Analysis of genetic and cultural conservation value of three indigenous Croatian cattle breeds in a local and global context

Abstract

It is widely accepted that autochthonous cattle breeds can be important genetic resources for unforeseeable environmental conditions in the future. Apart from that, they often represent local culture and tradition and thus assist in the awareness of ethnic identity of a country. In Croatia, there are only three indigenous cattle breeds, Croatian Buša, Slavonian Syrmian Podolian and Istrian Cattle. All of them are threatened but specialized in a particular habitat and production system. We analysed 93 microsatellites in 51 animals of each breed to get thorough information about genetic diversity and population structure. We further set them within an existing frame of additional 16 breeds that have been genotyped for the same marker set and cover a geographical area from the domestication centre near Anatolia, through the Balkan and alpine regions, to the north-west of Europe. The cultural value was evaluated regarding the role in landscape, gastronomy, folklore and handicraft. The overall results recognize Croatian Buša being partly admixed but harbouring an enormous genetic diversity comparable with other traditional unselected Buša breeds in the Anatolian and Balkan areas. The Podolian cattle showed the lowest genetic diversity at the highest genetic distance to all remaining breeds but are playing an important role as part of the cultural landscape and thus contribute to the tourist industry. The genetic diversity of the Istrian cattle was found in the middle range of this study. It is already included in the tourist industry as a local food speciality. Current and future conservation strategies are discussed.

Molecular Characterization Of Autochtonus Slavonian Syrmian Podolian Cattle

“…At the same time this livestock possesses an economic value in the tourist industry, which is an important part of the Croatian economic system [16]. The presented results of our molecular genetics research confi rmed the statistical fi ndings by Ivanković et al regarding the increased level of kinship between the remaining Slavonian Syrmian Podolians.…”

“…At the time of that genetic research, the effective size of the population was Ne = 15.06, but with the necessary correction, it was signifi cantly smaller (Ne = 6.40), whereas the level of kinship inbreeding was ΔF = 0.0186. The period of systematic protection allowed a small improvement of the population status but the breed is still endangered [2,16].…”

Mitochondrial DNA-based genetic evaluation of autochthonous cattle breeds in Croatia

“…We assume that this is the result of a larger number of females included in several nucleus herds for the purpose of a conservation programme spread over a wide geographic area. The large genetic diversity preserved in the BU population was also confirmed by and Ramljak et al (2011), by microsatellite analysis. Medugorac et al (2011) observed several "metapopulations" of shorthorn cattle (B. brachiceros) related to Croatian Busha within the Balkan migration routes.…”

“…In the population of IC, a considerable level of the maternal component variability has been preserved, as confirmed by the 13 observed mtDNA haplotypes. A high amount of conserved genetic variation in the population of IC was detected by Ramljak et al (2011) andMaretto et al (2012) using microsatellites, compared to a lower level in the BU population. The above claim is explained by IC having a more restricted breeding area, as well as by the centuries-old informal principles of breeding in Istria which favoured the local breed, very well adapted to the climate.…”

“…Although a study of the natural genetic variation among Croatian autochthonous cattle breeds by microsatellites was reported by Ramljak et al (2011), a large part of molecular variation remains unknown. The efforts to better understand the genetics of these three breeds for conservation purposes also include an analysis of mtDNA.…”