PRODUCTS OF AUTOCHTHONOUS CIKA CATTLE IN SLOVENIA
Mojca SIMČIČ and Silvester ŽGUR
University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Groblje 3,
1230 Domžale, Slovenia, e-mail: mojca.simcic@bf.uni-lj.si
Abstract
Cika cattle is the only Slovenian autochthonous cattle breed, numbering 1625 animals
(1.6.2007). Breeding goal for Cika cattle is dual purpose with the emphasis on milk
production. However, Cika cattle are mostly reared in the cow-calf system. To a smaller
extent, Cika cattle are still used for milk production in the traditional regions for Alpine
dairy-farming. Our main interest was to get an insight into carcass quality of Cika cattle
evaluated in slaughter line. The data used in this survey were collected in slaughter
houses in years 2005 and 2006. Out of all slaughtered cattle the share of slaughtered
Cika cattle was 0.15 %. Slaughtered cattle according to the category were very
heterogenic in body weight which is seen in rather large standard deviations. The
average carcass weight of A category (bulls up to 24 months of age) was 260.0 kg. The
majority of bulls (up to 24 months and over 24 months of age) and calves were classified
in “O” class for conformation. The majority of calves (89.5 %) were classified in class 2
for fatness; and likewise 59.6 % of bulls up to 24 months of age were in class 2. Cika
cattle are very often reared on extensive small farms, just for self-supply. Beef is sold
without any trade mark. There is an opportunity of Cika breeders to add value to Cika
cattle beef. In Slovenia there are only five farms in agritourism, where Cika is reared.
Dry meat products like sausages and salami are offered as Cika products.
Autochthonous Cika is well adapted to the environment and helps to maintain
biodiversity and sustainable agricultural production, especially in depressed areas.
Introduction
Cika cattle or Cika is the only Slovenian autochthonous cattle breed, which has been
preserved to the present days. The population of Cika is very heterogeneous despite of the
increasing number of animals. The reason for heterogeneity of population is the semen of
Pinzgauer bulls used for artificial insemination of Cika cows due to bad agricultural - political
decision in the past. Today (1.6.2007), the population of Cika cattle is numbering 1625
animals (Sector for Identification and Registration at the Ministry for Agriculture, Forests and
Food). Unfortunately, in real autochthonous and desired phenotype there are only about 20 %
of all Cika cattle, which totals to around 300 animals.
Breeding goal for Cika cattle is dual purpose with the emphasis on milk production. However,
Cika cattle are mostly reared in the cow-calf system. Suckler herds are meant for beef
production only, which is not in accordance with the breeding goal. But, Cika cattle are to a
smaller extent still used for milk production in traditional regions for Alpine dairy-farming,
especially on Bohinj and Kamnik mountain pastures. Some breeders from those two regions,
have preserved traditional way of rearing this cattle breed. During the vegetation period herds
were moved from lowland farms to mountain pastures. The herds of Cika cows grazed on
Alpine mountain pastures, where Alpine dairying and milk processing into products like
cheese, cottage cheese, fresh butter and sour milk has been preserved. Alpine dairymen sell
processed milk products to the mountaineers and to tourists visiting the mountains. The
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income from sold milk products represents the additional financial source, which was in the
past the main income, so milk products, especially cheese made in the mountains represented
the only source for the survival of the lowland farm in winter time.
As mentioned previously, Cika herds are nowadays reared mostly as suckler herds for beef
production. The aim of our work was to get an insight into carcass quality of slaughtered cika
cattle.
Cika beef production in Slovenia
The data used in this survey were collected in slaughter houses in years 2005 and 2006.
Slaughtered Cika cattle were reared on Slovenian small farms using the traditional production
system. In cold months of the year voluminous forage was used and during the vegetation
period cattle were put on the pasture. So, hay, ensilage and a small amount of concentrates
were used in winter time. High percent of slaughtered Cika cattle originated from ecological
farms, where rearing technology is very extensively. After the slaughter carcass weight was
recorded and carcass conformation and fatness were scored according to the EUROP system.
Net daily gain was calculated on the basis of carcass weight and age at slaughter.
In Table 1 the number of slaughtered Cika cattle is presented and compared with all
slaughtered cattle in Slovenia in those two years. Out of the total slaughtered cattle the share
of slaughtered Cika was 0.13 %. With the growing population of Cika cattle, also the number
of fattened Cika bulls up to 24 months of age was also increasing. The number of slaughtered
Cika bulls over 24 months of age represented very extensive fattened bulls and culled sires for
natural mating on farms. In the last few years a small number of Cika breeders have decided
to rear steers, because steers meat is believed to be more juicy and tasteful. Usually they
reared steers just for self-supply on the farm. Despite the numerous researches on beef
quality, Cika steers and also bulls have not been studied yet. The number of culled cows is
higher in cows above 5 years of age, which is shown in Table 1. Among slaughtered heifers
are those born like twins together with a male calf and heifers with fertility disorders. The
number of slaughtered heifers is similar as the number of slaughtered steers. In endangered
population it is not advisable to slaughter calves, yet the number of slaughtered calves was
relatively high. In year 2005 20.7 % and in the year 2006 12.2 % of slaughtered cika cattle
were calves. On the other hand, a calf is a by-product in the traditional rearing of Cika cows
for milk production. In the region of Bohinj where the Alpine-dairy farming has still been
preserved, the number of slaughtered calves proved to be higher. At the beginning of
vegetation the cows were moved to the mountain pastures without calves, because the farmers
needed milk for cheese production. Our opinion is that female calves with well expressed
autochthonous breed characteristics should not be slaughtered despite the traditional rearing
technology.
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Table 1: The number of slaughtered Cika cattle in slaughter houses in years 2005 and 2006
(Žgur et al., 2006; Žgur et al., 2007)
Slaughtered (2005)
Slaughtered (2006)
Category of cattle
Cika cattle
All cattle
Cika cattle
All cattle
breeds
breeds
A Bulls up to 24 months
38
49862
97
53949
B Bulls over 24 months
37
20358
38
19824
C Steers
5
550
6
562
D1 Cows up to 5 years
9
9170
14
7302
D2 Cows over 5 years
16
17045
25
13888
E
Heifers up to 30 months
10
16108
7
14571
T
Calves
30
27520
26
23938
Total
145
140613
213
134034
Carcass weights for all cattle categories are shown in Table 2. Slaughtered cattle in
accordance with the category were very heterogenic in body weight which is seen in rather
large standard deviations. The average carcass weight of A category (bulls up to 24 months)
was 260.0 kg. The lightest carcass weight was 190.6 kg and the heaviest carcass weight was
329.4 kg. Here the effect of very heterogenic population in body weights can be seen. The
autochthonous phenotype of Cika cattle is lighter than Cika cattle improved with Pinzgauer
cattle in the past. On the other hand, Cika cattle has the brachycerous origin, suitable for milk
production, with low body weight and small frame. Bulls reared to the age of over 24 months
(B category) were in average heavier (327.9 kg), but had lower net daily gain compared with
bulls in A category. The lightest “B category” carcass weighed 270.3 kg and the heaviest
385.5 kg. Carcass weight of slaughtered steers was in 2005 and 2006 between 218.2 and
326.6 kg, which was similar to the bulls in A category. Carcass weight of cows up to 5 years
had in average 243.1 kg, while carcass weight of cows over 5 years of age weighed 268.2 kg.
Carcass weights of heifers were very light (191.1 kg). It would be better, if breeders fattened
heifers for higher weight prior to slaughter. The average carcass weights of calves were 89.1
kg. However, calves also had the best net daily gain. Most of the calves were just weaned
before slaughter, and that is the reason for high net daily gain and low carcass weight.
Table 2: Carcass weight and net daily gain for all categories of slaughtered Cika cattle in
years 2005 and 2006
Category of cattle
Average carcass
Average net
Average age
weight ± SD (kg)
daily gain
(months)
(g/days)
A Bulls up to 24 months (n = 135)
260.0 ± 69.4
473.2
18.6
B Bulls over 24 months (n = 75)
327.9 ± 57.6
374.5
29.9
C Steers (n = 11)
272.4 ± 54.2
300.6
30.6
D1 Cows up to 5 years (n = 23)
243.1 ± 57.6
182.6
45.1
D2 Cows over 5 years (n = 41)
268.2 ± 61.6
94.4
106.3
E
Heifers up to 30 months (n = 17)
191.1 ± 45.7
315.9
21.1
T
Calves (n = 56)
89.1 ± 26.9
731.5
4.4
SD = standard deviation
Gil et al. (2001) reported of carcass weights (Table 3) of low meat Spanish rustic cattle
breeds, two breeds with small to medium size frame (Asturiana de la Montana, Morucha) and
one medium sized frame breed (Avileña –Negra Ibérica). Cika bulls had similar carcass
weight as Morucha bulls, but the difference existed in age at slaughter. Cika cattle needed
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almost four months more fattening for the same carcass weight. On the other hand, Asturiana
de la Montaña bulls needed 541 days to reach 249.9 kg carcass weight and had similar net
daily gain (461.9 g/day) like Cika bulls (473.2 g/day). Avileña–Negra Ibérica had the highest
net daily gain and the heaviest carcass weight compared to all breeds shown in Table 3.
Table 3: Carcass weight and age at slaughter of three Spanish rustic breeds (Gil et al., 2001)
and of Cika cattle
Spanish rustic breed
Asturiana de la
Avileña–Negra
Cika cattle
Montaña
Morucha
Ibérica
(our study)
Carcass weight (kg)
249.9
259.9
279.4
260.0
Age at slaughter (days)
541.0
438.9
363.3
558.0
Net daily gain (g/days)
461.9
592.2
769.1
473.2
We decided to take a precise look on the conformation and fatness scores of bull’s and calve’s
carcasses (Table 4), because of the high share of all slaughtered Cika cattle in Slovenia. The
majority of bulls (up to 24 and over 24 months of age) and calves carcasses were classified in
“O” conformation class . However, in “B category” there were 45.5 % in class “O” and 41.8
% in class “R” of all slaughtered bulls. In A category there were only 28.8 %, and in calves’
category there were 39.5 % slaughtered cattle clasified in class “R”. We should emphasize
that carcasses classified in conformation class R were included to better market price class,
especially if fatness scores were 2 or 3. The percent of carcass classified in class U and P was
similar for all three categories. The effect of very extensive fattening on pastures and
brachycerous origin of Cika cattle may be the reasons for lower conformation scores. If scores
for conformation were just for one class higher, the market price for carcasses would be
better.
Fatness scores (Table 4) were a little bit different by categories. The majority of calves (89.5
%) were classified in fatness class 2 ; likewise 59.6 % of carcasses of bulls up to 24 months of
age. Fatness classes 2 and 3 are the most desired in Slovenia. The majority of carcasses of
bulls up to 24 months were classified in class 3 (49.1 %) and in class 2 (47.3 %). Problems of
over fatness or poor fatness almost did not occur in slaughtered Cika cattle.
All Cika cattle were slaughtered in the registered slaughterhouses in Slovenia. Most of Cika
cattle are reared extensively on small farms, just for self-supply. So, the large share of beef
produced with Cika cattle is meant for self-supply and housekeeping on the farm. The minor
share of beef is sold by farmers themselves to people in the farm neighbourhood. Beef is sold
without any trade mark, despite the fact that Cika cattle are reared mostly on mountain
pastures without any additional concentrates. Beef of cattle reared on ecological farms is sold
the same way as beef of Cika cattle. Cika breeders should take the opportunity and add value
to Cika beef. The quality of Cika beef should be better promoted, because of the small
quantities available in our country.
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Table 4: The conformation and fatness scores for slaughtered bulls of A and B category and
calves
Score Bulls up to 24 months Bulls over 24 months
Calves (T
(A category) (n = 104) (B category) (n = 55)
category) (n = 38)
E
0
0.0 %
0
0.0 %
0
0.0 %
U
3
2.9 %
4
7.3 %
2
5.3 %
Conformation R
30
28.8 %
23
41.8 %
15
39.5 %
O
67
64.4 %
25
45.5 %
20
52.6 %
P
4
3.8 %
3
5.5 %
1
2.6 %
1
2
1.9 %
1
1.8 %
3
7.9 %
2
62
59.6 %
26
47.3 %
34
89.5 %
Fatness
3
39
37.5 %
27
49.1 %
1
2.6 %
4
1
1.0%
1
1.8 %
0
0.0 %
5
0
0.0 %
0
0.0 %
0
0.0 %
So far, there are only five agritourism farms in Slovenia, which keep also Cika cattle. The
offered products of Cika in this agritourisms are dry meat products like sausages and salami.
In Slovenia we also have one private slaughterhouse, which prefers to slaughter and process
meat of autochthonous Slovenian breeds.
Conclusion
The obtained results showed great variability in carcass traits of slaughtered Cika cattle which
indicate great heterogeneity also in phenotypic traits (for example carcass weight and body
weight of adult cows). So, maybe this is the right time to ask our self, which phenotype of
Cika cattle we would like to preserve. Light Cika cattle with the emphasis on milk production
or a bit heavier Cika cattle with larger frame and larger body weight suitable for extensive
beef production in cow-calf system on pastures. Autochthonous Cika is well adapted to the
environment and also helps to maintain biodiversity and sustainable agricultural production,
especially in depressed areas.
References
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Oliván M., Osoro K., Garcia-Cachán M.D., Cruz-Sagredo R., Izquierdo M., Espejo M.,
Martín M., Piedrafita J. (2001). The effect of breed-production systems on the myosin
heavy chain 1, the biochemical characteristics and the colour variables of Longissimus
thoracis from seven Spanish beef cattle breeds. Meat Science, 58: p. 181-188
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