end of 2020, that number exceeded 7,000 animals, which has once again placed our region among areas with well-developed sheep production.

As a result of controlled breeding and production, there has also been a significant increase in production performance, particularly in the average number of lambs per ewe per year, compared with the situation ten years ago. Further progress is expected in the coming period, especially regarding the average daily weight gain of lambs.