Estonia’s finest pedigree animals showcased at Ülenurme museum

About 100 pedigree animals and birds were presented at the Estonian Agricultural Museum in Ülenurme, ERR reported. The exhibition featured cattle, horses, sheep, birds and rabbits, including both newer breeds and traditional ones.

One of the main attractions was Ustav, a Simmental beef bull appearing at the exhibition for the seventh time. His representative described him as friendly and very calm, adding that Ustav had travelled to Tallinn and appeared in videos.

“He is the only animal who knows Tommy Cash,” the representative said. The singer wanted the bull in one of his videos, so they filmed at Paljassaare. The video has not yet been released.

The representative said the Simmental breed was not doing well in Estonia, with many breeders quitting and their number declining.

Tanel Taavi Bulitko, president of the Estonian Association of Livestock Breeders, said several local and less profitable breeds were at risk of disappearing. He said Estonia needed more grazing animals, including beef cattle and sheep, while maintaining a balance as the number of livestock farmers declines and farms become larger.

At the same time, several new breeds and species have been added among birds and rabbits, making their representation particularly rich this year.

Kadri Valner, head of Estonia’s rural museums, said it was important for children to understand where food comes from. Some children attending the museums’ educational programmes know a great deal, she said, while others have never seen a chicken and do not know that chickens lay eggs.