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The contribution of domestic cattle in human societies is enormous, making cattle, along with other essential benefits, the economically most important domestic animal in the world today. To expand existing knowledge on cattle domestication and mitogenome diversity, we performed a comprehensive complete mitogenome analysis of the species (802 sequences, 114 breeds). A large sample was collected in Southeast Europe, an important agricultural gateway to Europe during Neolithization and a region rich in cattle biodiversity. We found 1725 polymorphic sites (810 singletons, 853 parsimony-informative sites and 57 indels), 701 unique haplotypes, a haplotype diversity of 0.9995 and a nucleotide diversity of 0.0015. In addition to the dominant T-3 and several rare haplogroups (Q, T-5, T-4, T-2 and T-1), we have identified maternal line in Austrian Murbodner cattle that possess surviving aurochs' mitochondria haplotype P-1 that diverged prior to the Neolithization process. This is convincing evidence for rare female-mediated adaptive introgression of wild aurochs into domesticated cattle in Europe. We revalidated the existing haplogroup classification and provided Bayesian phylogenetic inference with a more precise estimated divergence time than previously available. Occasionally, classification based on partial mitogenomes was not reliable; for example, some individuals with haplogroups P and T-5 were not recognized based on D-loop information. Bayesian skyline plot estimates (median) show that the earliest population growth began before domestication in cattle with haplogroup T-2, followed by Q (-10.0-9.5 kyBP), whereas cattle with T-3 (similar to 7.5 kyBP) and T-1 (similar to 3.0-2.5 kyBP) expanded later. Overall, our results support the existence of interactions between aurochs and cattle during domestication and dispersal of cattle in the past, contribute to the conservation of maternal cattle diversity and enable functional analyses of the surviving aurochs P-1 mitogenome.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) belongs to the group of contagious disease that affects the nervous system with fatal outcome. Chronic wasting disease belongs to this group and is characteristic for animals from the deer family. In this study polymorphisms in eleven codons located in exon 3 of the PrP gene has been investigated red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) population. Exon 3 regions, 628 bp long, were amplified by the PCR method from genomic DNA. Sequencing was performed by applying the Sanger dideoxi method. Results showed presence of eight different genotypes and eight different haplotypes. Susceptible genotypes were not found at a high frequency.

We aimed to evaluate the changes in eating behaviours of the adult population across 16 European countries due to the COVID-19 confinement and to evaluate whether these changes were somehow related to the severity of the containment measures applied in each country. An anonymous online self-reported questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, validated 14-items Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) Adherence Screener (MEDAS) as a reference of a healthy diet, eating and lifestyle behaviours prior to and during the COVID-19 confinement was used to collect data. The study included an adult population residing in 16 European countries at the time of the survey. Aggregated Stringency Index (SI) score, based on data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, was calculated for each country at the time the questionnaire was distributed (range: 0–100). A total of 36,185 participants completed the questionnaire (77.6% female, 75.2% with high educational level and 42.7% aged between 21 and 35 years). In comparison to pre-confinement, a significantly higher adherence to the MedDiet during the confinement was observed across all countries (overall MEDAS score prior to- and during confinement: 5.23 ± 2.06 vs. 6.15 ± 2.06; p < 0.001), with the largest increase seen in Greece and North Macedonia. The highest adherence to MedDiet during confinement was found in Spain and Portugal (7.18 ± 1.84 and 7.34 ± 1.95, respectively). Stricter contingency restrictions seemed to lead to a significantly higher increase in the adherence to the MedDiet. The findings from this cross-sectional study could be used to inform current diet-related public health guidelines to ensure optimal nutrition is followed among the population, which in turn would help to alleviate the current public health crisis.

Aiming determination of the effect of horse age and competitive season (May, July, September) on stress indicators in jumping horses in running track, research was performed on 14 studs (7 younger, and 7 older) trained and bred in the same conditions. The stress indicators (heartbeats, cortisol, glucose, and lactate concentrations in saliva) were measured or sampled before, during and at the end of the training - running track. The significance of the differences in stress indicators due to horse age regarding the competitive season was tested by t-test (PROC GLM, SAS/STAT). Based on conducted research it could be concluded that all analyzed stress indicators: heartbeats, and cortisol, glucose, and lactate concentrations in saliva, during the entire competitive season, were higher in younger (less experienced) comparing to older (more experienced) horses. Furthermore, all analyzed stress indicators were highest in July that is in the peak of competitive season. Since every physical activity causes a certain amount of stress, monitoring of stress indicators, especially heart- beats could be used for routine evaluation of horse preparedness for a particular activity.

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of contagious neurodegenerative diseases that attack neural tissue by the formation of aggregates of prion particles in it. The final outcome of these diseases is lethal. Causative agent is prion, a cellular glycoprotein which have two forms, not contagious with the α - projection, denoted PrPC and infectious with the β - folded plate and labeled PrPSc. This disease is characteristic for many mammals and humans also. Research has shown that there are genetic predispositions to disease or resistance to it. In the case of goats, various codons that may be associated with disease resistance are reported in the literature, mostly for codon 146. In the study of polymorphisms in chamois, the same information as for goats was used. The genomic DNA was used in the study, which was isolated from the full blood of animals and was subjected to a polymerase chain reaction with specially designed primers. The populations of the chamois have shown that the investigated population is monomorphic when it comes to PrP gene.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) is a group of diseases that affects nervous system, and which leads to death. Scrapie is an infectious disease of sheep and goats that belongs to this TSE group and with always fatal outcome. The putative infectious agent is the host-encoded prion protein (PrP) and it appears that the development of scrapie in sheep is closely related to polymorphisms in the host PrP gene. The aim of this study was to investigate three well-known polymorphisms in exon 3 of the PrP gene (on chromosome 13) that have a clear and significant effect on scrapie in sheep (at codons 136, 154 and 171), but also to investigate four other polymorphisms in exon 3 (at codons 145, 185, 231 and 237) that are undefined yet, but might have some effect on disease. The study was performed on the Bosnian sheep – Pramenka breed, Kupreski strain from central Bosnia. Genomic DNA was isolated from venous blood and then a 628 bp long DNA fragment from exon 3 was amplified using the PCR method. The results from this study indicate the presence of nine different genotypes associated with susceptibility of scrapie in investigated Bosnian sheep population(s). Five haplotypes were found.

Aiming to determine the persistency of effect of heat stress in Simmental cows reared in Eastern Croatia regarding the parity and susceptibility to heat stress, 539, 993 test- day records from 59, 821 cows collected in the period from January 2005 to December 2012 were analysed. The cows with determined statistically significant decrease in daily milk production at set temperature-humidity index (THI) threshold value (68 and 72) were included in the further analyses. The persistency of heat stress effect was defined as the drop in daily milk traits in the subsequent milk recordings (1st and 2nd) after the heat stress. The obtained results indicate that cows heat stressed at lower THI threshold value had higher drop in daily milk yield in subsequent milk recordings. Furthermore, cows in first parity experience higher drop comparing to older cows. The negative effect of heat stress on daily milk contents that existed in all cows was more pronounced in the 2nd milk recording. Finally, the lower was THI threshold value (cows more susceptible to heat stress), the stronger and more persistent was heat stress effect. Given the very likely increase in the frequency of days with heat stress in the future, it is necessary to develop a proper mitigation strategy for dairy cattle production.

The objectives of this study were the analysis of the effect of driver on racing Performances of trotters and development of a genetic model in order to estimate genetic parameters for German trotters. Data on 6,611 trotters with 163,322 records during 1997 and 1999 were analysed with a repeatability animal model using each individual start of trotters and pedigree information of up to 11 generations (13,202 horses). Besides the driver effect, the genetic model included year-season, age and sex of trotter, racing track, distance and condition of race track as fixed effects as well as additive genetic and permanent environmental effects as random effects. Traits analysed were Square root. of rank at finish, racing time per km and the logarithms of earnings per start. Ignoring the effect of driver resulted in an overestimation of heritability of 60, 24 and 44% for rank at finish, racing time and earnings, respectively, which shows the necessity to include the driver effect in the model. Drivers regarded as fixed or random effects resulted in a marginal change in parameters. Heritabilities based on the model with fixed driver effect were 0.05, 0.29 and 0.09 for ranks at finish, racing time and earnings, respectively. Genetic correlation between rank and racing time was 0,81. Both traits were highly correlated with earnings of −0.98 and −0.89 for ranking and racing time, respectively. Most important trait for selection of racing Performance was the racing time due to its substantial higher heritability and its high genetic correlation to earnings. Additionally, rank at finish has to be included in the breeding goal because it reflects more the potential of trotters to win at finish and accounts for records without earnings.

Received: 2018-05-07 | Accepted: 2018-05-14 | Available online: 2018-11-26 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2018.21.04.155-158 Busha cattle are indigenous breed in many Balkan countries. Because of the economic, cultural and scientific reasons it is very important to protect biological diversity of autochthonous breeds like Busha. In the past several decades, as a result of uncontrolled crossing of this cattle with some more productive breeds, the number of purebred Busha animals is permanently being reduced which imposes an urgent need for setting up in situ and ex situ conservation program for this breed. Since Busha is bred in many Balkan countries, the aim of this study was to define main productive, reproductive and exterior traits of Busha cattle in the following countries: Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia. Also, number of animals and possibility of future production system was analysed. Analysed data indicate that highest milk production potential and lowest age at first mating has Serbian Busha (till 2000 kg in lactation, at 18 months). Regarding the exterior traits, smallest frame was observed in Bosnian and Macedonian Busha. The population decrease in the past several decades was determined in all analysed countries. The conservation programs in Croatia and Serbia resulted in certain increase of Busha population, but aiming successful preservation of the breed, economically effective production systems should be put in practice. The branding of Busha’s products could result in necessary added value. Taking into account similarity between all Busha breeds as well as population sizes, branding should be organized on regional level. Keywords : Busha breed, Balkan region, characteristics, preservation References Adilovic, S., Andrijanic, M. (2005) Indigenous Breeds of Domestic Animals of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo. Agency of Food and Veterinary (AFV) of RM (2014) Cattle breed structure in Macedonia. [Online] Skopje: Agency of Food and Veterinary. Available at: http://www.fva.gov.mk/index.php?lang=mk [Accessed 1 March 2018]. Brka, M., Zecevic, E., Dokso, A., Rahmanovic, A. (2007) Identifikacija i evidencija brojnog stanja autohtonih pasmina goveda i konja Bosne i Hercegovine. Sarajevo: Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Brka, M., Omanovic, H., Zecevic, E., Dokso, A. (2011) Model the preservation of indigenous breeds. In: Sustainable conservation of livestock breeds diversity for the future: impact of globalisation of animal breeding and the loss of farm animal genetic diversity – a conflict? 8 th Global Conference on the Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources. Tekirdag: Namik Kemal University, 455-458. Bunevski G., Saltamarski Z. (2017) Genetic erosion of genetic resources of cattle in the R. of Macedonia. In: 3 rd International Symposium for Agriculture and Food – ISAF 2017. 18 th to 20 th of October 2017, Ohrid, Macedonia. Croatian Agricultural Agency (2017) Annual report for 2016 – Cattle Breeding. [Online] Križevci: Croatian Agricultural Agency. Available at: http://www.hpa.hr/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Govedarstvo.pdf [Accessed 1 May 2018]. Institute for Animal Husbandry (2018) Main breeding program for autochthonous breeds of Serbia. Annual reports 2018. Belgrade: Institute for Animal Husbandry. Skrtic, Z., Levart, A., Jovanovac, S., Gantner, V., Kompan, D. (2008) Fatty Acid Profile in Milk of Busha, Cika and Simmental Breed. Acta agriculturae Slovenica, Suplement 2, 213-217.

The phylogenetic layout of the genotyped (30 microsatellite) 18 sheep breeds in this study demands and provides the opportunity to evaluate both neutral and adaptive components of genetic diversity in a naturally and artificially selected and subdivided sheep population. Seven Pramenka strains from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia characterized by a very low intensity of artificial selection, preserved the highest neutral genetic variability. Eight central and north-western European breeds under considerable artificial isolation and selection preserved the lowest genetic variability. Only combinations of various phylogenetic parameters offer a reasonable explanation for underlying evolutionary forces working in the investigated island and mainland sheep breeds under variable natural and artificial selection. More than 60% of total genetic, diversity was allocated to virtually unselected Pramenka strains, and an additional 25% to native moderately selected Graue Gehoernte Heidschnucke and intensively selected Ostfriesische Milchschafe. Some economically very important breeds and strains did not contribute to a pool with maximal genetic diversity, while they play an important role in the cultural heritage of respective countries.

The quality and yield of milk, and therefore of dairy products as well, depends directly on their protein composition. Milk gene proteins represent structural locuses that are functionally associated with milk production. In cattle selection a special importance is attached to the variability of kappa casein (κ-CN) as one of the four casein milk proteins. Genotypes of 21 Simmental breed cows, 20 crossbred cows obtained by crossing of Simmental and Red Holstein breed, and 25 cows of autochthonous Busha breed were determined for kappa casein by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR- RFLP) of amplified DNA. The κ-CN genotype frequencies for Simmental breed were: 42.8; 47.6 and 9.6 % for AA, and BB genotype, for crossbreds: 75.0; 25.0 and 0.0% and for Busha individuals: 41.7; 50.0 and 8.3 %, respectively. Frequencies of A and B alleles, assessed on the basis of genotypic frequencies were 0.667 and 0.333 for Simmental breed, 0.875 and 0.125 for crossbreds and 0.667 and 0.333 for autochthonous Busha cattle breed, respectively. For confirming the phenotypic variability of milk yield in standard lactation, yield of milk fat and the content of milk fat per κ-CN genotypes within breeds observed the fixed model which included the breed effect, lactation in order and effect of κ-CN genotype (AA, and BB) was used. The κ-CN genotype statistically significantly (p ≤0.05) influenced milk yield and highly significantly (p ≤0.01) milk fat yield, while the content of milk fat was not statistically significantly (p>0.05) influenced in examined animals.

Preservation of genetic diversity is one of the most pressing challenges in the planetary boundaries concept. Within this context, we focused on genetic diversity in a native, unselected and highly admixed domesticated metapopulation. A set of 1, 828 individuals from 60 different cattle breeds was analysed using a medium density SNP chip. Among these breeds, 14 Buša strains formed a metapopulation represented by 350 individuals, while the remaining 46 breeds represented the global cattle population. Genetic analyses showed that the scarcely selected and less differentiated Buša metapopulation contributed a substantial proportion (52.6%) of the neutral allelic diversity to this global taurine population. Consequently, there is an urgent need for synchronized maintenance of this highly fragmented domestic metapopulation, which is distributed over several countries without sophisticated infrastructure and highly endangered by continuous replacement crossing as part of the global genetic homogenization process. This study collected and evaluated samples, data and genomewide information and developed genome‐ assisted cross‐border conservation concepts. To detect and maintain genetic integrity of the metapopulation strains, we designed and applied a composite test that combines six metrics based on additive genetic relationships, a nearest neighbour graph and the distribution of semiprivate alleles. Each metric provides distinct information components about past admixture events and offers an objective and powerful tool for the detection of admixed outliers. The here developed conservation methods and presented experiences could easily be adapted to comparable conservation programmes of domesticated or other metapopulations bred and kept in captivity or under some other sort of human control.

Different biogeographical and sociocultural conditions have contributed to develop several West Balkan native sheep populations, most of which are considered as different types of Pramenka sheep. These populations have a wide variety of phenotypes that indirectly indicate a quite high level of genetic variability. Here, we analyzed agouti signalling protein ( ASIP ) and melanocortin 1 receptor ( MC1R ) gene polymorphisms in two Pramenka sheep populations (Dubian and Privorian) originated in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which coat colours and colour patterns are not fixed traits and evaluated association between these genes and coat colours of the investigated sheep. All genotyped animals carried only wild type MC1R haplotypes and no association between variability of this gene and coat colour was observed. Association between the absence of duplicated ASIP copy allele and almost complete dark (black/grey) coat colour was highly significant (Fisher exact test: P = 5.872E−09). These results confirmed the role of the Agouti locus in affecting coat colour in sheep. The six animals with complete concordance between absence of duplicated copy allele and extended black/grey coat colour may be homozygous for recessive nonagouti black alleles ( A a ), as indicated in other breeds. Despite the highly significant association observed between absence of duplicated allele and extended dark coat colour in these Pramenka sheep, association was not complete. One Dubian sheep with the same coat colour phenotype was heterozygous with a duplicated and a non duplicated allele. Moreover, spotted black regions were present in all animals carrying at least a duplicated ASIP allele. These results indicated that other genetic factors or mechanisms (additional uncharacterized ASIP alleles, other loci, or epistatic interaction with other genes) might be involved in affecting coat colours (white vs dark) and different spotted patterns in sheep. This study could represent an example of eploitation of native genetic resources to identify and verify association between DNA markers and phenotypic traits.

Buša is an old endangered autochthonous breed of the western Balkan, especially Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. A related breed is Gatačko, derived from Buša × Tirolean Grey crossbreds. Fifteen purebred Buša cattle and thirteen Gatačko animals were genotyped for polymorphisms at the kappa-casein gene by a Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) essay. The alleles A, B and C were found and the allelic frequencies were 0.46 (A), 0.46 (B) and 0.08 (C) in Buša cattle and 0.58 (A) and 0.42 (B) in Gatačko. Only AA, AB, BB and BC genotypes occurred. Further alleles were not detected and are therefore either absent in both populations or rare. The allele »B« found in this small population will be useful for a sire selection program in the future.

The aim of this study was to determine allele frequency at the diacylglycerol-O-transferase 1 gene (DGAT1) K232A polymorphic site and effect of allelic variants K and A on milk production traits of Holstein (dairy), Simmental and Brown Swiss (dual purpose) cattle breeds in Croatia. The DNA was extracted from hair of 371 cows, while coding region of DGAT1p.K232A was amplified using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Dominant frequency of K allele was determined in all three analysed breeds: Holstein (0.775), Simmental (0.616) and Brown Swiss (0.651). The most Holstein cows were homozygotus for KK variant (0.637), while dominant genotype in other two breeds was KA (Simmental 0.647; Brown Swiss 0.644). Positive effect of KK genotype on milk yield was detected in Holstein and Brown Swiss breeds, while in Simmental breed was negative (-220.8 kg; -463.6 kg) in regard to KA and AA genotype. Milk of cows with KK genotype in Holstein breed, KA in Simmental and AA in Brown Swiss were found as the most favourable in terms of fat content. Cows of AA genotype in all the three analysed breeds have had higher milk protein content. Statistical analysis was performed using the GLM procedure, including genotype and breed effects as independent variables. The effects of DGAT1genotypes on milk quantity and quality were not significant (P>0.05)., Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi frekvenciju alela diacilglicerol-0-transferase 1 gena (DGAT1) K232A polimorfnog mjesta i utjecaja alelnih varijanti K i A na količinu i kvalitetu mlijeka tri pasmine krava, mliječnog i dvojnog tipa proizvodnje u Hrvatskoj. Istraživanje je uključivalo 371 jedinku holstein, simentalske i smeđe pasmine krava. DNA je izolirana iz dlake, kodogena regija DGAT1p.K232A gena umnožena je korištenjem PCR-RFLP metode. Dominantna frekvencija alela K utvrđena je kod sve tri istraživane pasmine: holstein (0,775), simentalske (0,616) i smeđe pasmine (0,651). Većina krava holstein pasmine bila je homozgotna za KK varijantu (0,637), dok je dominantan genotip za druge dvije pasmine bio KA (simentalska 0,647; smeđa pasmina 0,644). Pozitivan utjecaj KK genotipa na proizvodnju mlijeka zabilježen je populacijama u holstein i smeđe pasmine, dok je u simentalskoj populaciji bio negativan (-220,8 kg; -463,6 kg) u odnosu na KA i AA genotipove. Mlijeko krava KK genotipa holstein, KA genotipa simentalske i AA genotipa u smeđe pasmine imalo je veći sadržaj mliječne masti. Krave AA genotipa u sve tri istraživane pasmine proizvodile su mlijeko s većim sadržajem proteina. Statistička analiza provedena je uz pomoć GLM procedure, uvažavajući genotip i pasminu kao neovisne varijable. Utjecaj DGAT1 genotipova na istraživane kvantitativne i kvalitativne osobine mlijeka nisu bile signifikantne (P>0,05).

From 1997 to 1999 1005 new born German Holstein calves were investigated for the incidence of supernumerary teats. Age at inspection varied from 1 to 4 weeks. In total 110 affected calves (20 male and 90 female) and their 21 sires were genotyped for five chromosome 3 microsatellites. The average size of half-sib families was 5.2 ranging from 2 to 17. A non-parametric multipoint linkage analysis showed no evidence for linkage.

Cilj ovoga rada bio je istražiti utjecaj polimorfnih varijanti β-laktoglobulina, κ-kazeina i αs1-kazeina na ukupnu proizvodnju mlijeka te prosječni udio mliječne masti i bjelančevina u mlijeku holstein, simentalske i smeđe pasmine goveda u Hrvatskoj tijekom prve tri laktacije. Premda su uočeni određeni utjecaji polimorfnih varijanti β-laktoglobulina, κ-kazeina i αs1-kazeina na visinu proizvodnje mlijeka istraženih pasmina goveda, razlike nisu bile značajne. Istraživanjem su utvrđeni utjecaji polimorfnih varijanti β-laktoglobulina, κ-kazeina i αs1-kazeina na prosječni udio mliječne masti u mlijeku istraženih pasmina goveda, no uočene razlike također nisu bile značajne. Utvrđene razlike u udjelu bjelančevina u kravljem mlijeku s različitim polimorfnim varijantama β-laktoglobulina, κ-kazeina i αs1-kazeina nisu bile značajne, osim u slučaju BC genotipa αs1-kazeina koji je pokazao pozitivan utjecaj (P, The object of the present study was to analyse effect of polymorphic allelic variants of β-lactoglobulin, κ-casein and αs1-casein on total milk yield, fat and protein content in milk of Holstein, Simmental and Brown cattle breeds in Croatia during the first three standard lactations. Although the certain effects of polymorphic variants of β-lactoglobulin, κ-casein and αs1-casein on the level of milk yield in analyzed breeds of cattle are observed, those effects were not significant. The effect of polymorphic variants of β-lactoglobulin, κ-casein and αs1-casein on average fat content in milk of analyzed breeds has noticed, although differences were not significant. Differences in protein content in milk with different polymorphic variants of β-lactoglobulin, κ-casein and αs1-casein were not significant, except in case of BC genotype of αs1-casein, which was significant (P

Summary A previously published data-set with observations on supernumerary teats (hyperthelia) in dual-purpose Simmental was reanalysed by maximum-likelihood. The data comprised 537 unrelated animals and 614 members of 27 paternal half-sib families with known phenotype of each sire. The frequency of hyperthelia was 58% in unrelated animals, 51% in families with unaffected sire, and 73% in families with affected sires. Six different cases of single-gene inheritance were considered. The highest log-likelihood was obtained for additive inheritance and for a recessive pattern with 100% penetrance for recessive homozygotes and 32% for both other genotypes. Estimates for the gene frequency of the favourable allele were 0.34 and 0.29, respectively. Simple dominance or recessiveness with full or incomplete penetrance could be excluded. The possibility of finding paternal half-sib families with a heterozygous sire as a resource for a mapping experiment seem to be good in German Simmental. Zusammenfassung Untersuchung des Erbganges fur Hyperthelie beim Rind mittels Maximum-Likelihood-Analyse Schon fruher veroffentliche Daten mit Beobachtungen zum Auftreten uberzahliger Zitzen (Hyperthelie) bei Fleckviehtieren wurden einer Maximum-Likelihood-Analyse unterzogen. Das Material bestand aus 537 unverwandten Tieren und 614 Tieren, die aus 27 verschiedenen vaterlichen Halbgeschwistergruppen stammten, wobei der Phanotyp des Vaters jeweils bekannt war. Die relative Haufigkeit uberzahliger Zitzen betrug 58% bei unverwandten Tieren, 51% bei Nachkommen von nicht betroffenen Vatern und 73% bei Nachkommen von Vatern, die selbst uberzahlige Zitzen aufwiesen. Sechs verschiedene Moglichkeiten monogener Vererbung wurden untersucht. Die hochsten Werte fur die log-likelihood ergaben sich fur einen additiven Erbgang sowie fur eine Variante mit 100% Penetranz fur die rezessiv Homozygoten und jeweils 32% Penetranz fur die beiden anderen Genotypen. Fur das erwunschte Allel wurde in beiden Varianten eine ahnliche Frequenz von 34% bzw. 29% geschatzt. Einfache dominante oder rezessive Erbgange, auch mit unvollstandiger Penetranz, konnten ausgeschlossen werden. Die Aussicht, fur Kartierungsexperimente geeignete vaterlichen Halbgeschwisterfamilien zu finden, scheint fur die Rasse Fleckvieh gunstig zu sein.

Several different phenotypes of the native Pramenka sheep have been developed in the Balkan region for different environmental and socio- cultural conditions. Animals from seven West Balkan Pramenka sheep types were analysed for 15 microsatellite markers and for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the results were used to assess genetic variation within and among the types and to infer the genetic population structure of the Pramenka sheep. Mean expected heterozygosity and allelic richness over the microsatellite loci and sheep types were 0.78 and 7.9, respectively. A Bayesian statistical method for estimating hidden genetic structure suggested that a core of the largest panmictic population was formed by Serbian, Kosovan, Bosnian, Montenegrin and Albanian types, while Croatian and Macedonian types comprised two other main populations, respectively. Mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed two mtDNA haplogroups in the Pramenka sheep, B and A, with a frequency of 93.7% and 6.3%, respectively. A total of 60 mtDNA haplotypes were found in 64 animals sequenced, and the mean nucleotide and haplotypic diversities over the types were 0.013 and 0.945, respectively. Molecular analysis suggests that the West Balkan Pramenka sheep types have their origins in two distinct maternal lineages of domestic sheep and different Pramenka phenotypes tend to form few panmictic populations. The Pramenka sheep represents a valuable resource of genetic diversity in sheep.

Knowledge of spontaneous aberrations, namely, of their frequency in non-irradiated cells is of paramount importance not only in cytogenetic research, but also in contemporary animal production.The paper deals with research on spontaneously emerged chromosomal aberrations in the peripheral blood lymphocytes in the cattle of ‘Buša’ breed.To obtain metaphase chromosomes the conventional method of lymphocyte cultivation was used, albeit slightly modified and adapted to the examined animals and the laboratory conditions.The research findings indicate that a certain percent of spontaneously emerged chromosomal aberrations of chromatid type (gap and break) have been found in the peripheral blood lymphocytes in the cattle of ‘Buša’ breed.

The incidence of supernumerary teats has been recorded in 179,793 German Simmental and 37,460 German Brown Swiss cows. Data were collected from first-crop daughters of test bulls from 1987 to 1998. The number of sires was 4298 and 1039, respectively. The average frequency of affected animals was 44.3% in German Simmental and 31.2% in German Brown Swiss. A significant yet small effect was found for herdbook membership (yes/no) and, in the Simmental data only, for inspector. The impact of year of birth and year of inspection was also significant, and more important, reflected a decrease of the population averages with time. Surprisingly, the incidence of supernumerary teats increased significantly with the parity number of dams in both breeds. A Bayesian threshold animal model approach was used to estimate the heritability of the occurrence of supernumerary teats. The posterior mean for the heritability was h 2 =0.45 in German Simmental and h 2 =0.43 in Brown Swiss, with standard errors of 0.01 and 0.03, respectively. Ranks of sires obtained from threshold and linear models showed a rank correlation of roughly 0.8 in both breeds. For a sound identification of the worst sires, a threshold model is recommended.