NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HUNGARIAN HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN BREEDERS
Year of Foundation: 1989.
Headquarters: H – 1134 Budapest, Lőportár u. 16.
Tel: (+36-1) 412-5050, 412-5051
Fax: (+36-1) 412-5052,
E-mail: office@holstein.hu
Internet: www.holstein.hu
History
The Hungarian Cattle breeding structure is one of the most sophisticated and detailed features in Animal husbandry.
Milk recording was started in 1905, among the firsts in Europe. In the 1920’s, several cows were producing over 10 000 litres of milk in their lactation. A Hungarian cow has had the best longevity figures in Europe even probably till today: Bárány calved 22 viable calves.
Sadly, the 2nd World War and the years after the War spoiled a lot of things in Hungary, so thus the cattle breeding.
The new era for modern cattle breeding has started after the political changes. At the beginning of 1990’s the main principles of breeding strategy were to do as follows:
– establish Breeding Organizations
– complete the legislation in animal breeding
– develop a modern information system
– establish an Animal Breeding Levy Fund
– aproach to adapt the EU legislation
In1993, the Law on Animal Breeding is published. The scope of the law are all domestic species and all the activities that increase the breeding and economic value of animals.
General information:
The Holstein-Friesian breed has been continuously gaining ground since the early ’70s in Hungary. 21 large-scale dairy farms with 24,636 cows have re-founded our association. Today the number of member farms are about 750 and the number of our Herdbook registered and milk recorded cows around 200 thousand. Each year we start 60-90 young bulls in progeny testing and among them more and more are also started parallel test programs in several countries. More than 95% of our dairy herds are subjects of milk recording and performance testing. In the year of 2005 the average standard lactation performance of the holstein-friesian population was 8.103 kg, while that of the pure-bred HF cows was 8.628 kg milk. Our professional classifier team is classifying approx. 40.000 firstcalver cows. Our method of classification harmonises with the guidelines of the European Holstein and Red Holstein Confederation, the WHFF and we regularly attend to all of the workshops too.
Our most important activities are as follows:
1. We keep the Holstein Herdbook in Hungary.
2. Maintain of a balanced breeding program, based on the Animal Model breeding value evaluation system and the calculation of the Holstein Global Index as a selection index tool for profitable dairy breeding.
3. Functional Classification of Holstein cows for progeny-testing purposes, which fulfils the principles of the European Holstein and Red Holstein Confederation.
4. Preparation the Export Certificates and Pedigree Certificates.
5. Organizing several livestock exhibitions, progeny group shows, auctions.
6. Co-ordination of domestic- and International parallel progeny-test programs.
7. Organize programs for young breeders.
8. Edit the Holstein Magazine, Sire Summaries, and other publications.
9. Publishing special professional publications, female locator lists, etc.
10. Improving the animal breeding culture, moral appreciation of the breeders’ work, foundation of the Golden Herdbook for the registration of lifetime recorder cows and awarding prizes.
Breeding organisations
Several Breed–Herdbook organizations were recognized and approved in the early 80-ies by the Ministry of Agriculture. Their responsibility is to maintain and improve their breeds, keep the herd-book, maintain and perform the breeding program, carry out performance testing (production and functional type), to deliver the official breeding documents (export certificates, etc.).
The Breeding Organizations (Herdbook organizations) are not able to run a performance testing organization, thus outsourcing this activity to a State owned company, with a Central Laboratory. The Herdbook Organizations are working together with the 3 AI Company on Contract base to maintain and run the National Breeding Program.
Breeding organisations set the minimum number of young bulls to be tested by each of the AI Company to provide the efficient selection pressure in our population. They are not involved in the AI business directly. They are the service providers for performance testing.
All of the Herdbook Associations are non-profit Civil Organizations based on democratic features. Everyone can be a member if accepts the Bylaws of the Association.
Data collection and processing
The basic performance, breeding and pedigree data is coming from independent parties e.g. National Performance Testing Ltd. and the Herdbook Associations. They are not involved in AI. Business hence the results are accepted by the members without query. The advantage of our progeny-testing scheme, in a large herd environment, is that it provides real unbiased figures about performances without preferential treatment and the sophisticated and obligatory I+R system with strict parentage verification controls the misidentification.
Breeding values estimation
The OMMI – national authority- is running the Central Cattle Database and estimating the breeding values with high level of competence. They are responsible for I+R, breeding value estimation and for checking the Herdbook Organization’s, AI Companies’ activity
The Breeding Value Estimation System is a modern system, based on the NRS AM model. Further improvements with more detailed results e.g. longevity, fertility figure are under a testing phase prior to introduction in 2006.
The Herdbook Associations are publishing the breeding values of their breed’s domestic proven and Interbull results for the import semen.
AI services
The AI services are independent from the AI companies. Licensed specialists and technicians are performing AI in small herds as a service, or employees in large scale operations. It is the same situation with ET. All of the AI are recorded officially and reported to the Central Database.
International connections: European Holstein and Red Holstein Confederation, World Holstein-Friesian Federation, ICAR, INTERBULL full membership, harmonisation of functional classification, harmonisation of Show Judging.
Organizing practical training programs: hoof care, functional classification and preparation of animals for exhibitions.
Co-operation with the domestic professional organisations, performing professional and diplomatic tasks for the sake of the improvement of the Holstein breed in Hungary.
Globalisation is a great challenge for all of our AI Companies. One of them – Bos-Genetic Ltd. is a German-Hungarian Joint Venture – with international connection and they are representing SRV, OHG (from Germany), Genes Diffusion (from France) and Semenzoo Italy. The other one is Genbank – Semex Hungary Ltd. It is a Semex Aliance AI Company. The 3rd is a Hungarian Nationwide AI Corporation – owned by the State. Besides this there are several dealerships or exclusive representation of foreign AI companies.
The Hungarian Breeding Structure could provide unbiased environment for progeny testing with quality services and high level of knowledge with acceptable cost factors. Hungary is an excellent ground for parallel testing programs and further cooperation in semen supply, trading quality breeding cattle – with high competence in Eastern European markets.