Herd structure in the bovine Calvana breed

Abstract

Farm structure is one of the principle components that influence profit, sustainability and survival of a herd, especially in endangered breeds. The sustainability of these herds is based on the capability to take advantage of specific niches of the market, of specific label or organic certification or “designation of geographical indications or origin for agricultural products”.

Full text

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Herd structure in the bovine Calvana breed
G. Lorenzini, C. Sargentini, P. Degl’Innocenti,
A. Martini, A. Giorgetti
Dipartimento Scienze Zootecniche, Università di Firenze, Italy
Corresponding Author: Giangiacomo Lorenzini Dipartimento Scienze Zootecniche. Via delle Cascine 5, 50144
Firenze, Italy – Tel: +39 055 3288353 – Fax: +39 055 321216 – Email: g.lorenzini@unifi.it
RIASSUNTO – Struttura dell’allevamento dei bovini di razza Calvana. La struttura aziendale è uno dei
fattori che maggiormente influiscono sulla redditività, sostenibilità e sopravvivenza stessa di una razza. Questo
risulta ancora più vero quando sono coinvolte razze a numerosità limitata che sfruttano nicchie di mercato ben
specifiche. Scopo del presente lavoro è fornire un quadro della situazione degli allevamenti di razza Calvana,
razza che è classificata come a rischio di estinzione e inserita nel repertorio regionale previsto dalla L.R. 50/97
relativa alla tutela delle risorse genetiche autoctone.
Key words: Calvana breed, herd structure.
INTRODUCTION – Farm structure is one of the principle components that influence profit, sustainabil-
ity and survival of a herd, especially in endangered breeds. The sustainability of these herds is based on the
capability to take advantage of specific niches of the market, of specific label or organic certification or “desig-
nation of geographical indications or origin for agricultural products”.
An accurate management that considers market fluctuation in the long to medium term period and the possi-
bility of taking advantage of public funds is necessary.
Due to the particular characteristics of the niche-products, the above mentioned conditions are extremely vari-
able. As a result, only well managed and market oriented farms are able to survive.
The aim of the present work is to supply a description of the current situation of the Calvana breed. A pro-
found analysis of the existing situation forms the basis of any conservation program (Jordana and Folch,1998).
MATERIAL AND METHODS – The study was developed in collaboration with the Provincial Association
Breeders of Florence and Prato (APA) and the Calvana’s breeders association of the provinces of Florence,
Prato, Pistoia and Siena.
The herd sensor on the territory was carried out thanks to the data supplied from the APA.
In 19 of the 21 herds that were analysed, a classical type analysis was carried out by specific-designed ques-
tionnaires aimed at gathering information about the breeder, the territory settlements, agronomic practices,
the breeding structures and practices, on pastures as well as on the management of the heads. For the remain-
ing herds the work is currently in progress.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS – There are approximately 460 head of Calvana cattle, distributed in
the province of Florence, Prato, Siena and Pistoia.
The breeding sites are localised in the neighbourhood of the inhabited centres (not more than 10 km), with the
consistencies reported in table 1.
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Table 1.Distribution and number of farms.
FarmsHeads
Province
Firenze
Prato
Pistoia
Siena
Total
n.
5
9
2
3
19
%
n.
149
204
47
61
461
%
26.32
47.37
10.53
15.79
100
32.32
44.25
10.20
13.23
100
As shown in table 2, 63.16% of the farms are situated in hilly zones (less than 600 meters). One breeding site
is situated in mountain and 6 are localised in the plains. Twelve of the pastures, where the animals graze, are
localised in hilly zones, 4 in the mountains and only 3 in the plains.
Table 2. Average altimetry, heads and pasture of farms.
Plain HillMountain
Farmsn.
%
n.
%
n.
%
6121
31.58
163
35.36
3
15.79
63.16
211
45.77
12
63.16
5.26
87
18.87
4
21.05
Heads
Pastures
Table 3.Average surface and agricultural destination of farms.
maxmin mean areastand. dev.%
SAT
Other
Forage
Pastures
Woods
ha
ha
ha
ha
ha
1306.58
1028.11
120.00
260.00
370.00
4.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
201.74
66.03
24.68
39.32
71.71
299.93
233.78
33.95
64.35
112.72
100
32.73
12.23
19.49
35.55
Regarding the sizes of the farms (table 3), the total land area has an average size of approximately 201 ha. 71
ha are constituted from forests, 39 from pastures, 24 from forage and 66 from other type of cultivations.
Approximately 76% of land is owned property of the farmers, approximately 16% is rented and remainder is
of other origin. About 63% of the management are direct of the breeder who is also owner of the farms. Only
31.6% of workers are represented from pay wages and 5.3% from other types. The average age of the Calvana
breeders is approximately 53 years, and approximately 3/4 are male. These male staff workers constitute
approximately 76% of the working force. Almost the same percentages represented above are evident between
the two working categories referred to as: undetermined time and determined time.
Approximately 21% of the companies are associated with the organic disciplinary and 21% with other types of
disciplinarians. Approximately 3/4 of the land is worked. Grazing is carried out on 84% of the pastures and
37%, is carried out after harversting on the stubble. In the 68.7% of the farms (in addition to the Calvana
PROC. 16thNAT.CONGR. ASPA, TORINO, ITALY
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ITAL.J.ANIM.SCI. VOL. 4 (SUPPL. 2), 181-183, 2005183
PROC. 16thNAT.CONGR. ASPA, TORINO, ITALY
breed) it is possible to find other livestock such as cattle breeds, sheep, goats, horses and pigs.As the other cat-
tle breeds as concerning we can find Chianina, Italian Brown, Italian Friesian, as well as crosses between the
several breeds.The size of the herds shows wide differences.The average herd size is 24 heads of cattle, 23.86%
of them are 1 year-old calves and 19.31% are heifers. As the females as concerning, primiparous, second pari-
ty cows and third or higher parity cows, are 8.24, 7.16 and 37.09%, respectively; 4.34% of the herds are bulls.
The age of the first mating is about 22 months for the males and approximately 21 months for the females.
The mating act is generally natural and occurs along of the year. Only a quarter of the breeders limit the mat-
ing period to the spring season.
The birth of the calves occurs all year round with a peak in the summer and spring (spring 36.11%; summer
26.67%; autumn 14.44%; winter 22.78%). Twin births are rare and the average calving interval is around 12
months. Weaning occurs after the first 6 months.
The animals are sent to pasture from March-May until November-December. The pasture is usually of high
quality, with a limited dry period during July and August. In 37% of the cases the animals are always main-
tained on pasture, located not more than two hours away from the farm centre. In general the pasture grounds
have an extension of approximately 42 ha and in 44% of them the slope is acclivous, in 40% plain and 16% very
acclivous. Drinking troughs and sometimes also fodder troughs for diet integration are often present on the
pastures. The main purpose of the breeding, (which in the 63.2% of the cases is semi-intensive), is generally
(in 63%) finalised to reproduction. In addition, the objective is the production of young bulls of an average
weight of 500 kg to be slaughtered at 21 months of age.The career of the cows has a duration (with exceptions)
of 14-15 years on average. The stables, present in 90% of the farms, are constructed in either masonry and
wood, or wood and sheet, and have a medium surface of 358 m2. Usually they are in good condition and are
fenced in three quarters of the cases studied. The farms often have barns, storage areas and there is the pos-
sibility to use tractors (94.7%) and tools (79%). Generally, the foodstuff is auto produced. The natural pasture
is usually grazed, rarely improved pasture and meadows are used green either as green forage or hay. In turn,
the grassland is mainly used for the production of hay, by using annual forage crops. Calvana is a quite good
browser, consuming some edible parts of woods and maquis (leaves and regrowth). Part of the food stuff, such
as hay, maize, barley and mixtures, are acquired outside the farm.
The alimentary integrations are administered usually during winter.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS – The study was carried out thanks to the collaboration of the APA of Florence
and Prato and of the breeders of the Calvana breed of the province of Florence, Prato, Pistoia and Siena. This
work was funded by the ARSIA grants.
REFERENCES – Jordana, J., Folch, P., 1998. La raza Asnal Catalana: programa de conservación y mejo-
ra de una población en peligro de extinción. Arch. Zootec., 47, 403-409. Moretti, M., 2001. Analisi della biodi-
versità della razza bovina Calvana con il metodo di indagine molecolare AFLP. Moretti, M., Sargentini, C.,
2002. Caldana. In “Risorse genetiche animali autoctone della Toscana” pp. 15 -18.