THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PERFORMANCE TEST FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SIRES GENETIC BASE (the results of the 20-years test station work)

1. The establishment of the Station for Testing Cattle Production Properties is the result of the application of a Cattle breeding Programe in Croatia. 2. The Station for Performance testing deals with breeding and testing of Simmental breeding bulls as needed by the Artificial Insemination Centre of the Republic of Croatia by testing the growth and development capacities in the same keeping and feeding conditions. 3. In the last twenty years the Station has justified itself and fulfilled its tasks. By applying the breeding development programme between 20 March, 1975 and 20 March, 1995, 1044 bulls from 1,098 calves meant for testing completed the tests or were excluded from further testing. 4. Of all the bulls tested in the Testing station, 945 or 86.044 percent (Table 2), were then duly examined having first reached an average test weight (120-365) of 390,352 kilos. Daily growth was, accordingly, 1,586,978 g, and the life growth 534,615 kg, or 1,464,747 g. Other values were: withers height (VG) =128.418 cm, body length (DT) = 156,604 cm, sides width (ŠB) = 50,648 cm, breast width (ŠP) = 50,234 cm, breast depth (DP) = 65,099 cm, Pelvis depth (DZ) = 50,505 cm, breast volume (OG) = 195,758 cm, and tibia volume (OC) = 23,011cm. 5. The values of the bulls selected to be used in the Artificial Insemination Centre (n = 353) are ABOVE AVERAGE (Table 5). Thus, the weight on 120th day + 10.41 kilos, 365th day + 23.28 kg, showing a daily growth during tests of + 79,33 g, life growth + 64.41 g, withers height (VG) = + 1.37 cm, body length (DT) = +2.37 cm, breast depth (DP) = +0.80 cm, breast volume (OP) = +2.83 cm. 6. The inclusion of a larger number of bulls for planned artificial insemination is one of the most important tasks of the Selection and Reproduction Unit. Since only a large number of calves in private farms and in the Station would make better selection of bulls for the use by the Artificial Insemination Centre possible. 7. Since the work of the Station is in the function of the national cattle production, PERMANENT FINANCING FROM THE NATIONAL STIMULATION FUNDS is needed in order to continue with the work of this important segment of breeding and selection so that the Station could justifiy its work and fulfil its tasks properly in the future as well