The effects of cows’ genotype on economic usage indicators and early culling causes within absorbing crossing were investigated. The research was conducted in herds of Ukrainian Black and White dairy breed at the “Sukholiske” LLC, AF “Matiushi” and AF “Glushky” in Kyiv region. For the study of economic usage indicators and culling causes there were formed three groups of cows: Ukrainian Black and White dairy breed (UBWD) with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 %, UBWD with Holstein inheritance share of 87,5−99,9 % and Holstein breed (100%).

According to our research results, the three studied Holstein cow herds showed the trend towards longevity reduction, productive use duration, reduction of milk yield per one day of life and economic usage coefficient. Higher values were found in the UBWD group with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 %.

In the herd of AF “Glushky” within the research period UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 % when compared with cows of Holstein breed had longevity higher by 292 days (p<0,001), productive usage duration − by 0,32 lactation (p<0,05), milk yield per one day of life – 0,6 kg, economic usage coefficient – 0,05 (p<0,001). The advantage over UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 87,5−99,9 % by longevity constituted 143 days, by productive usage duration – 0,13 lactations, by milk yield per one day of life – 0,3 kg, by economic usage coefficient – 0,03.

In the herd of AF “Matyushi” the greatest economic usage had also UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 %. Cows of this group had an advantage over  Holstein breed cows on longevity by 382 days (p<0,001), productive use duration – 0,73 lactation (p<0,001), milk yield per one day of life – 1,5 kg (p<0,001), economic usage coefficient – 0,07
(p <0,001) and they dominated over the of UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 87,5−99,9 % by 242 days, 0,19 lactations, 0,5 kg and 0,02, respectively.

In the herd of “Sukholiske” LLC a similar trend was observed. The productive usage duration of UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 % was 3,74 lactations, that is by 0,78 lactation longer (p<0,001) than productive use duration of Holstein cows and by 0,23 lactation longer, as compared with productive usage duration of UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 87,5−99,9 %.

On average the research herds indicators of economic usage of UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 87,5−99,9 %
and Holstein cows were lower than similar indicators of UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 %. In particular, their productive usage duration was lower by 5,5−17,6 %, longevity − by 10,1−14,8 %, milk yield per one day of life − by 5,4−11,7 %, economic usage coefficient − by 8,5−11,9 %.

In the herd of AF “Glushky” the best economic usage indicators had UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 %, which were culled due to udder diseases: their productive usage duration was 3,60 lactations, longevity – 2148 days, milk yield per one day of life – 11,4 kg and economic usage coefficient – 0,68. The worse indicators of economic usage had cows, which were culled due to leg diseases: in the UBWD group with Holstein inheritance share of 75,0−87,4 % the productive usage duration was 2,79 lactation, longevity – 2190 days (p<0,001), milk yield per one day of life – 10,7 kg and economic usage coefficient – 0,67.

In the UBWD groups with Holstein inheritance share of 87,5−99,9 % and Holstein cows the best indicators of  economic usage had cows, that were culled due to udder diseases with advantage of UBWD cows with Holstein inheritance share of 87,5−99,9 % (productive usage duration – 0,62 lactation (p˂0,01), longevity – 153 days, milk yield per one day of life – 0,2 kg and economic usage coefficient – 0,03), the worse indicators were obtained due to legs diseases.

There was found weak, negative correlation between cows’ genotype and indicators of economic usage in the research herds. The magnitude of the correlation depends on the herd and parameters under study and varies in AF “Glushky” within − 0,01−0,18, AF “Matiushi” − 0,03−0,20, “Sukholiske” LLC − 0,01−0,08.

In the herds of Ukrainian Black and White dairy cattle the absorbing crossing forms cow groups with different Holstein inheritance share and pure Holstein breed. With the increasing Holstein inheritance share the indicators of economic usage worsened. This negatively effects on productive usage duration, the number of offsprings, milk yield per one day of life and effectiveness of dairy industry in general.

Key words: dairy cattle, absorbing crossing, breed, economic usage indicators, culling causes.