Who are we?  

Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Dairy Farmers (PFCBDF) is a federation of regional breeders’ associations. In 2015 we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of PFCBDF’s establishing. Today Polish Federation unites 20 regional cattle breeders organizations.

We are an independent and apolitical organization, which unites about 10.000 members representing all forms of ownership: private farms, national farms, treasury state corporations, private cooperatives and tenanted farms.

By virtue of The Organization of Breeding and Livestock Reproduction Act (Breeding Act) and decisions of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issued in relevant regulations PFCBDF is the only organization authorized to carry out milk recording of dairy cows in Poland.

Besides the milk recording, Polish Federation is also responsible for: herd book keeping, breeding program realization, and type conformation of dairy cattle.

Milk recording is organized into three Milk Recording Regions covering whole Poland. In our country performing testing is conducted pursuant to the A method.

PFCBDF employs technicians, who are responsible for carrying out test milking and collecting data, as well as documentation staff responsible for data recording and processing. Besides, PFCBDF owns also 4 laboratories in which analyses of milk samples are run. Each our laboratory analyses milk recording samples for following milk components: percentage content of fat, protein, lactose and dry matter, urea level, somatic cells count.

Since 2013 acetone and BHB have being measured in milk samples and used in calculations aimed at informing the breeders on subclinical ketosis risk. The possibility of subclinical ketosis threat refers to particular cows and also the entire herd.

Milk performance recording has a very long tradition in our country. The very first information about official organization of milk recording in Poland is dated on 1904, when a group of progressive farmers after their visit in Denmark, decided to implement official performance recording into their herds in order to prepare the field for future breeding program.

PFCBDF runs milk recording of dairy cattle in Poland on the basis of current animal regulations and the directives of the European Union, the guidelines of International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) as well as internal PFCBDF procedures of carrying out milk recording. These procedures guarantee, that our breeders get full, credible and reliable information about the results for each cow individually and also for the whole herd. Moreover, the procedures assure high level of services, being the condition of the highest quality and correctness of milk recording results in recorded herds. Above mentioned, was confirmed on the 28th of December 2010, when ICAR Board decided on granting Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Dairy Farmers the Certificate of Quality for following options:

•    The identification system of dairy cattle;
•    The recording of production of dairy cattle;
•    Laboratory analysis;
•    Data processing.

The right to use ICAR Certificate of Quality logo was renewed in November 2013 by the ICAR Board decision on prolongation of ICAR Certificate of Quality for PFCBDF until January 2017.

Milk recording recently develops quite quickly in Poland. Today there are 740.000 cows recorded, which means 33% of total dairy cows population in Poland. These cows are located in 20.000 herds.

 PFCBDF through its highly qualified staff, realizes also following additional services:

•   Feeding advisory, as well as professional independent forage analyses, performed in one of our laboratories.
•    Cross-compliance advisory
•    Co- organization of regional and national cattle shows
•   Acting in the interest of PFCBDF’s members, in international forums by active membership in such organizations as: ICAR, EHRC, WHFF, Copa-Cogeca Working Groups.