Sheep and goat genetic resources in Central Serbia

Abstract

From locally adapted sheep and goat breeds in Central Serbia pramenka (with its ecotypes), and Balkan and Serbian white goat are present. These breeds differ by morphological, reproductive and productive traits and their differentiation was affected by specific climatic, hydrological and nutritional conditions. Thanks to that, these breeds are characterized by the wide adaptability, disease resistance, expressed maternal instinct, relatively high fertility and a long productive life-time. The productivity of these genotypes is relatively low, which led to a drastic reduction in the number of head of locally adapted breeds, simultaneously emphasizing the more productive genotypes. These trends led to loss of genetic diversity. The consequence of these practices in sheep and goat farming is that most of the locally adapted races are endangered in different degrees (from high to critically endangered), according to the criteria of the valid Rulebook. Genotypes of sheep and goat observed in this study belong to a group of genetic resources. According to the Institute for animal husbandry's annual report for Central Serbia in 2017, number of heads for most of locally adapted breeds is in slight increase, but still is not satisfactory. Thus, the number of active animals registered in flockbook for sheep and goats by races are 10386 for Svrljig pramenka, 686 Lipa pramenka, Krivovir pramenka 616, Karakachan pramenka 139, Pirot pramenka 124, Bardoka 94 animals, Balkan goat 121 and Serbian white goat 145 animals. The highest values of live body weight (BW) for the lamb were found in the Lipa lambs (BW at birth 3,44 kg, BW after 30 days 11,79 kg and BW at weaning 27,92 kg), and the Serbian white goat's kids (BW at birth 2,56 kg, BW after 30 days 7.68 kg and BW at weaning 16,04 kg). The highest fertility indexes were observed in Svrljig strain (1,28) and the Balkan goats (1,51). The protection and conservation of sheep and goat genetic resources in the Republic of Serbia is still insufficient, although there is a shift in their conservation. However, urgent protection measures must be taken in the form of in situ and ex situ conservation to prevent the loss of genetic resources forever.

Na teritoriji Centralne Srbije od lokalno prilagođenih rasa ovaca, prisutna je pramenka sa diferenciranim sojevima, a od koza balkanska i srpska bela koza. Ove rase se međusobno razlikuju po morfološkim, reproduktivnim i proizvodnim osobinama i na njihovo nastajanje su uticali specifični klimatski, hidrološki i ishrambeni uslovi, zahvaljujući kojima se one odlikuju dobrom adaptabilnošću, otpornošću na bolesti, izraženim materinskim instinktom, relativno dobrom plodnošću i dugim proizvodnim vekom. Produktivnost ovih genotipova je relativno niska zbog čega su u proizvodnji potencirani produktivniji genotipovi. To je dovelo do drastičnog smanje-nja broja grla lokalno prilagođenih rasa, a samim tim i do gubitka genetičke raznovrsnosti. Kao posledica navedenog, većina lokalno adaptiranih rasa je prema važećem Pravilniku ugrožena u različitom stepenu (od visoko do kritično ugrožene). Na osnovu godišnjeg izveštaja Instituta za stočarstvo za 2017. godinu, brojno stanje kvalitetnih priplodnih grla većine lokalno prilagođenih rasa je u slabom porastu i dinamika porasta nije zadovoljavajuća. Tako, broj aktivnih grla upisanih u glavnu matičnu evidenciju ovaca i koza za 2017. godinu po rasama iznosi 10386 za svrljišku pramenku, lipska pramenka 686, krivovirska pramenka 616, karakačanska pramenka 139, pirotska pramenka 124, bardoka 94 grla, balkanska koza 121 grlo i srpska bela koza 145 grla. Kontrola produktivnih osobina je obavljena na ukupno 6186 grla kod tri genotipa ovaca (lipska, svrljiška i krivovirska pramenka) i 237 grla kod dva genotipa koza (balkanska i srpska bela). Najveće vrednosti telesnih masa jagnjadi utvrđene su kod lipske pramenke (TM na rođenju 3,44 kg; TM sa 30 dana 11,79 kg i TM na odlučenju 27,92 kg), a jaradi kod srpske bele koze (TM na rođenju 2,56, TM sa 30 dana 7,68 kg i TM na odlučenju 16,04 kg). Najveći indeksi plodnosti su utvrđeni kod grla svrljiške pramenke (1,28), odnosno balkanske koze (1,51). Zaštita genetičkih resursa u Republici Srbiji još uvek nije dovoljna, iako ima pomaka u njihovom očuvanju. Ipak, hitne mere zaštite se moraju preduzeti u vidu In-Situ i Ex-Situ konzervacije kako bi se sprečio gubitak njihovog geno-fonda.