The aim of the recent study was to determine the morphological characteristics of the donkey population in some areas of Bulgaria. The number of donkeys included in the research was 96, bred in three regions of Bulgaria -Kardzhali, Stara Zagora and Sofia. Four exterior measurements were taken from each donkey as follow: height at withers, body length, chest circumference and cannon bone circumference. Height at withers and body length were measured with measuring stick the two circumferences were taken with measuring tape. The main coat color of the donkeys was determent as part of the study. The estimated mean value for height at withers was 119.8 cm with variation within the range of 99 cm to 148 cm; the mean body length value was 124 cm ranging from 102 cm to 154 cm. Chest circumference ranged from 115 cm to 160 cm, average 136 cm and cannon bone circumference is with mean value of 16 cm varying from 13 cm to 20 cm. More common coat colors of the examined donkeys were brown and grey with the typical dark cross on the back.

The aim of the recent study was to trace back the development of the donkey population in Bulgaria for the period 1950-2015. For that purpose the data from the National Statistic Institute and FAO was processed and other sources related to the problem were analyzed. Donkeys in Bulgaria used to be a comparatively large share of the traction power animals in the past, with the occurance of the social and economical changes after 1990 their number was dramatically reduced. This process is most noticeable after 2000, when for five year period until 2005 the donkey population in Bulgaria drops down from 207000 to 90000 individuals, as in 2013 this number falls down to 35000 according to FAO.

The endurance discipline has the shortest history in Bulgaria compared with other disciplines of equestrian sports. Endurance competitions are held over distances from 40 km to 160 km. The present study focused on the effect of exercise on horses over a distance of 120 km. Changes in the following hematological parameters were investigated: Leukocytes (WBC, g/l); Erythrocytes (RBC, T/l); Platelets (PLT, g/l); Hemoglobin (Hb, g/l); Hematocrit (HCT,%); Mean corpuscular volume (MCV, fl); Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH, pg); Mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC, g/l), Leukogram (Eos; Bas; Neu; Lym; Mon,%) as well as some electrolytes and hormone concentration. The study aimed to establish the changes in these indicators' values before and after the competition. Analysis of the haemogram showed a significant increase in the mean values ​​of 4 of the indicators under study. No significant differences were established in MCV, MCH and MCHC. A decrease was found in the number of Lym, Eos, and Mon and a significant increase in Neu after the competition. The concentration of electrolytes (Ca, Na and K) in the blood serum decreased, and the levels of CK and LDH significantly increased.

The donkeys, together with other labour animals (mules and hinnies) are domestic animals that are losing their popularity continually among the rural population in Bulgaria. For the last decades, the population of donkeys in Bulgaria decreased nearly 10 times, from 328 587 donkey registered in 1990 to 35 000 in 2013. For some obvious reasons they were pushed aside, as in recent times it is much easier for a smallholder farmer to cultivate the land with modern machinery than with animal power. The objective of the experiment was to estimate and compare the body measurements of male and female donkeys reared in Bulgaria. The coat colour of the animals was also recorded to estimate the variation of it inside the groups. A total number of 198 donkeys (74 males and 124 females) were included in the study. The animals were located in different regions of Bulgaria. From each individual these main four body measurements were taken: height at the withers, body length, chest circumference and cannon bone circumference. The average height at the withers for male donkeys was 120.40±7.13 cm as for the females it was 119.75±6.83 cm. Body length for males and females was 124.47±7.62 and 123.71±8.01 cm on average, respectively. Mean values for the chest, and cannon bone circumferences for male individuals were 137.08±9.64 and 16.15±1.21 cm, the same traits on female donkeys were on average 134.16±8.11 and 15.65±1.27 cm.

During the recent decades, the donkey, as an ever-employed labour animal, is slowly but steadily losing its value. The agricultural industrialization, mechanization of many processes at the mountain and valley farms led to rejection of the donkeys as a livestock. This reduction in donkey numbers evokes some concerns. This fact is a good reason to study all aspects of these domestic animals, in order to revive their role and to restart their livestock growth in the familiar habitat, and bring them into the new environmental conditions. For the recent research, 35 donkeys (23 males and 12 females) were chosen. All animals lived on Styria terrain in Austria. The following morphometric parameters were analysed: height at the withers (VG), pelvis length (DK), pelvis width (SK), and point of buttock width (SSK). For the males, the average height at the withers was 116.70 cm and the average pelvis length – 40.13 cm. The average pelvis width was 38.56 cm, and the average point of buttock width – 16.39 cm. For the females the average height at the withers was 101.48 cm, the average pelvis length – 36.00 cm, pelvis width was 35.41 cm. The average point of buttock width was 13.66 cm. These measurements show the influence of the height at the withers on the development of the pelvis, particularly on its width and height for both males and females. Comparatively to other donkey populations of the world, the Austrian donkey has an average size.

Abstract. The population status and breeding policy of the Danubian horse breed were studied for a relatively long period, from 1953-2017. The study traced the change in population number of the breed in decades and by different categories of animals. The analyses show a strong reduction in the number of Danubian horses in all categories. The small number of newborn foals is associated with the lowering number of breeding mares especially after the 1980s. In the last decade, according to an officially published bulletin by the breeding organization on the other hand, there was an increase in the number of mares and stallions and inconsistent with that number of breeding horses, newly born foals. In a historical aspect, the breeding policy of the Danubian horse showed some interesting and unpublished so far facts. Those facts are related, on the one hand, with the origin of the mares that became founders of families and, on the other hand, with the use of stallions of different breeds for input of purebred animals.

No abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the dynamics in the development of the genealogical structure of the trotter horse population in Bulgaria. The information was collected from the Annual Reports of European Trotting Union (U.E.T) as well as the annual catalogues of the Standardbred, Orlov, French and Russian trotter breeds of the above-mentioned organization. Routine zoo-technical methods were used for the data analysis. The comprehensive study of the genealogical structure of trotter horse breeds in Bulgaria shows that trotter horses bred in our country belong to some of the prominent sire lines worldwide. The sire lines maintained until 1990 are no longer popular due to the increased importation of stallions from Italy, France, Germany and other countries. The trotter horse population in Bulgaria shows high level of genetic diversity.