Black Sea Horizon International Workshop “The Future of Agriculture:
Grand Challenges and Technological Change”, March 3, 2016, Moscow
"BIOTECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATION TO FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF BULGARIA’S
LIVESTOCK BREEDING"
Associate professor Elena Kistanova, PhD
The Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction “Acad. K. Bratanov”, BAS, 73 Tzarigradsko shose, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Bulgaria, animal breeding overview
Why Bulgaria Hesitant on Biotechnology ?
Genetic recourses of Bulgaria and organic farming
Reproductive biotechnology in the countries, participated in the Black Sea Horizon project
IBIR-BAS experience in the reproductive biotechnologies and international collaboration
Conclusion or what we are looking for
Bulgaria - 110,994sq.km, population -7,11 million (1986 – 9 mln). Population density 65p/sq.km;Rural population growth (annual %) negative -1,76Bulgaria is European, Balkan, Black Sea and Danube country
Table 1. Livestock breeding in Bulgaria (Agricultural report 2015)
Animal species
(heads)
2014 2015 (proposed)
Cattle 552 807 560 000
Buffalo 9 555 10 000
Sheep 1 335 283 1 350 000
Goat 292 644 293 000
Sows 553 114 560 000
Birds 14 609 15 000
Donkey, horses 112 742 120 000
Bees family 577 304 580 000
Rabbits 51 953 52 000
Despite that Bulgaria is the traditionally agricultural oriented country, the GVA of agriculture in the Bulgarian economic is only 5.2% (2014) Agricultural land – 47% of total country area (used 45%). Agricultural producers 2014- 76 409; 2015 (proposed) >95 000
Executive Agency for Selection and Reproduction in Animal breeding– the main governmental control body in BulgariaTotal number of farms is around 113 300In the breeding programms are registered only: Goats – 41herd / 4151 heads Sheep – 881 herds/165 705 headsCows - 742 herds/52 210 headsBuffalo – 147 herds/5 215 heads
In this case it is difficult to define all kind reproductive problems and to apply reproductive biotechnologies
AI (artificial insemination)– rare applications in sheep breeding, not systematic; mainly in cattle breeding
No embryotransfer and cryopreservation of embryos
The Agency supports National genes bank and National genetic reserve and stores in total 3 462 056 cryopreserved semen doses of bulls, rams, bucks, stallions.Only semen! It is not enough for today!The targeted adjustment of the reproductive process is one of the important purpose of a high performance animal-breeding, but scientific service is expensive for the farmers
Number of
animals per
farm
large farms
sows >200 39 numbers
cows >50 and
>100
0,7-0,3 numbers
sheep, goat
>100
<20%
Bulgaria’s 2010 biotech law prohibits growing for research or commerce biotech crops in all protected areas (34% of Bulgaria area plus 30 km around)
In Bulgaria , there are five laboratories approved for biotech research work in plant breeding, no one in animal breeding
The “abstain” positions have been because the country had no local research experiments or studies to provide sufficient evidences for or against respective cases.
Bulgaria usually takes a neutral or a conservative position regarding new breeding technologies in animal sector. Researchers are few, underfunded, and are not united in their position
Bulgaria has not developed genetic engineering involving farm livestock Bulgaria does not have a system to monitor the imports of GE animals and cloned
offspring or genetics from clones.Currently there are no labeling and traceability requirements for GE animals or cloned products
Is there advantage or disadvantage????
Bulgaria Hesitant on BiotechnologyUSDA Foreign agricultural service report – 2015 - Bulgaria, Agricultural
Biotechnology Annual (extracts)
Breeds refer as animal genetic resources in Bulgaria
The national treasure of Bulgaria are the animal genetic resources - two breeds of cattle, 19 sheep, 1 goat , 4 horse , 1 dog and 1 poultry
The local breeds possess the genes, which are source of their excellent adaptivecapabilities, high resistance to diseases and ability of good meat, milk and egg quality.They are preferred for organic raising of animals and their utilizing will be mosteffective in contributing to the achievement of local food security objectives
The organic farming is developing very quickly
Animal species 2007 2014
Cattle 395 1622
Sheep 1690 9029
Goats 1058 4142
Bees 35 747 106 676
Sows 0 12573
Birds 0 500
Total number of
operators in organic
production
339 4092
The main reasons: Understanding of the usefulness for the countryside development Ecological environment protection Consumers’ demands for healthy nutrition.Motivation- responsibility for ecological sustainability and health for future generations
Biotechnology is not only genetic modification but genetic improvement
One of the ways for improvement of livestock breeds in the future is to develop new breeds with desirable traits based on cross-breeding between traditional livestock breed resistant to important diseases and have breeding value and commercial breeds
To ensure the rapid genetic progress the application of MOET biotechnology should be done
No hormonal stimulation of reproduction - creation of special environmental conditions , flushing, nutritional biotechnology (special diet regime, bioactive feed additives)
Reproductive biotechnology application in the project participants countries (data from the European Embryo transfer association report 2015)
Country Collector Approved
ET teams
ET teams
providing
data
Collected
embryos
Transferred
embryos
Black Sea countries of the project
Greece Samartzi 2 2 - 0
Russian
Federation
Knurov 7 5 3058 – bovine , in
vivo
4171 - bovine
Turkey Emsen 2 1 90 - sheep 40- sheep
Armenia Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine
- - - - -
EU partners in the project
Austria F Führer 5 - 23 90 1456
Germany H Cramer 39 17 27 760 ,in vivo
(251-sexed and
genotyped
21897
France S Lacaze 19 15 66 403, in vivo
(sexed-994;
genotyped-684
37347
IBIR-BAS experience in reproductive biotechnology and international collaboration , www. ibir.bas.bg/en
The year 1938 is accepted as the year of the foundation of the Institute “Artificial Insemination and Breeding Diseases”.Many years (till 1986) the Director was Academician K.Bratanov, his name after death was gave to the Institute. He is founder of the new scientific direction-immunology of reproduction(1949- “Infertility and sperm antibodies in animals”)IBIR-BAS has a total of 41 research staff and 11 technical staffIBIR is divided into five departments: Dept of Immunobiology of Reproduction Dept of Reproductive Biotechnologies and Cryobiology of Gametes, Dept of Embryotechnologies in animals, Dept of Molecular Immunology Dept of Immunoneuroendocrinology
Thanks to the FP7 ReProForce project new equipment was purchased and four key laboratories were reorganised and upgraded: proteomic analysis lab, cell culture lab, IVF / embryo transfer facility, confocal/light microscopy facility
Achievements of the IBIR-team in the MOET biotechnology, sperm extenders and cryopreservation technology development
Bulgaria, 1986, first buffalo calve- transplantant in Europe( IBIR Team Leader –Dr. K. Vlahov)
Technology transfer to Egypt, 2005-2006 –(IBIR Team Leader -Dr. D.Kacheva)
Extenders for storage and cryopreservation of sperm of different breeds: GH22L, Sredez 13, Serdika, Zlatno Runo
“Balkan Network of Biotechnology in Animal Reproduction for the protection and restoration of animal genetic resources in the region” (2009) ASO- 4-01-2008 Project under Austrian Science and Research Liaison Offices
Experience of the International collaboration in IBIR-BAS
Educational and training activities in the field of reproductive biotechnologies
2010 2012
2013
Problems of Bulgarian animal
breeding sector
Opportunities for its solving trough
international collaboration with Black
Sea countries
Restriction of financial investment in
the scientific–based farming
Collaboration in the regional projects
with investment component ( Trans-
border cooperation; INTERREG;
Operational programms under
Structural funds)
Low level of innovations in the sector Collaborative development of the
innovative product- farming models,
management models
Shortage of skilled labor Actively elaboration and participation
in the educational projects within
programms at European and regional
levels
Conclusion or what we are looking for
Problems of Bulgarian animal
breeding sector
Opportunities for its solving trough
international collaboration with Black
Sea countries
Restricted application of a
biotechnology
Development and participation in the
collaborative projects under different European
and regional programms on following topics:
- advanced biotechnologies and its application
( sperm sexing, early estimation of breeding
value genes, embryo transfer, genetic marker
selection);
- biotechnologies for preservation of local
genetic resources: creation of the regional
germ cells bank (semen, oocytes, embryos)
- trans-border veterinary research on
dangerous diseases
- labeling and traceability establishment for
GE animals or cloned products
