Agriculture, Vol. 13 No. 1, 2007.
Original scientific paper
GENETIC AND PRODUCTIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BURLINA CATTLE BREED
Chiara Dalvit
R. Dal Zotto
M. De Marchi
M. Cassandro
Abstract
The Burlina (BUR) is a local Italian cattle breed, its main feature is to be a small sized animal well adapted to live in difficult environment such as mountain areas. Nowadays only 350 cows are enrolled in the Italian Herd Book due to its substitution by more productive breeds. This study proposes a phenotypic and genetic characterization of the BUR breed in comparison with Holstein Friesian (HFR) and Brown Swiss (BSW). The comparison of productive traits showed lower production than HFR and BSW as well as longer productive life and more favourable reproductive traits in BUR animals. The genetic analyses, performed by microsatellites markers, showed the high level of heterozygosity and the genetic distinctiveness of BUR. These findings approve the feasibility of a conservation scheme and suggest the profitability of breeding BUR, especially in difficult environment where the low production can be compensated by longevity and the economic loss by the added value of its typical dairy production.
Keywords
Burlina cattle breed; genetic characterization; conservation
Hrčak ID:
16070
URI
Publication date:
29.6.2007.
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