Agrain subsidiary mapped out a 2.8x livestock increase — Budnyk

Agricore Holding, a structural division of Agrain Agro Grou, has developed a strategy to increase the livestock within 4-5 years to 10-11 thousand head/year, and later to 17 thousand head/year. This was informed by the chief livestock production technologist at Agricore Holding Aleksandr Budnyk.

According to him, to date Agricore Holding has about 6 thousand head of livestock.

"Here is what I would like to share: we have developed a strategy to increase the livestock of Agricore Holding within 4-5 years to 10-11 thousand head/year, and later to 17 thousand head/year. There are facilities for this is — old working farms. Besides, we plan to scale up at some farms, add pens and so on," commented Aleksandr Budnyk.

He informed that the fattening bases would be located in Chervony Partysany, Borzna and Serhiivka villages of Chernihiv region. The management plans also envisage exporting about 5-6 thousand bulls per year.

"Last year, as a result of certain financial issues, the process of purchasing Holstein bull-calves for fattening was suspended. Now we are raising this question again, as the management plans envisage exporting about 5-6 thousand bulls per year. We do not have current resources for such an increase. The best option is to buy a 2-3-week-old bull, feed it on milk, rear it, and then sell it until we increase our own capacity. Such a plan is set for 4-5 years," he said.

In the future, the company plans to slightly alter the technology of grazing by using a portable electric shepherd, serviced by 2-3 people.

"This year for one herd, we do want to try what the Europeans, Australians, and Americans practise. We will fence off a rented area and livestock will graze without the involvement of people. These will be 1.8-2.3 hectares land plots separated by electric fences," shared Aleksandr Budnyk.

Learn more: Agricore Holding: Meat Livestock Production Ambitions

As previously reported, the Agrain company team won the First Winter Agrarian Business Modeling Championship held by FarmForesight and Latifundist.com. The team was awarded USD 10.000.