The Importance for Conservation of the Romanian Buffalo Breed

Abstract

Approved as a breed in 1987, the Romanian buffalo is far for being an unitary or single population. The Romanian buffalo populations are scattered in territory and tends to gain new economic importance. The differences between the type bred in the Danube area and the type bred in Transylvania are difficult to be established and clear criteria for separation of the different types are not defined. The Romanian buffalo breed, reproductively isolated as a pure breed, is characterised by a clear uniformity in terms of morpho-productive traits resulted from the genetic consolidation actions applied to clearly define the breed. In order to preserve the important genetic resource, the productive potential and the valuable aptitudes of the breed, it is recommended to continue breeding Romanian buffalo in the actual geographic areas of distribution in order to preserve and develop the existing buffalo population as a valuable genetic heritage and biological resource.

Keywords

• buffalo
• conservation
• genetic diversity
• genetic heritage