1. AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE BREEDS IN CROATIA TRENDS AND CHALLENGES
DAGENE – International Association for the Conservation of Animal Breeds in the Danubian Region
22-24 April 2016, Bavaria, Germany
AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE BREEDS IN CROATIA TRENDS AND CHALLENGES
IVANKOVIĆ Ante, RAMLJAK Jelena
Department of Animal Science and Technology
Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia

2. Slavonian Syrmian Podolian cattle
Autochthonous cattle breeds in CROATIA
Slavonian Syrmian Podolian cattle
Busha
Istrian cattle
three Autochthonous cattle breeds
… but if we compare them differences are significant.

3. AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE BREEDS - populations in the past
Slavonian Syrmian
Istrian c.
beginning of the XX
> 90% of cattle population
~ 1 mil cattle (1931)
Istrian cattle – Istria peninsula
Busha – karst & mountain area
Slavonian Syrmian Podolian – Slavonia (plain and fertile land)
decreasing trend (end XX):
industrialization
import Simmental & crossbreds
depopulation of rural areas
Busha
before we start to talk about current situation, we will just for a little bit take a look into the past
20th century
Puskas, 1980

4. AUTOCHTHONOUS CATTLE BREEDS - done till now
phenotypically characterised
exterior data for each breed facilitates the implementation of breeding programs
genetically characterised
proteins polymorphism, microsatellites, mtDNA, SNPs
helps to maintain genetic variability, control inbreeding level
facilitates – olaksavati, pokazatelj - indicator
RESULT:
accomplished breeding consolidation
how can we estimate trend in population – with which indicators?
is population trend is stabile, is it growing or decreasing?

5. AIM to analyse population indicators and trends
to estimate the importance of establishing a program for economic use

6. TRENDS IN POPULATIONS: 2005 – 2014
Graph 1. Trends in number of breeding animals in period
breeding gets more attention → reflected in increased number of individuals with balanced population str
rasplodni bikovi i krave
in general: increasing trend (breeding ♂, ♀ registered at CAA)
average growth of the population ranged from 9.4% (SSP) – 20.3% (BU)

7. TRENDS IN POPULATIONS: 2005 – 2014
Picture 1. Example of economic utilization of native breeds through gastronomic offer
2004 – Promotion and valorisation of Istrian Cattle (County support)
Busha – no such Program (promotion is more on individual level, exhibitions)

8. TRENDS IN POPULATIONS: 2005 – 2014
Graph 2. Trends in ratio cows per bulls in period
↑ No ♂ 4 to 9; No ♀ only+9 ind.
↓ No ♂ 14 to 9; No ♀ only+2 ind.
IC – oscillation (slaughtered, AI – households with 2 to 4 cows)
BU – stable trend (herd dispersion, every herd has bull, low use of AI)
SSP slope – disproportion # only one herd for a long time, monopole

9. TRENDS IN POPULATIONS: 2005 – 2014
Graph 3. Trends in number of female offspring in period
ženski pomladak do godine dana i nakon godine dana
female are left for breeding # increasing trend in IC and BU
good example (gastro offer) how economic utilization results with sustainability!

10. TRENDS IN POPULATIONS: 2005 – 2014
Graph 4. Trends in number of breeders in period
how many breeders are interested for breeding native breeds, in SSP from 1 to 14
2004 amount of subsidies decreased # interest of breeders still rise
subsidies should support breeds sustainability # no situation where the whole breeding depends on subsidies

11. TRENDS IN POPULATIONS: 2005 – 2014
Graph 5. Trends in number of breeding animal per breeder in period
No breeders: ↑ 4 to 10; No ♀only +14 ind.
No breeders: ↓ 20 to 14; No ♀only +22 ind.
IC and BU have similar trend ~ 3 – 6 ind/167 & 91 breeders # SSP –15

12. TRENDS IN POPULATIONS: 2005 – 2014
Ne = 180
I – h. endangered
Ne = 193
I – h. endangered N=
Ne = 52
I – c. endangered
facilitates - olaksavati
indicator: distribution of population; „one” area (IC) or wider (HBU)?
if 75% of population are within radius of 12.5/20/50/>50 km = level of endanger
accept historical aspect / breeders don't have tendency to spread breeds on surrounding area / step out: export IC to Slovenia (historical background)

13. TRENDS – current state & 2005 – 2014
breeding of native breeds get more attention – all 3 breeds
increased census size (9 to 20%)
increased the number of breeders (1.5 to 4.0 times)
increased the average size of female offspring's (~40%)
balanced population structure
ratios of bulls vs. cows (1 bull vs.15:13:10 cows):
more stabile and uniform trend (conducting breeding program, AI)
but – insufficient reproductive efficiency
average number of fermale calves per breeding cow: 0.29 (IC) to (SSP)
jedan dio se proda

14. CHALLENGE – now & future
sustainability and affirmation of breeds must be in programs of economic utilization
more sustainable program (e.g. Istrian cattle) confirms the low risk level in economically inferior breeds vs. Slavonian Syrmian Podolian
breeds promotion
product with added values (handcrafts, gastro offer, dishes, …)
folklores, events
economically vital programs can support more expensive methods of population vitalization
promotion with public media, television, …
beginning: important subsidies (ggovernment) for sustainability
latter: local community play important role

15. Thank you for attention