V.I. Lenina, Nal’chic, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, 360030 Russia, e-mail murat-ul@yandex.ru Abstract Use of artificial insemination technologies and a purebred animal international trading led to global spreading commercial American and West-European breeds, which possess high productivity potential, but are very demanding to the feed quality, stuff experience and zoohygiene conditions. <...> The highest genetic potential is characteristic of the Holstein cattle from the USA and Canada. <...> Wide use of the Holstein breed in the Russian Federation resulted in rise of dairy productivity and improvement of dairy cattle technological parameters, but some problems of imported animals’ health and adaptation have been revealed. <...> The high dairy productivity inevitably leads to the weakening immunity, decreased fertility and less stress resistance. <...> Nowadays a great importance is given to breeding for production traits, while the lack of resistance to the external factors as a cause of diseases and reduced performance is still remaining less studied. <...> Our main aim was to study the adaptive abilities of the Holstein cattle of Russian and the US origin which were moved to Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in comparison with Black-motley animals long reared under the local conditions of Kabardino-Balkaria. <...> The investigations were carried out on the farms of a pre-mountain zone (Agro-Concern Golden Kolos LLC, Soyuz-Agro LLC). <...> The heifers were divided into 3 groups, 30 animals per each, with regard to age, physiological state, origin and productivity. <...> In the groups we studied blood bactericidal, lysozyme, complement and phagocyte activity. <...> The dairy production was estimated monthly during the first two lactations. <...> Fat and protein levels in milk, and cow weight were recorded, and the milkiness index was calculated. <...> There was a true milk yield priority of 2227 kg (Р > 0.999) in the first lactation and 2465 kg (Р > 0.999) in the second lactation in the Holsteins originated from the US when compared to domestic Black-motley cows of the same age. <...> However, the Black-motley cows surpassed the Holstein coevals of foreign origin due to higher milk fat and protein. <...> Note, for the whole observation in all breeds studied the milk fat and protein were higher compared to the breed standards. <...> Though milk quality was higher in the Black-motley cows, the total milk fat and protein yield was <...>