This paper gives the main characteristics of animal production in Croatia and analyzes its competitiveness as a basis for possible collaboration between the countries of Quadrilateral in the field of animal production. It describes the current state and recent trends in milk and meat production and their perspective after Croatian accession to EU. Particular emphasis is put on the analysis of trade relations with countries of the Quadrilateral. The main characteristic of Croatian livestock production is the small average farm size and low productivity what could be the main reasons for a general inefficient domestic livestock production and dependence on import of both live animals and animal products (milk and meat). In order to increase the competitiveness of Croatian farmers’ and meet the increasing for milk and meat additional farm concentration and the cooperation of small holders as well as a more effective use of local resources such as land, labour and livestock tradition is necessary. In addition, after EU accession Croatian livestock sector can expect further integration in international trade and better opportunities for export (e.g. elimination of protective tariffs) on common EU market, especially with regard to products that are lacking in EU (e.g. beef). In this way collaboration between countries of Quadrilateral through development and implementation of new technologies can contribute to a better use of specific national resources and better production efficiency.

Cilj rada je utvrditi utjecaj polimorfizma MC4R gena na svojstva kakvoce polovica i klasa prema SEUROP sustavu ocjene. Tovljenici (n=130) bili su križanci pasmina ♂P x (♂VJ x ♀SL), a utovljeni su po konvencionalnoj tehnologiji velikih farmi do prosjecne žive mase 110, 3±15, 66 kg. Nakon klanja utvrđene su mase trupova, metodom “dvije tocke” izmjerena je debljina slanine, promjer MLD, postotak misicne mase i SEUROP trgovacke klase. Genomska DNA je izolirana iz uzoraka krvi (venae jugularis), te je potom izvrsena genotipizacija na poziciji 1426 (G/A) nukleotidne sekvence MC4R gena koristeci PCR-RFLP TaqI test. U populaciji tovljenika utvrđene frekvencije genotipova AA, AG i GG su bile redom 0, 09, 0, 43 i 0, 48 te su se znacajno razlikovale (p<0, 05) od ocekivanog prosjeka prema Hardy Weinbergovom zakonu. Utjecaj polimorfizma MC4R gena utvrđen je kroz razlike između tovljenika genotipova AA, AG i GG za debljinu slanine (p<0, 05) i razlicite distribucije klasa trupova ocijenjenih prema SEUROP sustavu.

Slavonian Kulen (SK) is traditional dry sausage produced in the region of Slavonia in eastern Croatia. It is made from mince of pork, back fat, spices and salt filled into pork cecum. After stuffing, the sausages are cold-smoked and ripened-dried afterward for several months. Present work aimed to analyse some physicochemical and organoleptic traits of ripe SK as well as the safety of final product. The SK samples (n=12) from different small-scale manufactures were analysed. The following physicochemical attributes were recorded: moisture 38.2%±3.6, protein 35.0%±3.1, fat 23.7%±4.6, moisture/protein ratio 1.1±0.1, pH value 5.37±0.23 and water activity (aw) 0.82±0.02. Mean organoleptic scores, on five-point scale, were 3.7±0.6 for surface appearance, 3.4±0.6 for surface smell, 3.8±0.5 for consistency, 3.2±0.4 for inner smell, 3.0±0.7 for cross section quality, 3.3±0.5 for texture, 3.1±0.4 for taste and aroma, 3.0±0.5 for after taste and 3.2±0.4 for overall quality. Regarding the product safety, the following results (per kg) were determined: histamine 330.8 mg±126.3, tyramine 233.9 mg±124.7, nitrite 6.55 mg±3.88 and benzo(a)pyrene 0.05 たg±0.03. Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes have not been found in any sample while counts of S. aureus, enterobacteria and sulfite-reducing clostridia were in accordance with regulations.

Crna slavonska svinja je autohtona hrvatska pasmina ciji nastanak datira iz druge polovine 19 stoljeca. Stvorio ju je grof Pfeiffer križanjima krmaca Crne Mangalice s Berksir nerastima, a križanci su povremeno popravljani križanjem s Poland China nerastima. Do 1950-tih Crna slavonska svinja bila je najrasirenija pasmina u Slavoniji i uvelike se koristila za proizvodnju masti i tradicionalnih mesnih proizvoda. Uvođenjem modernih pasmina i križanaca, broj Crnih slavonskih svinja drasticno se smanjio te je tijekom 1990-tih opstanak pasmine postao ugrožen. Kao rezultat poduzetih mjera zastite i državnih poticaja efektivna populacija dosta se povecala posljednjih godina te u 2008. godini brojala 78 nerasta i 669 krmaca. Pasmina je dobro prilagođena za držanje na otvorenom i tradicionalni sustav uzgoja koji ukljucuje iskoristavanje pasnjaka i sumskih ispasa uz prihranu malim kolicinama žitarica. Velicina legala je mala, u prosjeku 7 do 8 prasadi. Tovne sposobnosti također su skromne uz niske dnevne priraste i visok udio masti u trupu. Međutim, pasmina se odlikuje dobrom kakvocom mesa uz posebice visok udio intramuskularne masnoce (6-7%) i visoku vrijednost mesnih prerađevina. Povecanje proizvodnje i razvoj tržista tradicionalnih mesnih proizvoda, kao sto je Slavonski kulen, može u buducnosti predstavljati najbolji put za dugorocno ocuvanje Crne slavonske pasmine kao sastavnog dijela bioloske raznolikosti.

Turopolje pig breed (T) is an autochthonous Croatian breed in the state of renewal and protection. In 2008, the breeding population was 130 sows and 15 boars. The aim of this study was to compare haematological and blood biochemical parameters of the pigs/hogs T and crossbreds TCSL. The pigs TCSL were offspring from the mating of T boar and crossbred sows CSL (♂CHypor x ♀Swedish Landrace (SL)). Pigs (T, n=20 ; TCSL, n=10) were produced by traditional Croatian technology of low feed input in outdoor production system (utilisation of natural resources such as acorn, soil and pasture accompanied by 0.5 kg of corn seed/animal/day). Serum concentration of glucose, urea, creatinine, triglycerides, total cholesterol, enzyme activity (CK, γ-GT, AST, ALT, and AP), blood cell count (WBC, RBC) and Haemoglobin (Hb) content were analysed. In both, T and TCSL pigs, the measured parameters, except for LDH in T and TCSL, and Hb in T were within the physiological range. The T pigs had significantly lower values of glucose (P<0.05), creatinine and Hb (P<0.01) than TCSL. The tendencies (P<0.10) of higher urea concentration and AST activity and lower RBC and ALT activity were observed in T pigs.

Since 1996, Turopolje pig breed, an autochthonous Croatian breed and one of the older European pig breed is in the state of renewal and conservation. The aim of this study was to determine the size of breeding and effective (Ne) population and some of the biological traits which should be of importance in the program of in-situ preservation. According to the FAO standards, this breed is in the status of critical/endangerment although the obtained results showed the increase of breeding (12 vs. 130 sows and 3 vs. 15 boars) and effective population (9.6 vs. 53.8) from 1996 to 2008, respectively. The average litter size (number of born piglets in total and live were 7.7 and 6.3, respectively) and piglets weights at 1st (1.25 kg) and 42nd (4.4 kg) day of age were within the standards for this breed. The average survival of piglets from 1st to 42nd day of age was 73.5%. The composition of carcass and carcass parts estimated as a ratio of muscle:fat tissues was 1.1:1.0 and 0.8-1.5:1.0, respectively. In addition, fatty acid composition of M. longissimus dorsi (MLD) and back fat as well as MLD histochemical and histomorphological characteristics (diameter and proportion of red slow-twitch oxidative (SO), white fast-twitch glycolytic (FG) and intermediate fast-twitch oxidative glycolytic (FOG) fibre types) were specific. The characteristics of carcass and tissues traits are consequences of specific historical conditions, breeding, selection and production in specific environment. The biological traits of Turopolje pig breed are not limiting factors in the increasing of breeding population and changing of the present endangerment status.

Black Slavonian (BS) pig is local Croatian breed originated in Slavonia region in the second half of the 19th century. Until the 1950s it was the most widespread breed in Slavonia, mainly used for the production of fat and meat products. Later, its population was drastically reduced and in 1990s the survival of the breed was endangered. In order to halt breed decline the State introduced protection measures which resulted in population increase ; in 2008 there were 78 boars and 669 sows. The breed is well adapted for traditional outdoor keeping which includes the utilization of pasture and woodland with supplement of a small amount of grains. Litter size is low with ~ 1.5 farrowing per year per sow. The fattening abilities are also modest, with low daily gains and high share of fat in the carcass. However, the meat quality is good, with high content of intramuscular fat and high appreciation of its meat products. As a part of current trends of support of sustainable and traditional food production systems, it becomes important to preserve the production systems of BS pigs and their products. Development of marketing of niche products could be the best way for long-term preservation of breed.

In this work, the fatty acid (FA) composition of muscle tissue of baby-beef cattle was investigated with regard to its nutritional value. Twenty six Simmental cattle of both sexes produced under the intensive conditions of housing and feeding were slaughtered at the age of one year and final weight of 489.6p 46.5 kg. The portion of muscle (m.longissimus dorsi) was taken for the chemical analysis at the level of 8th rib on cooled halves 24 h post mortem. Muscle fat content was determined by Foss-Let apparatus after extraction of lipids with tetrachloroethylene. Fatty acid composition was determined by gas liquid chromatography using in situ transesterification method and given as % of total weight of fatty acids. The average muscle fat content was 18.96 g/kg (95% CI 14.09-23.83). The average proportions of saturated FA (SFA), monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) in muscle tissue were 43.03 (95% CI 42.19-43.87), 43.05 (95% CI 40.74-45.36) and 13.08 % (95% CI 10.96-15.19), respectively. The indicators of nutritional quality of fats like ratios of PUFA to SFA (PUFA/SFA) and n-6 PUFA to n-3 PUFA (n-6/n-3), as well as the atherogenicity index (AI) in muscle were 0.31 (95% CI 0.25-0.36), 13.51 (95% CI 12.59-14.43), and 0.60 (95% CI 0.58-0.63), respectively. These results suggest a need for the improvement of nutritional value of baby-beef fats through the modifications of its FA composition, primarily through n-3 PUFA enrichment.

Abstract Polymorphisms in sheep PrP (prion protein) gene are known for scrapie susceptibility. We sequenced part of PrP exon 3 gene in 92 autochthonous Istrian (IS) and 38 crossbred sheep (CBS). ARQ, ARR and AHQ alleles were predominant with frequency of 0.674 (0.526), 0.228 (0.132) and 0.082 (0.263) in IS (CBS), respectively, while VRQ (0.011 in IS) and ARH (0.005 in IS and 0.079 in CBS) alleles were rare. We also found non-synonymous mutations at codons 112 (M→T), 127 (G→S) and 143 (H→R), and synonymous mutations at codons 231 (R) and 237 (L). Additional mutations were associated only with AHQ, ARH and ARQ alleles. The polymorphism of PrP gene in IS was not critical with respect to scrapie susceptibility and with some efforts number of “favourable” genotypes can be increased.

Abstract The fatty acid (FA) composition of muscle and adipose tissue was investigated in intensively fed beef cattle. Heifers had more intramuscular fat with higher proportion of monounsaturated FA, while bulls had higher proportion of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA). The same was found in adipose tissue accompanied by higher proportion of saturated FA (SFA) in bulls. The PUFA/SFA ratio was close to recommendation for human diet only in bulls’ muscle, while n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios were generally higher than recommended. The observed FA variability between sexes was due to the differences in fatness. To improve the nutritional value, the n-3 PUFA in beef should be increased.

Abstract Commercial crossbred pigs slaughtered at different live weights were used to investigate the effect of G1426A polymorphism in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene on carcass composition and meat quality traits. The significant effect of G/A substitution on backfat thickness (BF; P<0.01) was observed in pigs slaughtered at high live weight (123.0±6.5kg), but not in pigs slaughtered at low live weight (99.1±3.7kg). That was accompanied by tendency of decrease (P<0.10) in estimated lean meat percentage (LMP). The BF was higher and LMP was lower in AA compared to GG genotype (P<0.01). Meat quality traits were not affected by MC4R genotype. These results suggest that GG genotype could be favourable in pigs slaughtered at higher live weights due to lower BF and higher LMP.

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the udder morphology and milking characteristics changes throughout lactation during machine milking of the sheep. Additionally, udder morphology was analyzed by using slide ruler and digital picture. Milking characteristics were influenced by milking interval and day of lactation. Udder morphology traits did not change throughout lactation, except for udder width. The repeatability between slide ruler and digital picture measurements was high (r=0.53 to 0.68). Milkability in Istrian dairy crossbreed ewes could be improved if udder traits are incorporated in selection scheme. Digital picture analysis for faster recording of udder morphology measurements in sheep can be used.