Genetic variation in three Croatian donkey populations, Istrian (IS), North Adriatic (NA) and Littoral-Dinaric (LD), was analysed using eight microsatellite loci and by sequence and SSCP analysis of the proximal portion of the mtDNA D-loop region. The analysis of microsatellite loci revealed observed heterozygosities in the range of 0.37 (MPZ002 in LD) to 0.85 (AHT21 in LD) and polymorphic information content values in the range of 0.36 (MPZ002 in NA) to 0.78 (AHT21 in LD). The overall probability of exclusion was 0.991. Two populations (IS and NA) were closely related (Fst=0.0034), whereas genetic distances between IS and LD (Fst=0.021) and NA and LD (Fst=0.027) were higher. Using AMOVA, 97.6% of the total genetic variance was portioned within populations, while 2.7% was portioned between the Littoral-Dinaric population and the Istrian/North Adriatic population group. Sequencing of the proximal part of the mtDNA D-loop region revealed 36 polymorphic sites representing 19 haplotypes which clustered into three haplotype groups (Y, W, Ws). Only the Y haplotype was found in the IS population which is characterized by a large body size. Haplotypes W and Ws were found in the NA and LD populations which include smaller animals. All three haplotypes were found in the LD population, indicating sporadic migration events from the IS into LD donkey population.

It is widely accepted that autochthonous cattle breeds can be important genetic resources for unforeseeable environmental conditions in the future. Apart from that, they often represent local culture and tradition and thus assist in the awareness of ethnic identity of a country. In Croatia, there are only three indigenous cattle breeds, Croatian Buša, Slavonian Syrmian Podolian and Istrian Cattle. All of them are threatened but specialized in a particular habitat and production system. We analysed 93 microsatellites in 51 animals of each breed to get thorough information about genetic diversity and population structure. We further set them within an existing frame of additional 16 breeds that have been genotyped for the same marker set and cover a geographical area from the domestication centre near Anatolia, through the Balkan and alpine regions, to the north-west of Europe. The cultural value was evaluated regarding the role in landscape, gastronomy, folklore and handicraft. The overall results recognize Croatian Buša being partly admixed but harbouring an enormous genetic diversity comparable with other traditional unselected Buša breeds in the Anatolian and Balkan areas. The Podolian cattle showed the lowest genetic diversity at the highest genetic distance to all remaining breeds but are playing an important role as part of the cultural landscape and thus contribute to the tourist industry. The genetic diversity of the Istrian cattle was found in the middle range of this study. It is already included in the tourist industry as a local food speciality. Current and future conservation strategies are discussed.

The dental status in postwar BH is rather poor and the mean DMFT in all investigated age groups may be considered high. The detrimental effect of 1991-95 war on social conditions and the health care system should be considered in explaining such poor dental health. Despite the limitations, the presented data may be used to assess the treatment needs, assure the visibility for dental issues in BH, and help the west European countries to plan dental services for refugees from BH.

The aim of this work was to gather information about the origin and genetic characterization of the Central European Hucul horse based on 71 horses using 17 microsatellites and the D‐loop region of mtDNA. Their genetic relationship to the Polish Konik (N = 7), German (N = 4) and Hungarian wild Przewalski horses (N = 4) and 200 horse sequences from GenBank was also analysed. Both microsatellite and mtDNA analysis showed a high genetic variation in the Hucul. A total of 130 alleles were detected, the mean number of observed alleles per microsatellite was 7.647, and the number of effective alleles was 4.401. The average observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.706 and 0.747, respectively. The high heterozygosity values and Wright's fixation index (FIS) (−0.128) indicated a low level of inbreeding, low or no selection pressure, and large number of alleles. mtDNA analysis revealed 18 haplotypes for the Hucul population with a total of 23 variable sites. Haplotype and nucleotide diversities were 0.935 ± 0.011 and 0.022 ± 0.012, respectively. Neutrality tests (Tajima's D and Fu's Fs) were non‐significant, and mismatch distribution was ragged, indicating that the Hucul population is in genetic equilibrium. The most frequent mtDNA D‐loop region belonged to haplogroup A (48%), which was also present in Przewalski Wild horse samples, while Polish Konik samples belonged to three haplotypes and C, F, and G haplogroups. Large and significant pairwise ΦST values along with a small number of common haplotypes indicated a low level of gene flow and lack of genetic structure among the three studied breeds (Hucul, Konik, and Przewalski Wild horse). The present work contributes to our knowledge of the genetic diversity of the Hucul horse and helps to define its genetic conservation. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 109, 54–65.

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