SUSTAINABLE BREEDING, FARMING AND UTILIZATION OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA Vladan Bogdanović1, P. Perišić1, R. Djedović1, S. Stojanović2 1 University

of Belgrade - Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade, Serbia 2 Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management, Serbia

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION: - Characteristics of autochthonous cattle, sheep and goat breeds in Serbia; - Breeding, farming and utilization of autochthonous cattle, sheep and goat breeds in Serbia;

• Serbia has long tradition of cattle, sheep and goat raising;

• Similar natural, zootechnical and agronomical conditions similar local breeds of cattle, sheep and goats in Serbia as in the wide region of Western Balkan and SE Europe; • The most important are: SHEEP:

Zackel breed

GOAT:

Balkan goat

CATTLE:

Busa (busha) and Podolian

AUTOCHTHONOUS SHEEP BREEDS IN SERBIA, 1 • The largest population of autochthones sheep breed in Serbia is a so-called zackel sheep (local name is “Pramenka” – the word “Pramen” in all South Slavic languages means “a lock of wool or hair”); • There are many strains inside the breed which are more or less different in number and traits; • 7 strains of Zackel sheep in Serbia; • Still widely spread in almost all regions of entire ex-Yugoslavia.

AUTOCHTHONOUS SHEEP BREEDS IN SERBIA, 2 • Zackel sheep is native, triple-purpose breed (milk, meat and wool - poorly expressed); • This breed is modest in regard to the conditions of nutrition, husbandry and care, as well as resistance to external environmental conditions; • Late maturing breed (sexual maturity in the age of 16 to18 months, full growth in the age of 3 or 4 years);

AUTOCHTHONOUS SHEEP BREEDS IN SERBIA, 3 • Body weight:

Full grown ewes between 40-60 kg, Full grown rams 65-80 (100) kg. • Milk yield varies from strain to strain with an average being about 100-120 kg in lactation lasting about 160 days.

KRIVI-VIR SHEEP, 300-400

LIPA SHEEP, 200-300

VLASHKA SHEEP, 300-400

SVRLJIG SHEEP, 20000

AUTOCHTHONOUS GOAT BREED IN SERBIA • The most represented local breed of goat is a Balkan goat;

• Similar to other Mediterranean native goat; • Production and reproduction traits are not so well expressed, but this breed is highly resistant to environmental factors, as well as to harsh husbandry conditions.

• Primarily used for milk production – in lactation lasting about 210 days an average milk yield is 360-380 kg.

BALKAN GOAT

TYPICAL GRAIZING WITH SHEEP

AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE BREEDS IN SERBIA, 1 • The most widespread local, autochthonous breeds are busa (busha) and podolian; = BUSA CATTLE, Bos t. brachyceros = • After WWII busa was systematic crossed with Simmental, Hereford, Montafon and Tyrol grey – but without systematic programme and consequently without beneficiaries; • The colour of the animal can be grey, yellow, red or black.

AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE BREEDS IN SERBIA, 2 = BUSA CATTLE, Bos t. brachyceros = • The live weight of full grown bulls is about 400 kg and of cows 200-300 kg; • It is late maturated, well-adapted to harsh conditions and disease resistant breed; • It is used for milk and meat production, but also as draught animal.

AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE BREEDS IN SERBIA, 3 = PODOLIAN CATTLE, Bos t. primigenius = • Belong to a group of grey, long-horn cattle, with large body size, good strength and robustness and are intended primarily for work;

• Body weight of cows is between 420 and 550 kg, and bulls from 650 to 900 kg; • May have significance for low-input or traditional meat production systems.

BUSA CATTLE, less than 1000

PODOLIAN CATTLE, less than 1000

• In general, autochthonous cattle, sheep and goat breeds contribute substantially to the maintenance of Serbian (agro) biodiversity and retain very important part of livestock genetic diversity. • Since they are now under pressure, attention must be given to their maintenance in the best possible ways, i.e. by sound breeding, husbandry and utilization.

BREEDING PROGRAMMES FOR LOCAL CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 1 • Until recently in Serbia there were no breeding programmes for autochthonous cattle, sheep and goat breeds, since the major method of breeding is cross-breeding with more productive, imported (exotic) breeds; • Over the time the interest among breeders for purebred raising, especially of zackel sheep and Balkan goat, gradually grows; • Needs for specific breeding programmes;

BREEDING PROGRAMMES FOR LOCAL CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 2 • According to the variability in economically important traits, and expressed desires of breeders, the genetic improvement of zackel sheep is (will be) carried out both on milk traits (milk production) and meat traits (lamb-meat production); • In Balkan goat the selection is (will be) directed primarily towards improving the milk production, while the production of kid meat is of secondary interest;

BREEDING PROGRAMMES FOR LOCAL CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 3 • In busa cattle the selection is (will be) directed primarily towards improving the milk production; • In podolian cattle the selection is (will be) directed primarily towards improving the beef production;

CASE STUDY: Important traits for selection programs of local sheep and goats in Serbia. Strain of zackel sheep

Balkan goat

Species Svrljig Krivi-vir Vlashka

Lipa

Pirot

Body weight

1





2





Milk yield













Wool yield





-





-

“Nice horns”*

-

-



-

-

-

“Long tail”*



-

-

-

-

-

1

 very significant trait for selection; 2  significant trait for selection.

*From the breeder’s point of view.

NICE HORNS

LONG TAIL

For both species family breeding scheme is proposed Family “A” Male Male

Family “F”

Female

Female

Family “B”

Male

Male

Family “E”

Female

Family “C”

Male Male

Family “D”

Female

FARM MANAGEMENT OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 1 • These breeds are usually managed under extensive or semi-extensive production systems; • Their management usually rely on marginal resources such as mountain summer pasture, fallow arable lands as well as marginal pastures in winter; • Very often they are kept in provisional buildings, not primarily designed for livestock;

FARM MANAGEMENT OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 2 • Reproduction mostly follows natural cycles, with no or very limited use of reproduction technologies (oestrus synchronisation, AI); • However, in all cases the existing autochthonous breeds have been developed over long periods of history and become fully adapted to the local environmental conditions;

FARM MANAGEMENT OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 3 • Since that these livestock breeds do not fit well into the intensive, industrialized, high-input production systems, all supporting measures are aiming to improve sustainability of their keeping;

UTILIZATION OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 1 • Usually, the Ministry of Agriculture has several measures for supporting breeders of autochthonous livestock breeds:

1. Direct support per head of animals, 2. Support for increasing the herd size,

3. Support for adaptation and (re)building of stall-barns and other livestock buildings.

UTILIZATION OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 2 • However, official support should not be the only one way for increasing the sustainability of keeping these breeds;

• A good way for it is making chain from autochthonous breeds to autochthonous food products. • In addition, wide diffusion of production systems, very different working conditions and processing tradition caused diversity and great number of traditional meat and dairy products.

UTILIZATION OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 3 • The most distinguished traditional dairy products are produced from ewe’s milk or cow’s milk, but today there are also made of mixed or goat milk;

• There are two major groups of traditional dairy products in Serbia: 1. Different type of cheese, and 2. Dairy product called “kajmak”

UTILIZATION OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 4 • Cheese is the most important product group and the brain cheeses are predominant, but very popular cheeses are hard and whey cheese. Pirot hard cheese made from “Pirot” ewe’s, from cow’s or mixed milk

Cheese made from “Sjenica” ewe’s milk or from cow’s milk

UTILIZATION OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 5 • Kajmak is a specific, fat-rich autochthonous dairy product, very tasty, spreadable product and is very often used as a butter substitute;

Kajmak made from cow’s milk

UTILIZATION OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT BREEDS IN SERBIA, 6 • Traditional meat products are mainly produced from beef or lamb/sheep including dry ham, different type of dried or smoked sausages;

ONE SUCCESS STORY

• Busa organic farm (~100 cows) in eastern Serbia; • Cow-calf system; • All calves are slaughtered and sold to Hotel “Zira” in Belgrade;

CONCLUSION REMARKS  Autochthonous breeds of cattle, sheep and goat in Serbia cannot be compared in intensive production with high productive, imported breeds;  Could be important in low-input, traditional or organic livestock production what always add some extra-value to the products;  Important for those farmers that are orientated to agrotourism (good example of Istrian cattle);  As part of overall historical and cultural heritages, preserving these breeds we also preserve tradition and cultural heritage of certain region;  Breeding programmes, husbandry and farm management should fulfil all of these!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION