sions from cattle population is almost never applied”, the source adds. Russia is becoming warmer twice as fast as the planet as a whole, but this is not a matter of huge concern. Some scien- tists believe that the impact global warming has on Russian agriculture is favourable. Nearly two-thirds of the Russian ter- ritory is caught in permafrost, and climate change could ex- pose more arable land. Global warming has already consider- ably reduced the number of winters with low air temperatures threatening winter crops. In many regions, the vegetation period has increased by 5 – 10 days. “A part of the problem is that most tech solutions in this area are imported, which means they are expensive and they are even more expensive with the devaluation of the Russian rou- ble this year. Most Russian farmers see no point in sacrificing a part of their profit margin, getting nothing in return for the sake of battling some veiled threat (global warming), as some do not even believe in its existence,” the source concludes.


Animal welfare overlooked While some Russian farmers are trying to stick with the world’s best practices in the area of environmental protec- tion, it would safe to say that animal welfare standards are not so welcomed. “The animal welfare regulations in Russia contain only minimal standards and requirements. However, it can be said that the responsible animal owners and business owners strive to cre- ate favourable conditions for animals throughout their life cy- cle, as well as during transportation or slaughter,” says Yushin. “In many ways, the possibilities for the continuous improve- ment of animal welfare is not only limited by the purchasing power of the population but also lead to the closure of small farms and reduced competition. Market players in Russia and we agree with them, believe that some of the requirements of ecologists in the EU and several other countries are abso- lutely unjustified and only lead to higher prices and a de- crease in the availability of meat for people with financial is- sues. Small-scale farms often do not have the financial ability


to comply with new legal requirements and close their busi- nesses. We believe that their interests should be taken into account,” Yushin says. “Different from Western consumers, Russians are not con- cerned about the rearing conditions of farm animals. There is no official legislation that would regulate the animal welfare aspects. This is why many companies would sacrifice higher liveability for the sake of higher density, which provides more meat yields from a barn’s square meter,” Davleyev says.


New farm constructions face resistance from local citizens in Russia. 18


Understanding the ‘sustainability’ concept According to Davleyev, only a few companies that supply products to the international foodservice chains implement stricter welfare practices, forced by the customer’s guidelines and requirements. In the meantime, some producers start re- considering their rearing technologies, having calculated losses on veterinary preparations, FCR reduction, and higher mortality rates. “In my opinion, the Russian agricultural and livestock farming centre lacks the understanding of the “sustainability” concept. Better still, there is no such a word in the Russian language,” Davleyev says. Animal welfare is not entirely forgotten in Russia. Just recent- ly, All-Russian Research Institute of Physiology, Biochemistry, and Animal Nutrition developed a feed additive described as an antidepressant for pigs. The scientists suggest feeding pigs with lithium ascorbate – a combination of ascorbic acid and lithium – to help their bod- ies combat stress. In a research paper, which included studies on industrial farms, the effectiveness of the lithium-based adaptogens has been shown. Their use in animal diets con- tributed to improved stress resistance, endurance, and re- duced aggressive behaviour while enhancing productivity and reproduction. The expanding export supplies are likely to prompt Russian meat companies to comply with stricter international regula- tions in animal welfare and sustainability. The same thing has already been seen in neighbouring Ukraine, where the poul- try giant MHP is complying with animal welfare standards way stricter than the national legislation requires. The compa- ny even ceased producing foie gras in 2019, to get its busi- ness in line with European best practices. Davleyev says “Russia already supplies beef, pork, and poul- try to several dozen countries worldwide. Chicken cuts are ex- ported to major international QSR chains in the Middle East, Central Asia, and China. Evidently, the expansion of export activities will require a much higher level of compliance with international and national food safety and animal welfare re- quirements, forcing Russian companies to introduce new live production technologies and procedures,” . “I believe we would dive into this issue at some point, but we would not turn it into a circus or a tool of redivision of the market,” Yushin concludes.


▶ SUSTAINABILITY AND WELFARE | OCTOBER 2020


FOTO: PHOTO: OREL SREDA


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