We have developed a wide range of products dedicated to cows, for the production of high quality milk and in sufficient quantities for breeders. Proper nutrition of cattle requires a comprehensive nutritional design in order to achieve high production efficiency ensuring excellent meat quality.
KAZAKOS D. & G. OE

Cattle breeding

Dairy cows number about 272 million animals worldwide, 36 million in Europe, 21 million in the European Union of 27 countries and just 203 thousand in Greece. There are also 430,000 meat-producing animals. Of these, about 700,000 tons of cow's milk and 65,000 tons of beef are produced. The strong shortage that our country presents in products of the livestock sector and the huge sums that we spend for their import, give it special importance for our national economy. Indicative are the results of a study of the Agricultural University of Athens, according to which, in the period 1998-2006, the degree of competence in Greek beef decreased from 43.04% to 33.25%. According to the latest EU figures, the level of adequacy today has fallen below 25%. Our country is in deficit in the main livestock products, including beef. In fact, according to safe estimates, we import 80% of the beef we consume, as well as over 50% of our needs in milk and dairy products.
Cattle are ruminants. Like all animals they need two basic food sources:

Nitrogen

Breeding systems can be divided into two main categories, extensive and intensive. In Greece, grazing-based systems are considered extensive, while those based on the use of concentrated feed (such as established ones) are considered intensive, but this distinction is not absolute. During the Extensive Breeding System, herds of cattle live throughout the year in the countryside, grazing in natural meadows and moving in relation to the existing vegetation and the availability of drinking water. It is usually 2 to 3 months before slaughter to be established with parallel training of a special diet. At the age of about 18 months, the animals reach the desired weight (400-600 Kg) and are led to slaughter. Instead, the Intensive Breeding System takes place in dairies. In this case, the animals intended for fattening are introduced after weaning (at the age of about 6 months) where they remain until their slaughter. The time required usually does not exceed 17 to 18 months. with the administration of a balanced diet, consisting of coarse and concentrated feed. The cost of fattening is the largest percentage of operating costs for each production unit. Nutrition, however, is also the main factor shaping the quality of animal products, because it affects their composition not only on the basis of the feed consumed (type and proportion in the diet), but also through their origin. Nutrition therefore plays a major role role in production (meat or milk) and animal reproduction performance.

Ruminant diets must be balanced and attractive in order to be consumed at regular intervals and to ensure the quality of the livestock products produced. A basic diet accurately covers the nutritional needs of an animal for a 24 hour period. In addition to energy, the main nutrients that should be taken into account in the preparation of diets are protein, calcium, phosphorus as well as vitamins A, D and E. They should also combine a balanced nutrition of the body and smooth development of symbiotic phenomena in the stomach. The consequences of an inadequate and reckless way of possibly using feed, with unscientific and balanced diets, do not ensure the health and productivity of the animals as well as the optimal economic result for the breeder himself.

An improper diet has the following disadvantages:

Reduction of milk production
Reduced fertility
Metabolic diseases
Laziness
Digestive disorders
Complementary Pellet Feed, which must have come from reputable feed industries with the right and modern equipment, is characterized by proper milling, the highest possible food homogeneity and high digestibility. Also due to their heat treatment at 70-72˚C with dry steam, the "sterilization" of the feed is achieved, by destroying the pathogenic Microorganisms that may be contained in the raw materials (and are responsible for the brucellosis of the elite fever or saliva etc.). In addition, through the protected proteins they contain, they enhance the reproduction, high milk production and fattening of the animals.

The cost of fattening is the largest percentage of operating costs for each production unit and for this reason it is considered important to plan and monitor the performance of the diet on a daily basis. Calves, male or female, are an important part of any cow farm, so special care and attention must be paid to housing and feeding them in the early stages of their lives. Despite the development of cow breeding and the improvement of management conditions in the units, the mortality rate of young calves is high (about 7%), which is beyond the internationally accepted levels. Proper management and proper selection of small female calves depends on the normal renewal of the herd and the improvement of the productivity of the unit, since it is estimated that every year, under normal conditions, 15% -20% of the dairy cows must be replaced. Male calves are a second source of income for the unit, as they are intended to be sold as beef. This fact presupposes their proper breeding, in order to gain the right body weight in the given time frames of 10-12 months, with the parallel goal of improving the quality of the meat produced.