The use of molecular genetics in animal production

Molekularna genetika tijekom minula dva desetljeća metodološki i aplikativno ušla je u niz ljudskih djelatnosti, a u osobitoj mjeri nalazi primjenu u proizvodnji hrane odnosno animalnoj proizvodnji. Pružajući uvid u strukturu i funkciju genoma i gena, oblikovane genetske karte domaćih životinja i ge-netski markeri postaju oruđe učinkovitije selekcije, unapređenja bitnih proizvodnih svojstava, eliminacije nasljednih bolesti i veće pouzdanosti u selekcijskom radu. Iznalaženje direktnih i indirektnih genetskih markera vezanih za ekonomski bitna proizvodna obilježja domaćih životinja od pri-marnog je interesa animalne molekularne genetike. Ugradnjom odgovarajućih genetskih markera u uzgojne programe omogućeno je biranje uzgojno pogodnih jedinki u ranoj životnoj dobi, neovisno o spolu, konstituciji, fiziološkom statusu i drugim čimbenicima, prije nego što se ekonomski bitna proizvodna svojstva uopće ispolje. Nasljedne bolesti učinkovito se otkrivaju i suzbijaju testovima direktne DNA detekcije greške koda odgovarajućih gena. Osobito je važna mogućnost otkrivanja i izlučivanja heterozigota s nasljednom greškom. Provjera postojanja određenih genskih poremećaja u nekim je slučajevima obaveza nacionalnih uzgojnih programa, te preduvjet pristupu tržištu rasplodnog materijala i animalnih proizvoda. Potvrda rodoslovlja na DNA razini setom visoko polimorfnih genetskih markera daje gotovo potpunu sigurnost u ispravnost podataka odnosno otkriva slučajne ili namjerne greške u vođenju podataka. Valjana potvrda rodoslovlja u provedbi uzgojnih programa i tržišnoj razmjeni uzgojno valjanih i uporabnih grla obaveza je svih koji žele sudjelovati u globalnim tržišnim tokovima. Neizostavna je važnost mole-kularne genetike u konzervaciji animalnih genetskih resursa, budući da daje temeljne spoznaje o originalnosti uzgoja, razini uzgoja u srodstvu, kon-taminiranosti drugim genomima, što je osnova za postavljanje valjanih konzervacijskih uzgojnih programa. Velike su mogućnosti koje molekularna genetika pruža kroz transfer gena i oblikovanje transgenih životinja, premda su u ovom području otvorene mnoge dvojbe oko opravdanosti postupaka i mogućih posljedica manipulacije genima. Genetski markeri učinkovito se koriste u provjeri sukladnosti, kvaliteti i kvantiteti namirnica. Molekularna genetika našla je svoje mjesto u animalnoj proizvodnji, a na nama je odgovornost razumijevanja mogućnosti, prednosti i rizika, te ugradnje u postojeće uzgojne programe u optimalnoj mjeri.During the last two decades, molecular genetics has entered numerous human activities methodologically and applicatively and is particularly used in food manufacturing, i.e. animal production. Giving the insight into the genome structure and function, formed genetic maps of domestic animals, genetic markers have become the tool of a more efficient selection, the promotion of significant production features, elimination of hereditary diseases and higher reliability in selection work. Finding direct and indirect genetic markers connected with economically significant production features of domestic animals has been a primary interest of the animal molecular genetics. By building adequate genetic markers into breeding programmes, the choice of suitable breeding individuals in the early age has been made possible, regardless of the sex, constitution, physiological status and other factors, before these economically significant manufacturing features become apparent. Hereditary diseases are efficiently discovered and treated by tests for direct DNA detection of adequate gene code errors. Particularly important is the possibility of detecting and extracting heterozygotes with a hereditary error. Checking for the existence of certain genetic disturbance is in some cases the obligation of national breeding programmes and a precondition for the access to the market of breeding material and animal products. The confirmation of a pedigree on a DNA level by a set of highly polymorphic genetic markers gives almost absolute certainty of the data correctness, i.e. it discovers accidental or intentional errors in data management. A valid confirmation of a pedigree in carrying out breeding programmes and the market exchange of breeding valid and usable animals is the obligation of all those who want to participate in global market flows. The significance of molecular genetics is unavoidable in the conservation of animal genetic resources since it gives basic ideas about the originality of breeding, the level of breeding in relationship, contamination by other genomes, the basis for establishing valid conservation breeding programmes. Molecular genetics offers great possibilities through a gene transfer and formation of transgene animals, although, in this area there are many doubts about the justification of such procedures and possible consequences of gene manipulation. Genetic markers have been efficiently used in checking the compatibility, quality and quantity of food. Molecular genetics has found its place in the animal production and the responsibility of understanding possibilities, advantages and risks, as well as buildingit in to the existing breeding programmes to the optimum, lies with us

Characterisation of Non-recognized Maternal Lines of the Croatian Lipizzan Horse Using Mitochondrial DNA

Under the assumption that some of the unrecognized Lipizzan lines originate from one of the classical female lines, the main goal of this studies was to prove that stud book data was not kept adequately. Since in the framework of LIF the conducted INCO Copernicus project „Biotechnical methods in the maintenance of genetic diversity of the Lipizzan horse breed“ comprised the research of the genetic structure of the entire studfarm Lipizzan horse population in European national stud farms, it was possible to compare its results to the results of this research and confirm or disprove set hypothesis. Analysed mares in the stud books of the Stud Farm of Ðakovo are introduced as representatives of five families: Beba – Elza, Cura – Lela, Lenica – Lasta, Liza – Cica and Liza – Pliva. Characterising of mitochondrial genome has confirmed negligent record keeping of origin in private breeding. Some non-recognised families are descendants of recognised Lipizzan families. Haplotype Allegra is found in the family of Liza-Cica-Pliva, and haplotype Capriola in the family of Cura-Lela. Both haplotypes are very common in the Lipizzaner breed and inherent to classic Lipizzan families

EXTERIOR FEATURES OF CROATIAN AUTOCHTONOUS HORSE BREEDS

Autohtone hladnokrvne hrvatske pasmine konja udjelom su dominantno zastupljene u ukupnoj populaciji konja u Hrvatskoj. Njihov sustavni uzgoj započeo je početkom devetnaestog stoljeća na području Međimurja a zatim se proširio na područja Podravine, Posavine i Slavonije. Bazna populacija na kojoj su izgrađene bio je konj "bušak", ovisno o podneblju različito konformacijski i genetsko profiliran. S nakanom popravljanja konformacije ondašnjeg "bušaka" tijekom dvadesetog stoljeća uvažani su kvalitetni rasplodnjaci teških europskih pasmina konja, primarno noričke, pešeronske i belgijske krvi, kojima se "oplemenjivala" postojeća populacija. Diferenciranost bazne populacije te usmjeren selekcijski pristup uvjetovali su profiliranje ondašnje izvorne populacije u autohtone pasmine koje se danas nalaze na ovim područjima. Posavski konj i hrvatski hladnokrvnjak zadržali su se na marginalnim pašnjačkim područjima u nevelikom broju koji iziskuje konstantan monitoring. Populacija međimurskog konja svedena je na tridesetak grla, radi čega je nužno njeno pomno praćenje i povremeni ciljani unos srodne "svježe krvi". Istraživanje je obuhvatilo 378 konja (214 posavskih konja, 146 hrvatskih hladnokrvnjaka i 18 međimurskih konja). Unutar populacije posavskog konja zamjetna je manja varijabilnost eksterijeknih obilježja. Uočljivo je profiliranje populacije u dva podtipa, različita u formi glave i jačini koštane osnove, što je posljedica tijeka oplemenjivanja ove pasmine. Hrvatski hladnokrvnjak je najvećeg tjelesnog okvira. U populaciji hrvatskog hladnokrvnjaka također je uočljivo je profiliranje dva glavna pasminska podtipa, koje kao takve treba zasebno promatrati i uzgojno podržavati oblikovanjem primjerenih linija i rodova. Na jednom od podtipova hrvatskog hladnokrvnjaka uočljiv je trag stoljetnog oplemenjivanja izvorne populacije s europskim pasminama teških konja (veći tjelesni okvir, grublja glava i jača koštana osnova) za razliku od drugog podtipa koji je profinjenije koštane osnove i manje glave. Međimurski konj je u fazi konsolidacije uzgoja, a limitirajći čimbenik je mala efektivna veličina populacije.Croatian cold-blooded breeds make the most numerous breed group of horses in Croatia. Their systematic breeding started in the 19th century in Međimurje and then it spread to Podravina, Posavina and parts of Slavonia. They were bred on the then horse population \u27busak" which, depending on the climate, was differently, conformationally and genetically, profiled. With the aim of improving the conformation of the then "busak\u27, during the 20th century, quality stallions of heavy European horse breeds were imported, primarily of Noric (the Noriker), Percheron and Belgian blood, which were used for „improving“ the existing population. The Posavina horse and the Croatian Coldblood have remained in the marginal pasture areas in a small number which demands constant monitoring. The Murinsulaner horse population has been reduced to thirty heads, due to which a careful following and occasional purposeful introduction of related „fresh blood“ is necessary. The research included 378 horses (214 Posavina horses, 146 Croatian Coldblood and 18 Murinsulaner horses). Several methods were used Lydtin stick, measuring tape and photometry. The population of the Posavina horse includes a small variability of conformation features, mostly conditioned by the breeding area. In the Croatian Coldblood population two breed types have been observed, which as such should be separately studied and supported in breeding. ln the first type, the trace of a hundred-year improvement of the original population with the European breeds of heavy horses has been observed and it has a bigger body frame, rougher head and stronger bone base. The second type of the Croatian Coldblood is a little lighter, bl a smaller head and smaller body frame. The Murinsulaner horse is in the stage of a breeding consolidation, and its limiting factor is a small effective population size