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Effects of using indigenous heritage sheep breeds in organic and low-input production systems on production efficiency and animal welfare in Romania.
- Source :
- Landbauforschung; 2016, Vol. 66 Issue 4, p290-297, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Romania ranks third in the EU28 in terms of sheep numbers (9.8 millions), having a self-sufficiency for sheep meat of 150 % and therefore exports are important at national level. Objectives of the current research trials were: i) to evaluate the potential of the Turcana breed to produce organic lamb meat under highland pasture-based conditions; ii) to evaluate the overall resistance of the breed and fitness indicators, in comparison with two native breeds, reared under lowinput conditions; iii) to study the genetic base using molecular assisted selection in order to produce hypoallergenic milk and derived milk products. The conventional pasture from the current project had a potential of production of 189 kg/ha for Turcana purebreds, and of 236 kg/ha for F1German Blackheaded x Turcana (GBxTA) crossbreed lambs. While for the organic pasture, it was estimated a production potential of 191 kg of meat per hectar while rearing Turcana purebred lambs, and of 240 kg/ha for the F1GBxTA dualbreeds. In the current preliminary study, the genetic polymorphism of ovine β-casein gene in the Romanian Zackel breed was highlighted, using TaqMan assay. β-casein in sheep is strongly correlated to economically important milk quantitative traits, being a first step in introducing genomic selection for the production of organic hypoallergenic sheep milk and derived products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 21943605
- Volume :
- 66
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Landbauforschung
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 121035753
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3220/LBF1483607712000