ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL (RECURSOS GENÉTICOS ANIMALES DEL SUR DE BRASIL)

Cardellino R.A.

Description

Abstract
An account of the domestic animal genetic resources of Southern Brazil is given. The main cattle breeds are imported British and Continental, zebu crosses and some zebu, with 50 p.100 of the population mixed of undefined breed. Unique breeds include creole, Crioulo Lageano and Caracú. Dairy cattle breeds are mainly Holstein and Jersey, and crosses with zebu. Older sheep have been absorbed by modern sheep breeds. There are small creole herds of two ecotypes. The predominant horse breed is the Crioulo horse, well adapted to the pampas. Poultry and swine production are based on modern industrial breeds. No specific conservation plans for any breed, with the exception of Crioulo Lageano cattle and Crioulo sheep are being followed in the region.
Resumen
Se describen los recursos genéticos de los animales domésticos de la región sur del Brasil. Las razas de ganado más importantes son británicas y continentales, cruzas cebú y algunas cebú, con 50 p.100 de la población constituída por mezclas sin raza definida. Algunas razas únicas son el ganado criollo, el Creoulo Lageano, y el Caracú. Las razas de ganado lechero predominantes son Holstein y Jersey, y algunas cruzas con cebú. Las ovejas antiguas han sido absorbidas por las razas modernas. Hay pequeños rebaños de criollas de dos ecotipos. La raza equina predominante es el Caballo Creoulo, muy bien adaptado a las pampas. La producción de aves y suinos está basada en razas modernas industriales. Con excepción del ganado Creoulo Lageano y de los ovinos criollos, no se siguen planes específicos de conservación en la región.

Sujets

• List of domesticated animals
• Conservation
• Domesticación
• Conservación

Informations

• Publié par: erevistas
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2000
• Nombre de lectures: 8
• Langue: English

Extrait

ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL
RECURSOS GENÉTICOS ANIMALES DEL SUR DE BRASIL
Cardellino, R.A.
Departamento de Zootecnia. Universidade Federal de Pelotas. 96010 900 Pelotas RS. Brazil.
E mail: [e-mail]
ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS PALABRAS CLAVE ADICIONALES
Domestic animals. Conservation. Creole cattle. Animales domésticos. Conservación. Ganado
Creole sheep. criollo. Ovejas criollas.
SUMMARY
An account of the domestic animal genetic y el Caracú. Las razas de ganado lechero pre
resources of Southern Brazil is given. The main dominantes son Holstein y Jersey, y algunas
cattle breeds are imported British and Continen cruzas con cebú. Las ovejas antiguas han sido
tal, zebu crosses and some zebu, with 50 p.100 absorbidas por las razas modernas. Hay peque
of the population mixed of undefined breed. ños rebaños de criollas de dos ecotipos. La raza
Unique breeds include creole, Crioulo Lageano equina predominante es el Caballo Creoulo, muy
and Caracú. Dairy cattle breeds are mainly Holstein bien adaptado a las pampas. La producción de
and Jersey, and crosses with zebu. Older sheep aves y suinos está basada en razas modernas
have been absorbed by modern sheep breeds. industriales. Con excepción del ganado Creoulo
There are small creole herds of two ecotypes. Lageano y de los ovinos criollos, no se siguen
The predominant horse breed is the Crioulo horse, planes específicos de conservación en la región.
well adapted to the pampas. Poultry and swine
production are based on modern industrial breeds.
No specific conservation plans for any breed, INTRODUCTION
with the exception of Crioulo Lageano cattle and
Crioulo sheep are being followed in the region. Brazil is a country of continental di
mensions and a variety of climates and
ecological regions. The present paper
RESUMEN describes the domestic animal genetic
resources of the Southern region,
Se describen los recursos genéticos de los
comprising the States of Rio Grande
animales domésticos de la región sur del Brasil.
do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná, and
Las razas de ganado más importantes son britá
located between latitudes 24 and 33
nicas y continentales, cruzas cebú y algunas
degrees S. The climate of this regioncebú, con 50 p.100 de la población constituída
varies from temperate to sub tropical,por mezclas sin raza definida. Algunas razas
with a gradient from S to N.únicas son el ganado criollo, el Creoulo Lageano,
Arch. Zootec. 49: 327 331. 2000.CARDELLINO
Table I shows the area of the Table I. Total and relative area of Southern
Southern region of Brazil and its 3 Brazil. (Area total y relativa del Sur de Brasil).
states. By considering only this region,
in relative terms more than 93 p.100 of percent of
2Brazil is left out; however, other regions km Brazil S region
will be described in a companion paper
to this series. Southern Brazil 577 214.0 6.76 100.00
Paraná 199 709.1 2.34 34.61
Santa Catarina 95 442.9 1.12 16.53
BEEF CATTLE Rio Grande do Sul 282 062.0 3.30 48.86
Brazil has a population of 150 million
beef cattle, of which 30 million are in
the Southern region. Production in late Fall and Winter. Since making
systems are extensive. Large farms hay or silage is not a common practice,
(fazendas) are predominant in the cattle have to adjust to these natural
border areas with Uruguay and Ar pasture cycles. In hilly or mountainous
gentina (Fronteira and Campanha) areas (Serras) farms are smaller but
where animals are kept on the fields all still extensive management is the rule.
year round grazing native pastures. The use of AI is less than 2 p.100, and
These have a yearly fluctuation with aET is a rare event. Average calving
peak in the Spring and little productionrate is 50 p.100, and average age at
Table II. Beef cattle breeds of Southern Brazil. (Razas bovinas en el Sur de Brasil).
European Crossbreeds Zebu
Main breeds Hereford, Angus, Braford, Brangus, Nelore
Charolais Canchim
1Older breeds Shorthorn, Devon, Red Poll, Indubrasil, Gir,
2 3South Devon, Caracú, Crioulo Guzerá
2Crioulo Lageano
Newer breeds Lincoln Red, Salers, Normanda, Santa Gertrudis Tabapuã
Gelbvieh, Salers, Brown Swiss,
Chianina, Marchigiana, Piemontesa,
Limousin, Red Angus
Recent breeds Blonde d’Aquitaine, Belted Galloway Composites (Montana), Brahman
Bravon, Branor
1 2 3World source population; Unique to Brazil; Common to South America.
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 49, núm. 187, p. 328.ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL
first calving 3.5 to 4 years. In better period (Gonzales et al., 1994) but no
herds there is a bull market based on herds have been recognized as such.
EPD’s and a tendency to demand red Creole cattle has been absorbed by
and poll cattle. British and Zebu breeds.
Original cattle was a mix of creoles
from the North and from the Rio de la
DAIRY CATTLEPlata countries, plus some mixed zebu.
From 1850 to 1910 British breeds were
As in most temperate regions ofimported, followed by continental
South America, Holstein (Holandês) isbreeds. Later other European and zebu
the predominant dairy breed in thebreeds were introduced. Today almost
Southern region of Brazil. Other breeds50 p.100 of the beef cattle in the
include Jersey, and some registeredSouthern region is a European zebu
Brown Swiss (Pardo Suiço), Ayrshiremix of non defined breed (SRD = sem
and Flamenga. In the sub tropical areasraça definida). The rest are more or
a cross of Holstein with Gir (Girolando)less defined European breeds, Euro
is common. A large proportion of thepean x zebu crosses of defined breed
dairy herd, especially animals used forcomposition, some pure zebu, and some
milk production in small holdings, arecomposite breeds. Table II summa
of mixed origin and no defined breed.rizes beef cattle breeds in Southern
Dairy production systems are extensive,Brazil
with little stalling of animals and limitedNone of the cattle breeds listed in
use of concentrates. About 30 p.100 oftable II are considered endangered
dairy cattle can be considered to be(FAO, 1995). The Devon breed
industry oriented and 70 p.100 family(Mason, 1988) has been brought from
holdings.England more than 75 years ago, with
continuous later importation, and has
undergone a process of adaptation to
SHEEPthe harsh conditions of the southernmost
zones of the region, with poorer
The total sheep population of Brazilpastures and a cold winter. It is
is about 20 million, with 5 or 6 million inconsidered a world source population
the Southern region, and some 4 to 5 indue to its numbers. The Caracú breed
the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Sheepis a medium sized cattle of variable
are mainly reared under extensiveyellowish coat and adult height of 1.30
production systems, either in largeto 1.40 m (Primo, 1992) and considered
farms or in small holdings. During thenearer to the Aquitanian than to the
20th Century breeds for wool andIberian stem. Estimates of population
double purpose breeds such assize are close to 20.000. It shows
Australian Merino, Ideal (Polwarth),rusticity and has double purpose, meat
Corriedale and Romney Marsh wereand milk. The Caracú herd book is
imported steadily from their countrieslocated in the State of Paraná. There
of origin and from Uruguay and Ar may exist some remnants of creole
gentina, replacing by repeated backcattle originated from the conquest
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 49, núm. 187, p. 329.CARDELLINO
crossing the original Creole sheep horse (cavalo Crioulo). It is a thriving
populations. The first meat breed to bebreed being highly appreciated for its
imported was Hampshire Down, resistance and adaptation to driving
followed by Texel, Suffolk and Ile de cattle in the extensive fields of the
France, and most recently limited pampas, as well as working cattle in
numbers of Poll Dorset, Polypay and corrals. Its origin is Iberian and the
Laucane. Only 50 p.100 of the sheep population may be as high as 1 million
are of defined breed, 20 p.100 are or more. Around 1940 a large breed
crosses of more or less defined breeds,rescue operation was conducted in the
and 30 p.100 are of no defined breed State of Rio Grande do Sul to bring the
(SRD). A large proportion of sheep, breed back to its former level. Pedigree
maybe up to 70 p.100 are slaughtered recording was started and a breed
at the farms (estancias) for home society was formed, selection being
meat consumption. There are some conducted for morphology and functio
flocks of the Creole sheep (ovelha nality. Other breeds of much less
Crioula) totaling between one and tworepresentation include Quartermile,
thousand animals. Two ecotypes are Andaluz, Morgan, Mangalarga, Per
distinguished, one predominant along cheron, Breton, Haflinger and Pony.
the borders with Uruguay and Argen
tina, with coat colors ranging from
OTHER SPECIESwhite to black, and another in the Sie
rras and the Santa Catarina plateau,
Not much is known about localwith dark wool ( ovelha Moura). The
poultry breeds and industrial productionorigin of this sheep is most probably
predominates with more than 90 p.100,found in the Iberian sheep brought
using mainly commer