What is crop production definition. General information about crop production
1. Theoretical background
1.1 Definition of crop production
1.2 Structure of crop production in Russia
1.3 The importance of crop production in the country’s economy
1.4 Factors influencing the development of the industry
2. Economic and geographical characteristics of crop production
2.1 Geographical location and zonal specialization of agriculture
2.2 Geography of the industry (current state)
3. Problems and prospects for the development of crop production in Russia
3.1 Problems of crop production in Russia
3.2 Promising directions for improving crop production in Russia.
Conclusion
List of used literature
Applications
Introduction
Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the economy of any state. It provides vital products for humans: basic food products and raw materials for the production of consumer goods.
Agriculture produces over 12% of the gross social product and more than 15% of Russia's national income, and concentrates 15.7% of production fixed assets.
Eighty industries supply their products to agriculture, which in turn supplies products to sixty industries. Agricultural production is the central link of the country's agro-industrial complex.
Thus, considering the topic is relevant, as it is of great importance for the country.
The purpose of this work is to review and analyze the Russian crop production industry, its characteristics and territorial structure.
The structure of the work is divided into three chapters. The first chapter is devoted to the consideration of theoretical issues, namely the concept, structure and importance of crop production in the country's economy. The second chapter examines the economic and geographical characteristics of the industry. The third chapter analyzes the problems and prospects for the development of the industry, and in the conclusion the results of the work carried out are summed up and the main conclusions are given.
1. Theoretical background
1.1. Definition of crop production
Plant growing is the cultivation of cultivated plants for the purpose of using them as a source of food, obtaining products for feed purposes, as well as raw materials for industry and other, including decorative, purposes. Plant growing as a science studies the variety of varieties, hybrids, forms of field crops, biological features and the most advanced cultivation techniques that ensure high yields and quality at the lowest cost.
If we consider crop production from a production point of view, then this is the doctrine of the technically advanced and cost-effective cultivation of maximum yields of agricultural crops with high quality. Scientific plant growing is based on the principles of modern biological science, which studies the characteristics of plant development and their requirements for environmental conditions. Without deep knowledge of plant biology, the development of correct agricultural technology and new technology is impossible. Data from many related disciplines - breeding, soil science, agrochemistry, plant physiology, agriculture, microbiology, chemistry, physics, mechanization, economics, etc. - are widely used in plant growing.
Agriculture is a direction of economics and economy, which is based on the task aimed at providing the state and citizens of a particular state, in this case, citizens of the Russian Federation with food, as well as obtaining raw materials for other needs, in particular for various industries. This industry is quite a priority and significant for any country. Agriculture is a kind of indicator of the economy.
Crop farming is one of the main branches of agriculture, mainly engaged in the cultivation of cultivated plants for the production of crop products.
1.2. Structure of crop production.
Plant growing includes:
grain crops, which are divided into grain crops (wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, buckwheat, millet, rice, sorghum) and legumes (peas, beans, soybeans);
industrial crops - spinning crops (cotton), bast crops (fiber flax, hemp), oilseeds (sunflower), starch crops (potatoes), sugar crops (sugar beets), narcotic plants (tobacco), dyeing plants (madder);
forage - grasses (clover, timothy, alfalfa), grains (vetch, lentils), root vegetables (turnips)
tonic (tea);
potato growing;
seed production;
vegetable growing;
fruit growing (fruit growing, berry growing, nursery growing)
forestry;
grassland farming;
tobacco growing;
gardening;
1.3. The importance of crop production in the country's economy
The main branches of agriculture are crop production and livestock production. Plant growing branches produce more than 40% of the country's total agricultural products. Crop production is the basis of agriculture. The level of livestock farming in Russia also depends on its level of development.
The leading role in the structure of crop production belongs to grain farming. It is grain crops that occupy almost 55% of all sown areas in the country.
The total cultivated area in Russia in 2010 will be 77.9 million hectares, which is 395 thousand hectares more than in 2009 (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. Dynamics of sown areas in the Russian Federation
Source: Rosstat
According to Rosstat, the gross grain harvest in the Russian Federation in 2009 amounted to 97.0 million tons (in weight after processing), thus decreasing by 10.3%. The fall in the gross grain harvest in 2009 compared to 2008 is to a lesser extent due to the increase in negative trends in the economy, which, given the specific nature of agricultural production, simply did not have time to manifest themselves to the proper extent. To a greater extent, the decline in production is due to worse weather conditions - drought in a number of regions of the country (Fig. 2).
Average annual grain yield in Russia in 2004-2009. was at the level of 18 c/ha (3 times less than in Western European countries). However, the cost of producing 1 c. Our grains are relatively small, and they are of higher quality (particularly thanks to durum wheat varieties) (Fig. 3).
Rice. 2 Gross yields of main grain crops in the Russian Federation, in dynamics
Source: Rosstat
Rice. 3 Average annual yield of main grain crops, c/ha
Source: Rosstat
Russia ranks first in the world in the production of barley, oats and rye, and one of the first in the gross wheat harvest. In general, the country ranks fourth in the world in the production of grains and leguminous crops (following China, the USA and India).
The Russian Federation's share in world grain trade grew throughout 2003–2009, but at the end of 2009–beginning of 2010 there was a significant decline, which was associated with drought and the aggravation of the global situation associated with the global financial crisis (Fig. 4).
Figure 4. Russia's share in world grain trade
Approximately 70 percent of food consumed worldwide comes from plant products. That is why crop production is one of the key industries, serving as the fundamental basis of agricultural production.
Thanks to climatic conditions and the presence of a large amount of fertile land in Russia, it is possible to grow a huge number of agricultural crops on an industrial scale. Crop production in Russia is mainly concentrated on the territory located in the temperate continental climate zone. If we talk about regions, then these are the Ciscaucasia, the Urals, the Central Volga region and Western Siberia. Both industrial and food crops are grown in these regions.
The importance of crop production for the country's economy
Crop production is one of the main economic engines of agriculture. In our country, vast territories are occupied by arable fertile lands located in favorable climatic conditions, so Russia is able to grow huge crops of wheat. At the same time, the agricultural complex not only fully satisfies the needs of our country, Russia is also one of the leaders in grain exports to other countries.
What crops is crop production in Russia aimed at cultivating?
Many technological and cultural plants are grown in our country, but spring and winter wheat varieties, which are grown in many regions of Russia, have the highest yields. Barley is also very successfully cultivated, ranking second after wheat in terms of production volume, and its share is 25% of all products produced. The great popularity of barley is due to the fact that it tolerates frost well, so it can be grown in many regions of the country, and it also ripens very quickly. The main uses of barley are brewing and animal husbandry.
Also, the climatic conditions of our country allow us to harvest large harvests of rice, rye, buckwheat, corn, sunflowers, potatoes and many other crops. Despite the fact that their production volumes are much smaller than those of wheat and barley, farmers nevertheless harvest good harvests of these crops. Recently, great efforts have been made to increase the volume of rice cultivation.
Potatoes and sugar beets are grown on a large amount of arable land, but their production volumes are still far from industrial scale. Sugar beets also play a big role in Russian crop production, since sugar is made from it, and the tops are used as feed for pigs. Sunflower is cultivated on an industrial scale in Russia, the seeds of which are used to produce vegetable oil.
Melon and vegetable growing
Crop farming is not only the cultivation of grain crops. Vegetable and melon growing is also actively developing in Russia. Basically, these areas of crop production are concentrated in the southern regions of the country, where the climate is milder and warmer, and the summers are not too dry. Crops such as cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, watermelons, eggplants, melons, zucchini and many others are grown in large volumes. Some crops are used exclusively to satisfy domestic needs, while others are exported to other countries.
The importance of crop production for agriculture
Crop production is one of the leading branches of agriculture, significantly stimulating the economic development of the country. It is aimed at growing cultivated plants and supplying them to the domestic market in order to ensure the country's food supply. It is important to understand here that the level of development of this industry has a direct impact on the level of development of livestock farming. This is due to the fact that farmers grow many types of forage crops that are used to feed livestock. Therefore, colossal amounts of money are allocated annually from the state budget, which go towards the development of crop production.
What factors influence the development of crop production?
The development of crop production sectors is vital for the economic development of the country, as well as ensuring its food security. Therefore, neither the state nor the farmers spare money and time to achieve the desired result.
But for development to be as effective as possible, the following factors must be taken into account:
- Restoration of depleted and depleted areas of land. This is very important, since the yield of any crop depends on the availability of nutrients and macroelements in the soil.
- Development of innovative technologies. An equally important aspect, since product quality and productivity require constant improvement of plant cultivation methods, as well as the use of reliable equipment. Mechanized work also plays an important role in crop production, which makes it possible to significantly increase the volume of production without significant financial and labor costs. This requires support from the state.
- Healthy competitive environment. The lack of competition in the market has a negative impact on the development of crop production, which, in turn, slows down the economic growth of the country.
- Technological progress and scientific developments. The more innovations are introduced into this industry, the lower the cost of crop production will be. Moreover, the more profitable the industry is, the greater the financial contributions to the state treasury will be.
From all of the above, it follows that enterprises engaged in crop production will be concentrated in those regions of the country in which scientific and technological progress, favorable social and economic factors, fertile lands and suitable climatic conditions are well developed. The last two factors are key, since the yield of industrial and food crops depends on them.
Main industries
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, crop production provides about 70 percent of the world's food.
There are the following branches of crop production aimed at growing certain crops:
- grains (wheat, rye, barley and others);
- potatoes and tubers;
- industrial crops;
- vegetables and melons;
- grapes and fruits;
- feed crops.
Each branch of crop production has certain characteristics, so let's take a closer look at each of them.
Growing grain crops
This industry is the most important not only in Russia, but throughout the world, since grain crops are not only consumed as food more than others, but also serve as food for domestic animals. Which is very, very in demand in livestock farming. In addition, grain is used in many industrial sectors. Approximately half of the world's fields are planted with grain crops.
The most common crops in this industry are wheat, rice and corn. Thanks to the efforts of breeders around the world, who have developed new varieties of grains, as well as the continuous development of new technologies and innovative cultivation methods, the cultivation of grain crops today has become possible in almost any part of our planet.
Cultivation of potatoes and tuber crops
Russia occupies a leading place in the world in terms of potato production. Also in our country, sugar beets and cane are grown in large quantities, from which sugar is made. Despite the fact that beets are grown on an industrial scale, nevertheless, in terms of production volumes, Russia is significantly inferior to many countries.
Industrial crops
Plant growing technology in the field of growing industrial crops in Russia is very well developed, therefore, in our country, fibrous crops are cultivated in large volumes, from which they produce fabric, rubber, as well as crops that serve as raw materials for the production of various oils. The most common fiber crops grown in our country are cotton, flax and jute. Rubber is also of great value because it is used by industry to produce many natural and synthetic materials that are used in various areas of human activity.
Vegetable and melon growing
Crop farming, the types of which are discussed in this article, is also aimed at growing vegetables and melons. But the scope is much smaller than those discussed above, since the optimal climate for their cultivation is inherent only in the southern regions of the country, nevertheless, much attention is paid to their production. The most common vegetable crops are carrots, cabbage, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplants and some others. As for melon growing, in Russia watermelons and melons show good yields.
Growing fruit crops and grapes
This industry is aimed at growing various varieties of grapes and various horticultural crops, from which wine and juices are subsequently made. Viticulture and gardening are best developed in the southern and central regions of Russia.
Forage crops
This industry, like the cultivation of grain crops, acts as the basis of crop production, since the level of its development directly affects the level of development of livestock farming. Residues from some forage crops make excellent feed for pigs. In addition, some crops are specially cultivated for feeding livestock. Therefore, much attention is paid to increasing the production volumes of forage crops, increasing their quality and productivity, as well as reducing costs.
Minor areas of crop production
The main branches of crop production, which have a significant impact on the economic development of our country, were discussed above. But there are also secondary areas that are also developing, but not on such a scale. These industries include floriculture and seed production.
Floriculture is aimed at breeding and growing new varieties of indoor and garden plants. This area is poorly developed in Russia due to insufficient funding, so most of the products in this group are purchased abroad.
Seed production is a fundamental industry that underlies all crop production. It is aimed at growing seeds of agricultural crops, which, in turn, are planting material. Not only the yield, but also the quality of the product depends on the quality of the seeds.
Conclusion
Russian crop production is primarily aimed at growing cultivated plants that are used to form a food base. But crops that participate in the processing of crop products are also cultivated. These include many types of crops that serve as raw materials for light industry.
Today, crop production in our country is experiencing many problems that are associated with low infrastructure development, lack of innovative and modern cultivation methods, as well as poor technical equipment. To develop it, the state is making great efforts, allocating money from the budget and carrying out various reforms. Despite the problems, our country is one of the main suppliers of plant products to the world market.
It is worth noting that in recent years the level of development of crop production has reached a completely new stage. After the introduction of economic sanctions against Russia by Western countries, the state significantly increased subsidies to farms, due to which new technologies began to be introduced, which made it possible to reduce the cost of production and increase the profitability of agricultural business. In the future, the government of the country also plans to improve the development of crop production in the country, thanks to which the economy can significantly improve.
Cultivated plants play an extremely important role in human life. Their cultivation is carried out by one of the main branches of agriculture - crop production. Its goal is not only to provide the population with food, but also to supply raw materials to the pharmaceutical, textile, perfume, feed and other industries, as well as to supply ornamental plants for landscape design.
Main industries
Plant products make up about 70% of the planet's total food supply. Such a high indicator is possible due to the development of the main branches of crop production, specializing in the cultivation of certain groups of plants. Most of the industries are traditionally confined to rural areas, as they depend on the availability of fertile land. This number includes:- Field farming.
- Fruit growing.
- Melon growing.
- Viticulture.
- Forestry.
- Field farming.
- Nursery farming.
- Seed production.
Main crops
All cultivated crops are divided into groups according to production and industry classification. However, one should take into account the fact that for a number of cultures the determination of place in this system is relative. Thus, potatoes in Russia are usually included in the list of starch-bearing plants. However, in tropical countries it is considered as a vegetable. However, starch can be obtained from grains, such as corn. And fruit plants such as the oil palm and olive tree, classified as fruit plants, may well be considered oil plants. There are certain double standards with regard to soybeans, which are both a legume and an oilseed, and flax, a source of fiber and oil. Despite all the nuances, crops in crop production are classified according to economic use as follows:- Cereals
This group of plants includes wheat, rice, rye, buckwheat, corn, millet, barley and other crops. Their crops occupy half of all cultivated areas, and in some countries (for example, Japan) even more. - Pulses
In terms of consumption, they are in second place after grains. The main crops are soybeans, beans, peas, beans, lentils and others. Leguminous plants make up for the lack of protein in human foods. - Technical
This group includes starch and sugar crops
- Starchy
Root and tuber plants (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, taro, cassava and others) provide food for people, but are considered technical for their intended purpose. The widespread distribution of plants from this subgroup is explained by their high productivity, excellent taste and feeding characteristics, as well as versatility of use. - Sugar-bearing
They are the main raw material for sugar production. The group includes sugar beets and cane, sugar palm, grapes, sweet corn and some other crops. For large-scale sugar production, the first two crops are of interest.
These include plants in the seeds or fruits of which fatty and essential oils accumulate in large quantities: peanuts, sunflower, sesame, castor beans, rapeseed, mustard, anise, cumin, sage, rose and others. The resulting vegetable oils are necessary for human nutrition. In addition, they are used as raw materials in soap making, perfume industry, medicine, and technology.
They are grown for their plant fibers. In addition to fiber, some spinning plants produce seeds rich in fatty oils. The most common types are cotton, flax, kapok, jute, ramie, kenaf, hemp, and sisal.
Indispensable in creating a reliable feed basis for livestock farming. In crop production, this is a fairly large group of crops, which includes:
- forage (vetch, alfalfa, clover);
- silage (corn, sunflower);
- root vegetables (carrots, fodder beets);
- melons (watermelon, pumpkin).
Representatives of this group are characterized by cosmopolis. They grow well and produce marketable products in almost all climatic zones. The first place in terms of production volume is occupied by nightshades, followed by melons and cabbage crops. In addition to them, a significant share falls on pumpkin, onion, root and green crops.
Within this group there are 9 production and biological groups:
- pomaceae;
- stone fruits;
- berry;
- nut-bearing;
- oilseeds;
- tonic and spicy;
- citrus;
- grape;
- heterogeneous.
In addition to the listed groups of cultivated plants, an important role in plant growing is given to medicinal, spicy, narcotic, and ornamental crops. Despite the fact that they have no direct nutritional value, their cultivation plays an important role in the life of the world's population.
Industry development
Crop farming is one of the oldest industries on the planet. To date, there are various forms of farms engaged in the cultivation of useful plants: from private plots to large agricultural complexes.In connection with demographic growth and increased demand for plant raw materials from industry, the issue of increasing the volume of plant products is urgent. It is being solved by increasing the sown area and increasing the yield of main agricultural crops. The latter is achieved by improving soil quality, using effective agricultural practices, and breeding new productive plant varieties. The agricultural scientific discipline of crop production helps solve these problems. Investments in science are more than repaid by increasing the quantity and quality of plant products.
History of crop production
Crop farming appeared in the Mesolithic era, when agriculture first appeared, making it possible to grow fruits and vegetables. Initially, crop farming was aimed at increasing the yield of vegetables and fruits that grew in the wild. Of course, it was still too early to talk about the production of crop products as such a phenomenon.
However, with the development of agriculture, regions that successfully mastered the production of certain crops were able to transport crop products to other regions of the world. By importing various crops, different regions of the world increased the range of their crops of grains, fruits and vegetables, which contributed to the development of new varieties.
The goal of modern crop production has become to meet the demand for food from a growing population around the world.
Geography of crop production
Agriculture occurs throughout the world, but some foods are produced in different geographic areas due to different climates and soil types.
Thus, cereals, which are the most important source of food for approximately 75% of the world's population, are grown mainly in temperate regions with low rainfall. Rice is one of Asia's agricultural staples, and the United States produces large quantities of corn. Fruit crops are scattered throughout the world, but the most successful regions for fruit crop production have tropical and subtropical climates. Vegetable production is also widespread throughout the world, but vegetable farms tend to be concentrated in the United States, Europe, Russia and North Africa.
Functions of crop production
Crop production - that is, the cultivation of various plants (usually grains, fruits and vegetables) plays a crucial role in the production of human food, animal feed and pharmaceuticals. Growing ornamental plants is also a popular area in agriculture.
The importance of crop production
Crop production provides the bulk of energy for resources consumed by humans and animals. The development of agriculture and the division into industries involved in the production of certain types of crops increases the yield and quality of the products produced. Modern crop production provides the lion's share of food available in stores and markets, thus having a significant impact on the nutrition and health of the world's population.
In addition, advances in crop production are providing advances in technologies for soil management, ecology, disaster management (such as flooding), carbon reduction, and the conservation of beneficial animal and insect populations.
Crop production potential
The development of agriculture largely depends on scientific and technological progress. Technological farming involves the use of high-tech systems, geographic information and satellite communications to control planting, fertilization, and yield.
Another important branch of science - biotechnology - allows farmers to increase the productivity of their farms by using new, hardier hybrids that are resistant to disease and require less frequent feeding. With the development of technological progress, agricultural productivity must also increase in order to meet the ever-increasing food needs of the population.
The most important branch of agriculture in our country is crop production, which produces about 60% of products of this type.
Its main component is grain farming. Crops such as wheat, rye, barley, oats and some others are cultivated in Russia over vast areas. They are grown for grain, an agricultural product used to make bread, pasta and confectionery. In addition, it serves as an excellent food for animals, both in its pure form and in various mixtures (compound feed).
Another branch of crop production is leguminous plants, which are grown in all countries of the world. Their seeds are rich in proteins (10–30%). Products obtained from leguminous crops are not only highly nutritious, but also have good taste. They are eaten both after careful processing and raw. The seeds are used to make canned food. In addition, they serve as valuable concentrated animal feed. The group of leguminous crops includes peas, lentils, beans, soybeans, peanuts, etc.
Industrial crops are cultivated to obtain technical raw materials in various industries. They can be divided into several groups depending on the product that is formed during use.
Fiber flax is one of the most common plants of this species. It dates back to the times of ancient agriculture in the subtropical and temperate zones. Flax growing makes it possible to obtain highly valuable raw materials for the textile industry. Another representative of industrial crops is potatoes. In our country it is of very important food and feed importance, plus it serves as a raw material for the production of starch and alcohol.
The sugar crop industry is engaged in the cultivation of sugar beets and cane. The latter cannot be cultivated in Russia due to special climatic conditions. That is why the only source of dietary sugar is sugar beets, which contain more than 20 - 25% of the beneficial substance.
Starch production is closely related to other branches of crop production, since this substance is found in grains, cereals, and root crops. Starch is produced from potato tubers, corn, and rice. It is used in the food industry for the production of glucose and molasses, as well as in the textile industry for processing fabrics. But, undoubtedly, starch is of greatest importance in the pulp and paper industry, where it is used as a filler.
Medicines produced from plants account for 40% of all medicines on the world market. These pharmaceutical drugs have a stable therapeutic effect and extremely rarely cause side effects. For example, calendula has the following beneficial properties: anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, wound healing, antispasmodic and choleretic. The best results are observed when used in combination with chamomile and yarrow. Calamus preparations are used for health problems associated with the gastrointestinal tract (ulcers, flatulence, lack of appetite). They are also used for bronchitis, menopause, kidney diseases, and so on.
Since ancient times, textile crops have been cultivated to produce fiber. In the world economy, the largest areas are occupied by cotton, jute, and hemp; in Russia it is cotton, flax.
Cotton is a raw material for the textile industry. High-grade fabrics are produced from long fibers. The short ones are used to make cotton wool and paper. Hemp is cultivated to produce a fiber that is highly durable, so it is used to produce fabrics such as canvas, canvas, and tarpaulin.
Rubber plants are plants from which natural rubber can be obtained. Its main area of application is the production of rubber products. The main source of natural rubber is Hevea. Its homeland is Brazil, but today this tree grows in many tropical countries. Another rubber plant is known in Russia - kog-sagyz. Currently, specialists from leading automobile companies are exploring the possibilities of using natural sources of rubber to produce their products.
Root vegetables are plants that are grown for their succulent underground organs. They are eaten raw and cooked, are good for health, and contain many vitamins for the growth and development of the human body. For example, carrots are eaten (the root vegetable itself), and its seeds are also used to prepare infusions and medicines. In medicine, it is used for vitamin deficiencies and is a mild laxative.
Tubers are plants that produce tubers on lateral roots or underground stems. They serve as food for humans, feed livestock, or are used as raw materials for processing. Among them, the most widespread are potatoes, their industrial and table varieties. The latter have excellent taste, but they contain less starch than technical ones.
Oilseeds are primarily fruits and seeds rich in fat. They are used to obtain oil (sunflower, mustard, rapeseed, sesame).
Sunflower is the main oilseed crop; it has high taste qualities. It accounts for about 50 - 55% of the total amount of vegetable oil produced in our country.
Mustard is cultivated to produce mustard oil, which is used in confectionery and bakery production. Mustard seed cake is used to make mustard powder. Castor beans are grown to produce seeds that contain the greatest amount of fat (up to 70%) compared to the fruits and seeds of other oilseed crops. Cold pressed oil with special purification is called castor oil
Essential oil crops (coriander, anise, cumin, fennel) are widely used in bakery, confectionery, pharmaceutical, distillery and some other industries.
Spinning crops are grown to obtain natural fibers for the production of yarn used for the manufacture of fabrics, ropes, ropes, and fishing gear. More than 95% of spinnable plant fiber comes from cotton, flax and hemp.
Forage grasses are of great importance for livestock production. They are sown to produce hay, silage, grass meal, and some are cultivated to produce high-protein seeds. They are a source of protein, minerals and vitamins. Forage grasses from the grass family include vetch, clover and timothy.
Clover is a forage grass made from perennial legumes. It is used for green fodder, hay, haylage, silage and processed into grass meal. Vetch is a valuable forage crop. It is sown to obtain seeds, which are concentrated protein feed. Timothy grass is the most common forage grass in the cereal family, which began to be sown in Russia in the first half of the 18th century.
Silage crops are plants grown as animal feed. Silage has high nutritional properties. It is comparable to fresh grass in terms of caloric content, vitamin content and other properties, therefore it is a valuable food product. Silage helps improve digestion and assimilation of other rougher feeds. Great for all herbivores and birds. The most common silage crops are corn and sunflower.
Fodder root crops are well stored and allow you to diversify the diet of farm animals, especially in winter. They are characterized by yield stability. Their most common representatives are sugar beets and carrots, which are valuable feed crops rich in carotene for the rapid and proper development of young animals.
Pumpkin is considered an excellent succulent food for all types of animals because it consists of 92% physiologically bound water. In terms of nutritional value, pumpkin is slightly inferior to watermelon. It is added to the food of cattle (up to 10 kg per day in the autumn), as well as sheep and pigs (3–4 kg per day).
