Improvement of milk production in Croatian autochthonous ... - dagene

Improvement of milkproduction in Croatianautochthonous sheep breedsZvonimir Prpić, , Boro Mioč, , Vesna PavićDepartment of Animal ScienceFaculty of AgricultureUniversity in Zagreb

Production of sheep milk in Croatia Primarilyfor meat production only 10–12% 12% sheep are bred for milk ( about 70 000 animals) Growing interest for production and processing ofsheep milk 2008 = 2 553 000 L (+36%) 2004 = 1 536 000 L Traditional cheese production (on familly farms orindustrially)Dagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Sheep milk production Milk production based onautochthonous sheepbreeds Locatedin the Adriaticcoastal area 7 autochthonous breeds >60% of total sheeppopulationDagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Autochthonous sheep breedscombined production characteristics(meat-milkmilk-wool)low yielding capacityadapted to karstvery good utilization ofpoor vegetationcapability for long distantwalkingresistant to drought periodsand hot summer temperaturesDagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Breeds for milkproduction Pag sheep most important breed for milkproduction total population: 30 000-35 000heads 2 500 heads under breedingprogrammeDagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Island Pag >50% of total amounts ofpurchased and processedmilk in Croatia 83% of island is covered withkarst specific botanical composition ofpastures with numerous aromaticplants → special organolepticproperties of milk and meat all milk is processed into cheese(Pag cheese)Dagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Table 1: Milk production characteristics ofPag sheep (n=1 501)Lactationlength(days)Length ofsucklingperiod(days)Length ofmilkingperiod(days)Totalmilkyield(kg)Fat(%)Proteins(%)16229133136,27,696,59Dagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Breeds for milk production Istrian sheep highest milk yield total population: 2 046 heads different exteriorcharacteristics from otherCroatian breeds influence of the Bergamosheep typical dairy breedcharacteristicsDagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Table 2: Milk production characteristics ofIstrian sheep (n=683)Lactationlength(days)Length ofsucklingperiod(days)Length ofmilkingperiod(days)Totalmilkyield(kg)Fat(%)Proteins(%)18149132225,27,026,14Dagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Today’s s challenges Exclusive selection on milkyield “baggy” udders with teatsplaced more horrizontaly more difficult to milk bymachine more susceptible to mastitis hygenic quality of milk because traditional cheeseproduction is mainly based onraw, termically non treated milkDagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Functional traits related toudder udder morphology traits objective udder measurements implementation of more effective linear evaluationsystem (9-point linear scale) udder health impoving udder health - selection based on milk SCC precondition: determination of physiological andpathological tresholds of individual SCCDagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia

Dagene, Annual Meeting, May 2009,Zagreb, Croatia