OPPORTUNITY TO USE MONTBELIARD BREED IN BULGARIA

Vasil Nikolov, Svetoslav Karamfilov

Abstract: Montbeliard breed is new for Bulgaria. The first heifers were imported to the country in 2005, the total number of the imported animals reaching to 1339 in 2012. The present study summarizes the first results of the use of Montbelliard breed in Bulgaria. 1171 cows after their first lactation, from 16 different farms, were included in the study. 938 of the first-calf cows were born in France and 233 in Bulgaria. It was established that Montbeliard breed maintained comparatively high level of productivity under the conditions of Bulgaria. The average 305-day lactation yield of the first-calf cows was 5454±54.7 kg, the milk fat being 3.912±0.017% and the protein content – 3.396±0.011%, and, the whole lactation yield was 6393 kg, the milk fat 3.957% and protein 3.424%, respectively. The farm, the year and month of calving and the country of origin had significant effect on all the studied characteristics of milk productivity. The animals born in Bulgaria had lower 305-day lactation yield (by 10.4%, Р < 0.001), slightly lower milk protein content and higher fat content. Their lactation period was by 19.98 days longer (Р > 0.05) compared to the prolonged lactation period of the animals born in France (378.1±9.11 days). The study showed that initially the efforts should be directed towards optimizing the raising conditions for the young animals, with the aim of achieving better results in using Montbeliard breed in Bulgaria.

Keywords: Bulgaria; influence; milk production; Montbeliarde

Date published: 2018-01-15