The paper presents the current state of the homologation process of the first Romanian rabbit breed. Animal production very often takes into account aspects such as conservation of national genetic resources, but also an improved productivity. These two issues are the main reasons for creating the first rabbit breed in Romania: Transylvanian Giant Rabbit Breed. We point out here our latest scientific achievements – accomplished during 2011

Dacinia Crina Petrescu

Ioan Valentin Petrescu-Mag

Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag

Steofl Creanga

Ekonomika poljoprivrede

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221AGRO-FOOD AND RURAL ECONOMY COMPETITIVENESS IN TERMS OF GLOBAL CRISISEP 2012 (59) SI - 1 (221-225)Economics of Agriculture SI - 1UDK:575.17:636.92CURRENT STAGE OF HOMOLOGATION OF THE FIRST ROMANIAN RABBIT BREED – TRANSYLVANIAN GIANT RABBITRuxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag1, Ioan Valentin Petrescu-Mag2, Dacinia Crina Petrescu3, Steofil Creanga4Abstract The paper presents the current state of the homologation process of the first Romanian rabbit breed. Animal production very often takes into account aspects such as conservation of national genetic resources, but also an improved productivity. These two issues are the main reasons for creating the first rabbit breed in Romania: Transylvanian Giant Rabbit Breed. We point out here our latest scientific achievements – accomplished during 2011. Key words: Transylvanian Giant Rabbit, homologation, breed, genetic improvement. 1. Introduction.Rabbit rearing could represents an answer that agriculture needs in the context of fragmented land, aging population, lack of financial resources for investments and the need to provide a source of quality meat protein. In Romania, domestic rabbit 1  Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi, Romania (“This work was cofinanced from the European Social Fund through Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013, project number POSDRU/I.89/1.5/S62371 ,,Postdoctoral School in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine area”),  Ph.D. Lecturer Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Cluj-Napoca, Romania2  Ioan Valentin Petrescu-Mag, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi, Romania (“This work was cofinanced from the European Social Fund through Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013, project number POSDRU/I.89/1.5/S62371 ,,Postdoctoral School in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine area”), Ph.D. Scientific Researcher II, Bioflux SRL Cluj-Napoca, Romania3  Dacinia Crina Petrescu, Ph.D. Assoc. Prof. Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Business, Cluj-Napoca, Romania4  Steofil Creanga, Ph. D. Prof. “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi, Romania222AGRO-FOOD AND RURAL ECONOMY COMPETITIVENESS IN TERMS OF GLOBAL CRISISEP 2012 (59) SI - 1 (221-225)has the potential to become one of the most exploited species for meat production. At the same time, the domestic rabbit is one of the animal species that could found a productive niche in the suburban agriculture of Romania (Petrescu-Mag et al. 2011 b, c). Economic efficiency of production of rabbit meat is high. Rabbit meat production for self-consumption or for sale is a solution both for the protein needs of families in rural and peri-urban areas, and for increasing their incomes. It is also a solution for providing large quantities of a healthier type of meat (compared to others now preponderantly consumed) by developing businesses for rabbit breeding and meat production, either in intensive system, or traditional, or even organic (Petrescu 2011). The average meat consumption per capita in Romania decreased from 50.2 kg in 1989 to 44.8 kg in 2001, then the trend reversed and by 2005 reached 63.3 kg; this was lower than EU average – 96 kg (D12-4 Fourth 6-monthly report), and than other EU countries: Bulgaria – 45, Hungary – 80, France, Germany – 88, Italy - 92  (http://chartsbin.com/view/bhy). In 2009, the average meat and meat products reached 67.5 kg/capita (http://statistici.insse.ro/shop/). As the trend in meat consumption is now an increasing one (see Table 1, Figure 1) and the need for healthier type of meat is also rising, the rabbit meat is an appealing option.  Table 1: Meat and meat products consumption in Romania during 1990-20091990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 199956.9 50.9 47.5 47.7 45.5 47.8 47.2 45.1 48 45.22000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 200942.9 44.8 50.7 56.3 61 63.3 64.7 62.7 66.6 67.5(Source: Data from INSSE)Figure 1: Trends in meat and meat products consumption in Romania during 1990-2009Trends in meat and meat products consumption010203040506070801990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008Yearkg/capita(Source: Own elaboration, Data from INSSE)223AGRO-FOOD AND RURAL ECONOMY COMPETITIVENESS IN TERMS OF GLOBAL CRISISEP 2012 (59) SI - 1 (221-225)Animal production very often takes into account aspects such as conservation of national genetic resources, but also a better and better productivity. These two issues are the main reasons for creating the first rabbit breed in Romania: Transylvanian Giant Rabbit Breed (Petrescu-Mag et al 2011, b). We are also working to another local rabbit breed: Cluj Rabbit Breed (Botha et al 2011). The two new breeds are still being statistically analyzed for homologation.2. First Romanian rabbit breedIn 2009, it was published for the first time our intention to create a first Romanian rabbit breed based on Transylvanian rustic genes (Petrescu-Mag et al 2009). At the beginning of this year (2011), the members of homologation team published the standard proposal for Transylvanian Giant Rabbit to be used as a judgment standard in exhibitions (before the breed homologation). We followed the general rules presented by European Association of Poultry Pigeon and Rabbit Breeders (2003) and fit them to the specific characteristics of our breed in formation, Transylvanian Giant. For example, regarding admission in competition/exhibition: animals which are exclusively suitable for breeding and are healthy will be admitted; regarding conditions of exclusion: castrates, hermaphrodites and rabbits without testes are to be excluded from evaluation, animals which are obviously sick or infested with insects of any kind are to be immediately removed from the show management or by instruction by the judge; regarding points distribution: 1. Type and the body shape -20 points, 2. Weight-10 points, 3. Fur-20 points, 4. Head and ears -15 points, 5. Color- 15 points, 6. Markings-15 points, 7. Condition- 5 points (Petrescu-Mag et al 2011, a).Transylvanian Giant rabbit (Fig. 1) has been created as described in Petrescu-Mag et al (2009), using mostly the native Romanian population (extremely heterogenic, but rustic and hardy) and also: Californian breed (for body constitution and growth rate), Giant Papillon (for size and background black color) and Agouti German Giant (for body size). After a complex breeding program (see Petrescu-Mag et al 2009) resulted a relatively uniform population from almost all phenotypic points of view (Fig.2): Himalaya color pattern (white, pointed black pattern; red or pink eyed), black background color, medium sized and thick ears, average weight of 6 kg (at adult stage; see the growth dinamics in Table 2), 6-8 kits in a litter (6-8 pui la o fatare), good lactation, very good tolerance to pasteurellosis (due to artificial selection made for that trait). However, there were obtained also several individuals weighing under 5.5 kg, value which was considered the inferior limit of weight of Transylvanian Giant at adult age. Thus, we considered appropriate a correction of body size and weight, and we appealed to the infusion with Giant White (during 2010-2011). This infusion with Giant White in Transylvanian Giant population diluted the pointed black trait in the next generation, resulting many agouti-Himalaya and agouti-Himalaya-like individuals (Petrescu-Mag et al 2011, b).  A second step will be necessary during 2011 to correct the color trait of the population.  This stage is ongoing and it will be completed at the end of 2011. In this respect, we have mated heterozygous males (chc) with heterozygous females (chc) as regards the Himalaya locus. 224AGRO-FOOD AND RURAL ECONOMY COMPETITIVENESS IN TERMS OF GLOBAL CRISISEP 2012 (59) SI - 1 (221-225)Figure 2: Transylvanian Giant rabbit, 2010.  (Source: Bioflux, Cluj-Napoca, original picture)Table 2: Average growth dinamics of Transylvanian Giant in evidence from 2010Age (months) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Weight (kg) 0.6 1.5 2.6 3.7 4.6 5.5 6.0  We estimate the new rabbit breed will be ready for homologation in less than one year, but the process of homologation will take several years. The first level is the homologation in Romania, evaluated and monitored by ANARZ (Bucharest), that is the authority that approves the new data for homologation of biological creations (breeds, lines and hybrids of animals and birds). A tour of exhibitions abroad will follow in view to prepare the international homologation. Homologation of a breed means not only working on genetic improvement of a population but also a good management, economic studies and a wide legislation survey (Petrescu-Mag et al 2011 b, c).  CONCLUSIONSWithin the homologation process, the next steps will be the submission of breed homologation documentation at ANARZ, the presentation of the breed at the Rabbit National Championship of December 2011 and at the Cuniculture European Championship in 2012. When the homologation process will be completed and successful, the new breed – the Transylvanian Giant rabbit – will represent an important achievement and it will bring not only notoriety on this Romanian breed and rabbit breeders, but also economical, social and environmental benefits.225AGRO-FOOD AND RURAL ECONOMY COMPETITIVENESS IN TERMS OF GLOBAL CRISISEP 2012 (59) SI - 1 (221-225)BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Botha M., Hettig A., Petrescu-Mag I. V. (2011), The rabbit of Cluj: a new phenotype obtained,maintained and improved in Cluj-Napoca (Transylvania), Romania. ABAH Bioflux 3(1):42-47.2. European Association of Poultry Pigeon and Rabbit Breeders (2003), Standards for the judgement of the exhibition rabbit acknowledged by European Association, 4th Edition.3. Petrescu, D. C. (2011) Rabbit meat consumer behavior between economical, health and environmental concerns, in Quality – access to success, Year 12, no. 121.4. Petrescu-Mag I. V., Petrescu-Mag R. M., Botha M., Oroian I. (2009), Transylvanian Giant Rabbit orginates from Aries and Somes areas (Transylvania, Romania). In: Transylv. Rev. Syst. Ecol. Res. 7: 187-192. 5. Petrescu-Mag I. V., Petrescu-Mag R. M., Păsărin B., Pop D., Botha M., Gîlcă V., Bud I., Hoha G., Creangă S., (2011, a), Proposal of standard for the judgement of the exhibition Transylvanian Giant Rabbit., ABAH Bioflux 3(1):39-41.6. Petrescu-Mag, R. M., Petrescu-Mag, I.V., Creangă, S., Păsărin, B., Gîlcă,V. (2011, b), Small-scale rabbit production: a solution for limited-resource rural and Suburban populations and its impact on the environment, Environmental issues in the context of sustainable development, Ed. Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux, Gembloux & Bioflux Cluj-Napoca.7. Petrescu-Mag R. M., Creangă S., Petrescu D.C., Petrescu-Mag I.V. (2011, c), Local rabbit breeds for sustainable farming, supliment of „Quality-access to success”, iunie 2011, vol .12, Nr. 122. 8. *** (2007) D12-4 Fourth 6-monthly report SITUATION AND PERSPECTIVE FOR THE MEAT SECTOR IN ROMANIA, available at 9. http://www.euroqualityfiles.net/cecap/Report%204/Section%201%20country%20report/CEECAP%20report%204%20section%201%20ROMANIA.pdf (accessed on IX 2011)10. http://chartsbin.com/view/bhy (accessed on IX 2011)11. http://statistici.insse.ro/shop/ (accessed on IX 2011)

CURRENT STAGE OF HOMOLOGATION OF THE FIRST ROMANIAN RABBIT BREED – TRANSYLVANIAN GIANT RABBIT

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CURRENT STAGE OF HOMOLOGATION OF THE FIRST ROMANIAN RABBIT BREED – TRANSYLVANIAN GIANT RABBIT

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