Beef cattle breeding in farms of small forms in the conditions of digitalization

Abstract

Abstract. Cattle meat is a popular food product for the population of the Northwestern region, while there is a need to increase its production. The use of digital technologies allows small farms to compete with large beef producers. The purpose of this study is to identify the specific features of the development of beef cattle breeding in the North-West in small-scale farms in the conditions of digitalization. Methods. Methods of socio-economic analysis, graphical, computational and analytical methods, and a systematic approach were used in the study. Results. The approaches of agricultural scientists to solving the issue of beef production in small farms are systematized. Various forms of interaction between the owners of these farms, including cooperation, are considered. The graphically organizational scheme of the current agricultural consumer cooperative for fattening cattle is presented, as well as other examples of successful cooperative relationships that can be used in the creation of cooperatives. The features of the Northwestern Federal District that can be used for the development of beef cattle breeding in small-scale farms have been identified. The significant role of peasant (farm) economy (P(F)E) and individual entrepreneurs (IE), as well as households of the population (HP) in beef production in the Northwestern Federal District in 2017–2021 has been clarified. It is established that the recommended rational rate of beef consumption is not provided by its own production in any subject of the Northwestern Federal District and in the Russian Federation as a whole. The key points of digitalization of small-scale farms producing cattle meat are presented graphically in the form of a diagram. The main reasons hindering the introduction of digital technologies in small-scale cattle farms are identified, and ways to accelerate this process are proposed. Scientific novelty. It is revealed that farms of small forms of the Northwestern Federal District have unrealized potential for the cultivation of beef cattle, which can be realized with the availability of a system of state support, the development of partnerships in various forms, including cooperation and the introduction of digital technologies.