No abstract

The research was conducted from August until November 2012 in the districts of Moldavia (Botoşani, Suceava, Iaşi, Vaslui, Bacău, Neamţ, Galaţi and Vrancea), in the West and the Central part of the country (Cluj and Covasna districts) and in the South-East of the country (Tulcea and Brăila districts). The choice of the districts was established based on the informations received from Animal Improvement and Breeding Offices in Romania. The purpose of this research was to identify the effective of Sura de stepă cattle breed in Romania and the evaluation of the phenotypic characters in steppe animals, which belong to the variety of Moldavian breed. The results showed that the Sura de stepă breed consists of a minor part, being raised in just two districts of Moldavia, Iaşi and Neamţ, respectively, as a pure breed with an average of 0,03 % (83 cows), at the Research and Development Station for Cattle Breeding (R.D.S.C.B.) Dancu-Iaşi, with a core of preservation of 59 cows (0,19 %) and at the Holding TCE 3 Brazi Society, Neamţ district, with a core of 24 cows (0,06 %), and under half-breed form with an average of 0,33 % (592 cows). In Harghita, Covasna and Cluj districts, 295 cows from the Sura de stepă breed, Hungarian variety, were identified, excepting being the animals belonging to University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj, which come from R.D.S.C.B. Dancu-Iaşi, which are Romanian Sura de stepă, Moldavian variety. In Tulcea district, 20 cows of half-breed Sura de stepă and 50 cows of pure breed cattle, Moldavian variety, were identified, from which 24 cows at a private landlord in Pardina locality, Tulcea district, and 26 cows belonging to nine owners from different localities (C.A. Rosetti, Pardina, Chilia Veche, Sfântu Gheorghe, Crişan), each owning 2-3 cows. The analysis of the main body indices showed that the Sura de stepă cows from Pardina, Tulcea county, are of small size and weight, having smaller values in all analysed parameters, compared to the Sura de stepă cows from R.D.S.C.B. Dancu-Iaşi from the North-East part of the country, which however fitted the specific limits of the breed, Moldavian variety.

The early resumption of estrous cycles following calving is important for high reproductive efficiency, but also for the cows which haven't been observed in estrus during the first 60 days after calving, the last ones having a significantly higher risk of being culled than cows that have displayed estrus .The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hormonal treatment on reproduction period in cows, and also to establish if there is any significant difference in some reproductive parameters between cows treated with hormonal medication and cows which resumed ovarian cyclicity before 60 days postpartum.This study was performed in a dairy cow's farm in North-Eastern Moldavia, over a period of 2 consecutive years, on Romanian Black Spotted cows, in order to determine hormonal treatments influence over reproduction period. Hormonal treatments used for the above mentioned diseases were represented by luteolytic agent prostaglandin F2α, one of its potent analogues (Proliz, Biotur, Romania) and by administration of exogenous gonadotrophin releasing hormone (Receptal, Intervet, Romania).We noticed that average reproduction period (52.1 days) and the other breeding intervals that were taken under study (over a two years period), presented different values for cows that have been under hormonal medication treatment, compared to those which resumed ovarian cyclicity before 60 days postpartum (52.7 days).Thus, this preliminary study supports the development of a more detailed study on several dairy cows' farms in order to investigate the answer of different types of hormonal treatments against persistent corpus luteum and cystic ovarian disease.

Studies were performed on first generation meat hybrids, from the Bălţată cu Negru Românească (BNR) dairy cattle, into four experimental groups of five animals /group, in relation to meat bulls breeds from which the frozen semen material used for cows artificial insemination, respectively: Group E1- Limousine (Li), E2 - Aberdeen Angus (AA), E3 - Blue Blanch Belgian (BBB) and E4 - Charolaise (CH). The hybrids obtained from the experimental groups were observed in terms of dynamic growth and development through biometric measurements and periodic weightings 3 months intervals until 12 months of age. Average Daily Gain (ADG) recorded different variations in report to age and breed: at six months old, between 418.52 ± 60.97 g (Group E3 -BBB) and 486.67 ± 108.66 g (Group E2 - AA), at 12 months old, between 997.22 g (Group E2 - AA) and 1311.11 g (Group E3 -BBB). Slaughter rate at 12 months showed variations in relation to breed and thermal regime, so in hot regime the values ranged between 56.62 % (BNR x AA) and 60.60 % (BNR x BBB) and in cold regime (to 24 hours) between 55.68 % (BNR x AA) and 59.73 % (BNR x BBB). Carcasses development indicators had values in most cases in favor of BNR x AA hybrids than BNR x BBB hybrids, with significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) regarding the width index (201.43 cm to 175.84 cm) and pulp development index (129.27 cm to 110.64 cm). From results analysis it can be concluded that in dangered local cattle, to be abandoned because of productive reform or not relevant point of view of milk production can be used in first generation for hybridization with meat breeds in obtaining meat hybrids with morphological features, slaughter rate and carcass structure from superior quality categories than the maternal breed.

The studies were performed in the dairy farm from Dancu Research and Development Station for Cattle Breeding, Iaşi, Romania, for a period of 5 consecutive years (2007- 2011), an effective annual rolled of 450 cows Bălţată cu Negru Românească (Romanian Black Spotted) breed.The experimental groups were composed of cows with anoestrus in 60 days postpartum interval, diagnosed by rectal examination with various ovarian disorders: persistent corpus luteum - group E1-162 cows and luteal cysts- group E2-138 cows. The treatments according to diagnosis were applied: PGF2α-,500 mcg/cow- group E1 and Gn-RH, (Receptal, 5 ml/cow-group E2). In relation to the year in which treatments were applied some variations in reproduction indices were found. Regarding to average intervals from treatment to first insemination and from treatment to conception respectively, significant differences were not found. Regarding to average conception rates after treatments, significant differences were found: in E1group, conception rate at the first insemination was 30,9% (with annual variations between 15,0% in 2008 and 41,1% in 2009) (p<0,01); per total insemination was 64,42 % (with annual variations between 44,7% - 2011 and 76,9% - 2007) (p<0,001) and pregnancy index was of 2,4 (with annual variations between 1,9 - 2009 and 2,8 - 2008); in E2 group, conception rate to first insemination was 25,96% (with annual variations between 16,66% - 2011 and 40% - 2010) (p<0,01); per total insemination was 77,88% (with annual variation between 52,17% - 2008 and 85,0% - 2010) (p<0,001) and pregnancy index of 2,4 (with annual variations between 2,1 - 2007 and 2,6 - 2008 and 2009). In relation to season in which treatments were applied, we found different variations in conception rates: in group E1, the average conception rates at the first insemination were between 24,24 % (autumn) and 40,7% (summer) (p<0,05) and per total inseminations between 75,0% (spring) and 85,71% (autumn) (p<0,05); in group E2, the average conception rates at the first insemination were between 5,3% (summer) and 48,5% (spring) (p<0,001) and per total inseminations between 68,4% (summer) and 81,8% (spring) (p<0,05). We believe that annual and seasonal variations found in this work are due to some deficiencies of management system in dairy farms, such as the stalls prolonged maintenance and lack of active movement in the cold season, inadequate microclimate of shelters, heat stress and deficiencies in cows feeding , especially those with higher milk production.