University of Montenegro

BIOTECHNICAL INSTITUTE

Podgorica, Montenegro

The farm animals genetic resources

in Montenegro

Bozidarka Markovic, research fellow

Dimitrovgrad, 2004.

Area - 13 812 km2

Population – 650000

Climate: Mediterranean,continental to sub alpic

MONTENEGROSouth – East of EuropeSouth – West of Balkan

Montenegro is small area,

with very diversified

geographic:

• Mountains 85%;

• valleys and fields 15%;

(Lim, Zeta, Skadar lake);

• Sea cost 293 km

(70 km of sandy

beaches);

• National parks 4;

• Canyons 5;

• Lakes 40

Species 1981 1991 2001

Num-

ber

% Num-

ber

% Num-

ber

%

Cattle 183 100 189 103 170 96

Sheep 493 100 487 99 250 51

Goats - - - - 50* -

Horses 26 100 20 77 15 58

Pigs 24 100 24 100 23 96

Poultry 658 100 942 143 750 114

NUMBER OF LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY (1000 HEAD)

LIVESTOCK OF MONTENEGRO

Montenegro has a large number of populations of domestic farmanimals.Majority of these populations are small and very specific in termsof their genetic and phenotypic characteristics.Some of them are threatened by extinction.

AUTOCHTHONOUS BREEDS

CATTLE POPULATION

0,5Busha

47,5Crosses

15 Tyrolean gray

3Simmental

12Holstain

22Brown Swiss

%Breeds

Busha - autochthonous brachyceros type of cattle

The current number of purebred heads is very small

Estimation – only a few hundreds breeding animals (100-200)

BUSHA

Strains of Pramenka (Zackel)

• Pivska

• Zetska zuja

• Ljaba

• Bardoka

• Sjenicka

SHEEP

Pivska pramenka Coarse wool long tail strain of pramenka

• The most important and most numerous

strain in total sheep population;

• Typical mountain strain, well adapted to

severe conditions of rearing;

One of the largest strains in terms of

body size (body weight 53 – ewes and 60

kg - rams;

Current population size estimated on 5 -

8000 of purebred heads.

Zetska zuja(yellow face sheep)

• It is reared in a very limited area –

flet area around of Podgorica;

• yellow – red color of face and fore

legs;

• one of the smallest strain of

pramenka, in regarding of body size ;

• Permanent decrease of population

size – the most dangered by

extinction (only few tens of purebred

heads and few hundreds in type of

Zetska zuja.

Ljaba• Rearing area – southeast part of

Montenegro,

• Characterised by white face and

wool, but sometimes face can be

colored;

• Body size similar to zetska zuja -

Well adapted to scarce nutrition.

• Very small population size –

a

few thousands,

• Level of danger is lower than

for zetska zuja, but should be

protected

Bardoka

-Rearing area is mainly alongside of

border with Albania.

- One of the larger strains of

Pramenka,

- It is white coarse-wool sheep with

white face and legs,

- Population size is continually

in decreasing,

- Current population has inly several

hundreds purebred heads

GOATS

Domestic balkan breed of goat

Domestic Balkan goat

- There are several strains in terms

of coat color (red-brown, black,

white, mutycolored...),

-Red-brown strain is considered as

the authentic representative

of Balkan goat breed in

Montenegro.

-

HORSESDomestic hilly horse

-As a species is reared in

hilly and mountain regions

-Horse is still used as a source

of work power

-Total horse population has approx.

15 thousands of heads.

-Population of Domestic Hilly

(mountain) hors is very small.

DONKEY

-No proper evidence on population size

-Rearing area is in south of Montenegro

• In order to protect the breeds and strains, the following steps should be taken:

• 1. Preparing of the Program of conservation of all autochthonous breeds and strains

of animals on the national level which should include the following priorities:

• a) Identification of the most important farm animal genetic resources and their

habitats;

• b) Characterization of animal genetic resources (morphological, productive and

genetics), their distribution, main characteristics and current state;

• c) d) Establishment of permanent program for monitoring and organization in situ

consevation

• on the farms and development ex situ methods of conservation (kriopreservation,

DNA, etc)

• 2. The improving of international communication and cooperation.•

Possible conservation program