PRIORITIES OF TECHNICAL ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED IN
SHEEP AND GOAT HUSBANDRY IN THE CEEC
Martyniuk, Elzbieta
Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding
Warsaw Agricultural University
Brwinow, Poland
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ABSTRACT
During the last four European Association for Animal Production (EAAP) meetings 13 countries in our
region presented by papers in the sessions of the Sheep and Goat Commission. Sheep papers outnumbered goat
papers, 122 to 18. The areas of interest, regarding sheep and goat husbandry are presented below:
Meat production
As meat production has become a very important direction in many of the Central and East European (CEE)
countries, especially those exporting prime lambs to the EU market, there is a growing interest observed in the
evaluation and comparison of different crossbreeding genotypes and various lamb slaughter production systems.
Milk production
In a few countries of our region, sheep have been milked for centuries and sheep dairy products are a
traditional and important element in the human diet. So there are continuous efforts to increase milk production
in those countries, through selection of local sheep populations or their upgrading with milk breeds. It is often
connected with the introduction of dairy breeds like East-Friesian, British Milksheep or Awassi.
Wool production
With the introduction of a market economy, wool production lost its economic importance. No single paper
addressed the problems of pasture quality, improvement or management.
A growing interest in prolific breeds and improvement of fecundity in sheep flocks was also observed.
Breeding strategies, for small flocks, mainly of native breeds and especially endangered ones, were presented
as well as breeding methods aiming to build up slow virus resistance in sheep populations.
Production systems / management
In this section, papers dealt with evaluation of different production systems; i.e. the traditional Romanian
transhumance system or the mixed grazing system and its implications on parasite control. Management practises
were analysed in the light of production and productivity enhancement as well as improvement of profitability of
sheep husbandry. Also, there were papers presenting national Programmes and strategies for development of the
sheep sector in their countries.
Breeds: development, characterization and adaptation
Several papers were devoted to description of breeds and lines of sheep, especially newly developed synthetic
lines or backcross lines. As the import of exotic germplasm is taking place in the sheep sector in the CEE
countries, there were papers presenting performance of imported breeds and their adaptation to new
environmental/management conditions. Only one paper, from Slovenia, addressed the problem of conservation of
sheep genetic resources.
Goats
Papers on goats were not so numerous but their dimension was very wide and they addressed most of the
issues already presented in the case of sheep research. Performance recording using test day model in dairy goats
was investigated, as well as other management issues connected with milk production. Countries which imported
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cashmere goats, such as the Czech and Slovak Republics, presented results on performance and utilization of
these breeds.
In most of the countries in the sheep sector it became necessary to change a production goal - from wool to
meat - which required fundamental changes in flock breeding and management. Milk production was increasing
in importance, one of the solutions to improving profitability. A new breeding law, which has already been
implemented or is being developed, secures socialization of breeding, giving Sheep Breeders Societies new tasks
and responsibilities over breeding. Livestock husbandry in the CEE countries in the future will have to observe
the same welfare standards as are now applied in EU countries.
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INTRODUCTION
With rapid changes in sheep and goat husbandry in the CEE countries over the last several
years, the preparation for this session was not an easy task as the background information
which should be provided in the country reports were not available beforehand.
Research should be, and usually is, a mirror in which we are able to observe a reflection of
important issues to be sorted out and solved in livestock production. New developments in
stock reproduction, management and utilization are always preceded by scientific
experiments, analyses and evaluations. So my introduction to this session, dealing with
technical issues in sheep and goat husbandry in the CEE countries, is also based on analysis
of the area of scientific interest expressed in papers contributed by participants from the CEE
countries during annual EAAP meetings in the last few years, from 1994 through 1997.
Realizing the weakness of such an approach, as participation of different CEE countries in
the EAAP meetings was not representative, and contributed papers did not necessarily
represent the total dimension of research carried out in the country in question - nevertheless,
this analysis may provide a useful background for our discussion.
During the last four EAAP meetings, there were 535 papers contributed for Sheep and
Goat Commission sessions, out of which 140 (26 percent) were by authors coming from our
region.
Thirteen countries were represented; in two cases there were joint papers by authors from
different countries. The highest number of papers came from Poland (46), the Czech Republic
(26), Hungary (16), Slovak Republic (15) and Romania (11). Bulgaria contributed 9 papers,
Russia 7, Slovenia 5 and Yugoslavia 3 while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazahstan, Latvia and
Macedonia prepared one paper each. The reasons for these differences vary, but most are due
to financial limitations which make participation in the expensive EAAP meetings impossible.
Distribution of papers based on different subjects
Generally speaking, the papers were usually submitted to short communication sessions (64
percent), while our contribution in sessions devoted to highly specific subjects (i.e.
alternatives to drug therapy in nematodic infection control, slow virus diseases, strategies for
extensification or welfare aspects) was very limited. Sheep papers outnumbered goat papers,
122 to 18. The areas of interest regarding sheep and goat husbandry are presented below:
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Papers
Countries
122
11
Meat production
21
PL-9, CR-6, SR&RO-2, H&BG-1
Milk production
10
PL-3, BG, H &SR-2, CR-1
Wool production
10
BG-5, RO-4, PL-1
Feeding
18
PL-11, CR-3, H-2, SR&BiH-1
Reproduction
13
H-6, PL&SR-3, RO-1
Physiology
14
Pl-6, H-3, SR-2, BG,CR&SLO-1
Genetics and breeding
9
PL-4, CR-2, RUS,H&YU-1
Behaviour
5
RUS-4, SR-1
SHEEP
Production systems / management
11
CR-6, H,LV,PL,R&YU-1
Breeds (development, characterization,
adaptation)
9
PL&RO-3, CR,SLO&RUS-1
Miscellaneous (information system & microbial
contamination)
2
SLO-1, SR-1
GOATS
18
7
Milk, meat, cashmere, genetics, reproduction and
physiology
18
CR-6, PL-4, SR-3, SLO-2,
KAZ, MAC&YU-1
Meat production
As meat production has become a very important direction in many of the CEE countries,
especially those exporting prime lambs to the EU market, there is a growing interest observed
in the evaluation and comparison of different crossbreeding genotypes and various lamb
slaughter production systems. Improvement of carcass quality will become a must when the
trade of live animals is constrained, so utilization of USG measurements in prediction of
leanness in breeding stock has been initiated in the Czech Republic and Poland. Meat quality,
especially in connection with cold storage and fatty acids content, as well as different
supplements in feeding, were also the subjects of many research projects.
Milk production
In a few countries of our region, sheep have been milked for centuries and sheep dairy
products are a traditional and important element in the human diet. So there are continuous
efforts to increase milk production in those countries, through selection of local sheep
populations or their upgrading with milk breeds. On the other hand, in a few countries like
Hungary or Poland, milk production is being introduced into lowland areas as an alternative
possibility of sheep utilization which can improve profitability of this species. It is often
connected with introduction of dairy breeds like East-Friesian, British Milksheep or Awassi.
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Wool production
With the introduction of a market economy, wool production lost its economic importance.
In most of the countries, previously very much involved in the increase of wool yield and
wool quality improvement, such research has been stopped. Nevertheless, there is still some
interest in this area, mainly regarding utilization of typical wool/fur breeds, like Bulgarian
Fine Fleece sheep or Karakuls.
Feeding
This was the second best represented field of research, concentrating mainly on diet
composition, feeding level and their effect on lamb growth and carcass quality. There were
also several papers analysing effects of different supplements in lamb and ewe feeding,
especially in critical physiological periods such as pregnancy and lactation. Mineral and
vitamin supplements were mainly investigated, but probiotics, yeast cultures, oilseeds and
others were also included in quoted research. No single paper addressed the problems of
pasture quality, improvement or management.
Reproduction
There was a wide dimension of research dealing with reproduction issues, from
examination of reproduction systems (early mating, long-term utilization, seasonality, lambing
interval) through utilization of biotechnology in reproduction, such as intra-uterine or cervicouterine insemination or IVF. A growing interest in prolific breeds and improvement of
fecundity in sheep flocks was also observed.
Physiology
Papers on physiology were very much differentiated. Some analysed the status of
biochemical polymorphism in different sheep breeds, trying to find a relationship between
physiological markers and production traits; they also described concentration/activity levels
of several compounds in blood and organ tissues in ewes. Energy metabolism was another
area of research, with special interest in metabolic profile testing. Supplements in feeding
were investigated in terms of health and fitness improvement.
Genetics and breeding
Papers addressing this field concentrated on the estimation of genetic parameters in newly
developed synthetic lines, and on breeding value estimation using an animal model. Breeding
strategies for small flocks, mainly of native breeds and especially endangered ones, were
presented as well as breeding methods aiming to build up slow virus resistance in sheep
populations.
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Behaviour
There was one main centre, Novosibirsk, Russia, submitting a series of papers on the role
of domestic behaviour in different aspects of sheep production and husbandry. There was one
more paper from the Slovak Republic considering ethics, ethology and welfare in animal
husbandry.
Production systems / management
In this section, papers dealt with evaluation of different production systems; i.e. the like
traditional Romanian transhumance system or the mixed grazing system and its implications
on parasite control. Management practises were analysed in the light of production and
productivity enhancement as well as improvement of profitability of sheep husbandry. Flock
size effect on management strategies was considered. Also, there were papers presenting
national programmes and strategies for development of the sheep sector in their countries.
Breeds: development, characterization and adaptation
Several papers were devoted to description of breeds and lines of sheep, especially newly
developed synthetic lines or backcross lines. As the import of exotic germplasm is taking
place in the sheep sector in the CEE countries, there were papers presenting performance of
imported breeds and their adaptation to new environmental/management conditions. Only one
paper, from Slovenia, addressed the problem of conservation of sheep genetic resources.
Goats
Papers on goats were not so numerous but their dimension was very wide and they
addressed most of the issues already presented in the case of sheep research. Reproduction,
physiology and genetic improvement were the best represented areas of interest. Performance
recording, using test day model in dairy goats was investigated, as well as other management
issues connected with milk production. Countries which imported cashmere goats, like the
Czech and Slovak Republics, presented results on performance and utilization of these breeds.
DISCUSSION
These EAAP meetings provided an excellent forum for goat and sheep scientist of the CEE
countries to present papers on our areas of research. Upon reading all these papers again, one
may get a good picture of the present situation of the sheep and goat sector in our countries .
There is a lot of similarity between most of the countries in our region, mainly because of
the same economical and political conditions in which the sheep and goat sector had to
perform in the past. At present, we are going through very similar changes and difficulties
connected with the transition to a market economy.
In most of the countries in the sheep sector it became necessary to change a production
goal - from wool to meat - which required fundamental changes in flock breeding and
management. Milk production was increasing in importance, one of the solutions to
improving profitability. There are also attempts to develop alternative utilization of small
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ruminants which may (and should) provide environmental services, based on controlled
grazing, to manage landscape and protect biodiversity.
A severe breakdown of the public sector in agriculture, leading to liquidation of many
flocks of high genetic value, changed totally the flock structure and active population
structure. It had undesirable implications in breeding, especially performance recording and
selection. Instead of dealing with big state flocks, the genetic progress now has to be achieved
and implemented in relatively small private flocks. It is extremely difficult in the situation
where profitability of the sector is low; thus there is a limited interest in investing in high
quality breeding stock. Because of that, genetic improvement in purebred populations was
very low, if anything, in recent years.
At this same time, our countries are going through major changes regarding organization of
breeding. A new breeding law, which has already been implemented or is being developed,
secures socialization of breeding, giving Sheep Breeders Societies new tasks and
responsibilities over breeding. It is a great challenge, but with time and increasing experience
it should provide new opportunities and incentives for development of the sector.
With such external economical conditions, which are forcing farmers to extensification and
decrease of inputs, the production of high quality slaughter lambs has to be carried out. With
the new production goals, there are many questions to be asked regarding flock management,
and especially nutrition. Do we know well enough how to feed sheep which are supposed to
produce meat instead of wool? Is our understanding of meat sheep mineral and vitamin
demands sufficient, especially in the light of extensification and production based on grass,
where soil quality and pollution may be of a great importance. Do we realize various
consequences of macro- and microelement deficiency in fast growing ruminants? Similar
questions apply to high yielding milking sheep or dairy goats. I believe that in sheep
husbandry we are on the eve of the revolution which has already taken place in the pig sector,
introducing a new concept of balancing the daily feed ratio.
Reproduction is the second crucial area in terms of profitability of the sector. Most of all,
we have to question whether the present level of reproduction performance is satisfactory or if
it should be increased; in other words, what is the optimum litter size for the resources
available, both feed and labour. If the proliferation is sufficient we have to know how to
handle the extra lambs. Where the litter size has to be increased, it is an open question: how to
proceed, applying selection, population screening and open nucleus system , upgrading or
crossbreeding with prolific breeds or introducing a single gene. The answer has to be worked
out according to national, regional or local conditions.
Intensification of reproduction, e.g. three lambings in two years time, although hardly
justified in most of the systems might be useful in specific circumstances. The same remark
applies to eastrus synchronization and utilization of different drugs to increase ovulation rate.
Health status is the next issue to be considered, especially in the present situation. The
main health problems usually arise from malnutrition or lack of hygiene; many sheep diseases
are connected with poor management. Parasites are another common problem, which may
increase in importance in time as many of them are becoming resistant to various drugs.
Specific and most dangerous diseases like scrapie or medi visna are still not fully registered
- there is a question of their dimension in our stock as well as the availability of facilities to
identify them in our countries. Prophylactic treatment in many flocks is still incidental
although there are many flocks where permanent programmes are applied.
Organization and availability of veterinary services is an important issue; so is the
relationship between farmers and vets. In our countries, legal entitlements of farmers to
perform veterinary care is rather limited and it is something to be changed in the future.
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When considering flock management practises which may be applied at present in
countries of our region, it can be said that they have to be adapted to changing production
goals. In lamb slaughter production crossbreeding should be utilized as much as possible
while breeding season, product quantity and quality should be adjusted to market demands.
In dairy sheep, “saving milk” rearing methods as well as year-long milk production have to
be developed to provide continuous milk and dairy products to supply the market.
A lot of marketing and advertising has to be done to establish and strengthen sheep and
goats products on our market, as well as introduce them to the export markets.
Flock management practices have to improve profitability, which at present means
primarily a decrease in inputs and increase in performance. In future, it will depend more and
more on improvement of product quality and development of the market.
Finally, an issue which tends to be forgotten in our countries at the moment; in the future
Livestock husbandry in the CEE countries have to observe the same welfare standards as are
now applied in EU countries. In the sheep and goat sector will be much easier to implement
than in the pig and poultry sector. Nevertheless, we should think about it beforehand.
REFERENCES
EAAP. 1994. Proceedings of the 45th EAAP Annual Meeting, Edinburgh, 5-8 September
1994, EAAP.
EAAP. 1995. Book of Abstracts, EAAP- 46th Annual Meeting, Prague, 4-7 September 1995,
Wageningen Pers.
EAAP. 1996. Book of Abstracts, EAAP- 47th Annual Meeting, Lillehammer, 26-29 August
1996, Wageningen Pers.
EAAP. 1997. Book of Abstracts, EAAP- 48th Annual Meeting, Vienna, 25-28 August 1997,
Wageningen Pers.
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