Introduction. In Ukraine, the Volyn beef breed for a long time occupied the first place of numbers among domestic beef breeds of cattle thanks to the state policy regarding financial support of the breed-creating process and subjects breeding business in animal husbandry for breeding of cattle of domestic breeds.
Reduced interest in the products of specialized beef cattle breeding became an economic precondition for the unprofitableness of agricultural enterprises and the loss of investment attractiveness of this branch, which led to a rapid decrease in the number of total stock. Therefore, for the organization in future work regarding realization the mechanisms of preservation the gene pool, necessary to study the features of the development of the breeding base of the studied breed in the time interval.
The purpose of this work was to analyze quantitative changes in the population of the Volyn beef breed of cattle for the period 2002–2022 years.
Research materials and methods. The study of the quantitative and qualitative composition of the stock carried out based on the results of the annual comprehensive individual rating of cattle of beef breeds. The analysis of the use of bulls in the mating campaign carried out based on the data of the Catalogs of bulls of beef breeds and types for the reproduction of breeding stock in 2002–2022 years and the Catalogs of bulls of beef breeds for natural mating of breeding stock in 2013–2022 years. The results processed by methods of variational statistics using the standard package of programs the Microsoft Excel.
Research results. On the 01.01.2002 year in 3 regions of Ukraine were 11 subjects breeding business in animal husbandry for breeding the Volyn beef breed.
From 2005 to 2010 years it is observed a systematic increase the number of breeding farms and accordingly – the number of stock.
The peak values of the number of agricultural enterprises were marked in 2009 and 2010 years, when the total stock amounted 13.332 and 14.682 heads. Then the number of subjects breeding business in animal husbandry for breeding the Volyn beef breed all the time decreased, and in 2018 year the total stock amounted to only 4.010 heads.
During 2019–2021 years were deprived the breeding status 4 farms and in 2021 year the total stock amounted 2.971 heads.
When analyzing the annual number of bulls, admitted to natural mating, and the load on one sire it was established, that the maximum and minimum number of sires, admitted to natural mating were in 2010 and 2021 years and amounted to 195 and 26 heads accordingly. The limits of values regarding the load on one sire for the mating campaign fluctuated from 26 cows in 2004 year to 59 – in 2015 year.
Since moment the approbation of the Volyn beef breed and until 2002 year were accumulated 454.4 thousand doses of sperm production.
For the period from 2002 to 2011 year the biggest number of genetic material was concentrated in the ACLR "Kovelplemservice" – an average of 330.9 thousand doses.
Since 2012 to 2013 year and since 2014 to 2018 year the biggest number sperm production was concentrated in the SE "Volyn regional agricultural production enterprise for breeding business in animal husbandry" – an average of 76.5 and 12.5 thousand doses accordingly.
Since 2019 to 2021 year first place by number of sperm production occupy the Bank of genetic resources of animal of the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics named after M.V.Zubets of NAAS. In it saved an average of 6.2 thousand doses.
Thus, in 2022 year, compared to 2002 year, the number of sperm production decreased by 444.1 thousand doses.
When analyzing the level of operations of purchase/sale of breeding animals of the Volyn beef breed for 20 years, was marked an annual predominance volumes of realization over volumes of acquisition.
So, in 2013 year were purchased 744 heads, and were realized – 1.103 heads, to wit more than the number purchased on 359 heads. The largest difference between the number of realized and purchased breeding stock was in 2014 year, and the smallest – in 2005 year. Exactly in these years the number of realized breeding stock exceeded the number of purchased by 641 and 1 head accordingly.
Conclusions. For the analyzed time interval for the Volyn beef breed was marked a period of positive development with the maximization of the number of breeding agricultural enterprises and the number of stock, which lasted until 2010 year. Period from 2011 to 2014 year was a stabilizing, when the stock was almost at the identical level. Since 2017 year there has been a rapid negative dynamic regarding the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the domestic population of the Volyn beef breed. Now, in working with the breed it is necessary to realize the mechanisms of preservation the gene pool two ways: ex situ –accumulation of genetic material in the form of sperm production and in situ – in the collection herd of the breeding farm ACLR "Zorya" of the Volyn region.
