Russia: feeds, breeds and seasons

Dairy farms in Russia feed stored hay, straw and grain through a long winter, then move to green feed when the pastures open. HerdMobile keeps your premix minerals and vitamins next to the forage you weigh in the shed. Choose your breed, calculate the daily ration and see the cost per animal in Russian rubles on your phone.

Tatarstan, Russia: Everyday livestock farming in the region. — Everyday livestock farming in the region. Animals in their everyday farm environment.

Edited by Ender Soyuince · About our content

2026-10-29

Compiled from open-access scientific sources.

Feeds recorded for this market

Feeds HerdMobile lists for RU, with the job each one does.
Feed	Job on the farm
Copper sulfate pentahydrate (dry-cow premix; RU)	Mineral or vitamin source for a premix
Manganese sulfate monohydrate (dry-cow premix; RU)	Mineral or vitamin source for a premix
Calcium iodate anhydrous (premix preparation)	Mineral or vitamin source for a premix
Feed-grade vitamin A 1000 (premix preparation)	Mineral or vitamin source for a premix
Feed-grade vitamin D3 500 (premix preparation)	Mineral or vitamin source for a premix
Feed-grade vitamin E 50% (premix preparation)	Mineral or vitamin source for a premix
Manganese sulfate monohydrate (premix preparation)	Mineral or vitamin source for a premix

Which premix minerals and vitamins are used in Russia?

Russian dairy premixes rely on a short list of minerals and vitamins, and HerdMobile includes all of them. Two are specific to Russia: copper and manganese for the dry-cow premix, sold as copper sulfate pentahydrate and manganese sulfate monohydrate. A second, general manganese sulfate is the premix source used in many countries, so check which one is on your bag. Vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D3 and calcium iodate complete the premix. Dry cows get their own premix because the last weeks before calving set up the next lactation. Buy from a lot that comes with its registration, label and certificate of analysis, and keep the papers with the bag. Enter the price you paid, and HerdMobile calculates the daily ration from the feeds you choose and shows the cost per animal in Russian rubles. Sheep are very sensitive to copper: HerdMobile keeps copper within the limit for sheep, and our sheep copper guide is worth reading before you mix a sheep premix.

How do you plan winter forage and summer grass?

Most Russian dairy herds spend a long winter in the shed on hay, straw and grain, then move to green feed when the pastures open. The FAO handbook for family dairy farms in a harsh continental climate follows the same year. HerdMobile includes nutrient values for alfalfa hay, wheat straw and barley, so your winter ration has a starting point; replace them with your own feed analysis when it arrives. Weigh the stack, note its dry matter and enter the ruble price with your stock. Our winter-feeding guide turns that stack into days of feed, and the hot-weather guide covers the summer, when green feed and heat arrive together. Recalculate the ration at each change of season. Keep the minerals in the premix, and build the forage side of the ration from the bales and grain you actually feed.

Which cattle breeds are common in Russia?

Simmental, Brown Swiss and Ayrshire are common across Russia and the former USSR, along with black-and-white cattle bred towards Holstein. If your cows carry one of these names, choose it in HerdMobile; our breed pages give typical milk fat and true protein for Holstein, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Simmental. Angus, Limousin and Charolais cover beef cattle, and Merino covers a fine-wool flock. Any other breed, from a local dairy strain to a beef cross, you can record under the name you use. Add live weight, stage and milk yield, and HerdMobile calculates the ration from the forage in your shed and the premix minerals used in Russia.

How do you keep farm costs in rubles through the year?

HerdMobile keeps the accounts of a farm in Russia in Russian rubles (RUB): milk sales, feed purchases and animal prices all appear in that currency on your phone. Two dates change the ration on almost every farm: the start of the long stored-forage season and the arrival of green feed. Farms that finish animals for Kurban add the Eid period as a third; our Eid guide helps you follow weight and feed use through those weeks. Your herd records follow the cows through the shed months and the pasture months, and the invoices sit in farm finance. On the day you change the feed, the ration shows the kilos and the cost per animal, so the rubles you spend and the feed in the shed always match. Save a backup whenever you want a copy in your own hands.

Breed profiles in the library

Questions from the farm

Which premix feeds does HerdMobile include for Russia?

For Russia, HerdMobile includes copper and manganese for the dry-cow premix, the general manganese sulfate used in many countries, and vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D3 and calcium iodate for preparing a premix. Enter the values from your bag’s label so the ration uses what you actually bought.

Which breed should I choose for a Russian herd?

Choose Simmental, Holstein, Brown Swiss or Ayrshire when that is your cow’s breed; our breed pages give typical milk figures for each. Choose Angus, Limousin, Charolais or Merino for a beef herd or a wool flock. Any other breed you can record under the name you use.

When should I recalculate for the shed season?

Recalculate when the herd moves onto stored hay, straw and grain, and again when green feed arrives. Keep feed prices in rubles and compare the cost per animal with the invoices in farm finance.

Which manganese suits a dry-cow premix?

Two manganese sources are common. One is manganese sulfate for the dry-cow premix, sold to Russian farms from a registered lot. The other is the general premix manganese used in many countries. Choose the one that matches the bag in your shed and check its label.

How HerdMobile helps

Keep animals, feed stocks and farm money together on your Android phone. HerdMobile calculates the daily ration from the feeds you select, shows the kilos and the cost per animal, and stays with you when the connection is thin. Save a backup file whenever you want a copy in your own hands.