Breeding strategy of cattle, sheep and pigs in the Slovak Republic - V. Biros

C'. Biros, Deputy Minister
Ministry of Agriculture, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Similarly to other post-communist countries in transformation, the Slovak Republic experienced a major downscaling of its main areas of animal production during the planned-to-market economy transition period. Like in other Central and East European countries, this was accompanied with a considerable reduction of the animal populations and - paradoxically - of the utility values of farm animals (specific data are shown in Table 1 and 2).

Table 1. Development of animal farming in the Slovak Republic (in thousand of animal units)

Table 2. Development of utility and reproductive properties of farm animals in the Slovak

The decline has been slowing down over the last couple of years, and animal populations began to stabilize. Utility values showed a moderate growth, though still remaining noticeably behind the potential production possibilities of the given biological material.

Reproductive parameters were evaluated very negatively. Urgent operative measures will be unavoidable here as these parameters are crucial determinants of the economic effectiveness of breeding.

The outlined situation is unfortunately characteristic of all main farm animals. Individual areas of animal husbandry will be discussed below separately since the measures needed to reach a rapid reversal of the present negative development are specific for each individual area, mainly in the field of breeding.

Cattle

Slovakia has close to a century of tradition in raising combined utility cattle breeds, namely the Slovak spotted and Pinzgau breeds. The beginnings of a type transformation go back to I972 when cross breeding (mainly combined crossing) with foreign breeds (Lowland Black-spotted and later on also Holstein) has begun, with the purpose of acquiring a pronounced milk-type cattle population but retaining however a certain hereditary ratio (about 30 %) of Slovak spotted cattle in order to maintain its typically good meat utility value in the target population. Due to the post-1990 changes of economic conditions, further specialization was initiated with the expectancy to squire a pure - bred Holstein population by transduction crossing and imports of heifers and embryos while gradually reducing combined breed populations.

Presently, Slovakia has approximately 34 % of Holstein cows, represented mainly by crosses with a hereditary ratio of more than 50 %; 52 % of Slovak spotted cows; 13 % of Slovak Pinzgau cows: and about one per cent of meat cows. It is expected, with respect to increasing specialization efforts, that the proportion of Holstein cows and their high-ratio crosses would increase to 40 % until 2000, and that of meat cows to 5 - 8 %. The remaining 52 to 55 % will be represented by combined breeds, including Braunvieh breeding verification of which has recently started in Slovakia.

In addition to the reduction of herds and utility values the selection program has suffered a marked interruption after 1990. Selection of the mothers of bulls and their purposeful mating were suspended, the operation of breeding-bull farms, cattle fattening capacity and slaughter characteristics stations was discontinued, and heredity control testing of breeder bulls was reduced to a minimum Organizations previously performing insemination and owning insemination stations transferred their activities into the field of leasing imported bulls, to semen imports and purchases of young bulls.

One of the positive features in this development was that control of milk production efficiency was retained, although reduced from 100 % to nearly 60 % but with a tendency to increase (73 46 in the 1994 - 1995 control year).

In 1995 privatization of the insemination stations was completed. Linked therewith the level of activities aimed at the resumption of the suspended selection process (selection of bull mothers reopening of breeding-bull farms, testing young bulls including testing combined bull breeds for fattening capacity and slaughter characteristics) was intensified.

In accordance with an updated breeding program, selection has been focused on the increased production of milk, enhanced milk protein contents and exterieur improvement of cattle (increased body frame, improved udder and extremities), and enhanced meat efficiency in the case of combined utility breeds (mainly improvements of the muscular system and thus of slaughter utility values).

The selection program is expected to result in a renewed selection of mothers of bulls, by combining the traditional breeding plan (selection of bull mothers from the entire active population) with modem programs (nucleus and MOET application). One of the problems involved is the limited range of testing young bulls due to low population numbers of the individual breeds, prompting a broader use of state-of-art breeding practices to enable estimates of the breeding value based on lateral relatives (sisters, half-sisters). Due to low numbers. populations would remain open in the future for interlinkage with lines of general importance.

Major attention is being paid to the accuracy of breeding-value estimates which presently use the BLUP (paternal) model. Selection of bull mothers is performed on the basis of utility values, and the introduction of the animal model method of breeding estimates is currently under preparation. Responsibilities relating to breeding are assigned to breeders’ associations in the respective areas; these associations maintain also the breeding records.

Pigs

Pig breeding is of no less importance in the field of animal farming in Slovakia since pork has traditionally been and is likely to remain the principal consumer meat in the country. Its consumption (36.5 kg annually in per-capita average) represents more. than SO % of total meat consumption.

Further intensification of pig farming will depend to a large extent, among other factors, on improvement of the "s" genetic potential biological material. Principal breed improvement efforts will be aimed at better fodder conversion and prolongation of the productive age of sows, with simultaneous improvement of the reproductive capacity, of the slaughtered-body structure and of the quality of final hybrids.

Selection will be differentiated in future according to reproductive and productive properties of animals, including the quality of meat. This means that maternal and paternal breeds will continue to be distinguished, according to the various purposes of breed improvements. White improved, white-meat and domestic Landrace pigs will remain the essential maternal breeds while a..synthetic line" (Belgian Landrace, Duroc) with a valuable meat ratios of 53 % and more will represent the paternal breeds, along with Duroc lines (52 % and more), Hampshire swine, Pietrain and large body-framed White improved pigs with high meat utility and quality (the Dutch Large Yorkshire).

The breeding practices vary, depending on the breed. In the field of improvement breeding representing the top of the purebred selection pyramid will be preferred. Reproduction breeding will be aimed at purebred breeding of high-performance lines as well as at the hybridization of fertile with a strong constitution breeds in order to produce F, generation hybrids. Utility breeds will realize two-, three-, and multiple-breed crossings of specialized breeds with the purpose of producing the required hybrid types.

Progress in the field of pig breeding is conditioned, similarly to other animals, by the range and accuracy of testing productive properties and by reliable estimates of the breeding values based upon such properties. At present 28 000 sows (15.8 % of the total) are included in the utility testing program. Important tasks will be assigned to boar testing stations and slaughter-characteristics test stations, where extensive introduction of individual and group testing of boars with respect to utility values is expected. The success of the results of the implementation of both tests will, among other factors, depend on the introduction of state-of-art instrumentation enabling reliable in viva evaluation of the meat-yield potential of boar piglets, as well as on the establishment of a central boar piglet rearing station

The improvements of the breeding value estimation methods are also of major importance. Intense cooperation in this field between Slovakia and Germany (specifically between the Research Institute for Animal Production in Nitra and the Mariensee Research Centre) aims at introducing the BLUP breeding-value estimation methods for pigs in the Slovak Republic.

Sheep

The field of sheep breeding and breed improvement was perhaps the most affected-one by the market-economy transformation changes. Its orientation had to be refocused from wool to meat and milk production. This is reflected in the current breed improvement and hybridization program which, in addition to utilizing the domestic genetic pool (Cigaya, improved Wallachian and Merino sheep) is also based on the application of specialized imported milk and meat breeds.

Purebred breeding will continue to prevail in the improvement program of Cigaya and Wallachian sheep breeds. Less emphasis would be put on improvement crossing with specialized milk sheep (East Friesian, Lacaune and/or others). Combined meat/milk utility will remain the basic product orientation. Selection of both breeds will be focused toward improved fertility, milk production and lamb weight increase.

A type change of Merino sheep, recently bred for wool, by conversion (mainly transductive) crossing with specialized meat (Ile de France, Texel, Berrichon du Cher and others) or milk (East Friesian, Lacaune) breeds is imminent. Fertility, lamb growth intensity, muscle development, wool production as well as exterieur will be emphasized in the selection of non milked sheep.

The success of the breeding program will be determined by selecting animals with the highest breeding value which in turn depends on the scope and accuracy of control of their utility as well as of the heredity of economically important properties. At present 61 000 ewes (21 %) are included in the general utility and 5 076 (1.81 %) in the milk utility control program. These percentages are expected to grow. In 1995 the controlled Cigaya ewes had an average milk production of 88.2 litres and improved Wallachians 94.0 litres in the standard I SO-day milking period.

More rapid results in the selective progression of economically important sheep properties could be expected by increasing the number of ewes under utility control and by introducing modern breeding value estimating methods (BLUP, Animal model), linked to a subsequent maximum utilization of rams with high breeding value confirmed by heredity control. A widespread insemination program using fresh and mainly deep-frozen semen will be required.

The development of sheep farming in Slovakia is supported, primarily by subsidization by the State, considering the long tradition due to favorable natural, climatic and other factors, and the contribution of sheep farming to the maintenance of regional cultural characteristics, mainly in Piedmont areas. Subsidies are granted to stabilize and/or increase the stock (on a per-unit basis of the average annual population), and mainly to support the growth of genetic potential in relation with type conversions by purchasing specializcd meat and milk breeds to enhance the genetic pool, by developing breeding and biotechnological methods and extension of the utility and heredity control programs.

Similarly, state subsidies are granted in support to the specialization of cattle by purchases of foreign top-performance genetic materials (mainly insemination doses and embryos),by developing breeding and biotechnological methods (transfer of embryos, control of utility and heredity), by extended keeping of meat cows (subsidies per animal unit), maintenance of the original genetic pool of cattle and sheep, and by increasing product quality. Subsidization of pig breeding is focused, in addition to improving of the genetic potential, mainly on purchases of instruments enabling objective classification of slaughter pigs to meet EU parameters.

A general revitalization and increased competitiveness ability of Slovakia with respect to the ELI in the main areas of animal farming can only be expected through intensified activities of all involved organizations, primarily of breeders, conditioned by a rapid completion of the privatization process.