Center for Livestock Breeding

The Center for Livestock Breeding is an organizational unit of the Department of Animal Science at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, through which the tasks of the Main Breeding Organization for the territory of AP Vojvodina are carried out. The Center’s activities are aimed at providing professional support for the improvement of livestock production, implementing breeding programs, cooperating with breeders and breeding organizations, and connecting scientific research work with the practical needs of livestock production.

The Center connects the Faculty, relevant institutions, breeding organizations, and producers in the tasks of improving the genetic potential of livestock, keeping pedigree records, and providing professional control over the implementation of breeding programs.

History

The beginnings of today’s Department of Animal Science and organized professional work in the field of animal husbandry in Vojvodina date back to 1949, when the Department of Animal Husbandry was established within the Provincial Institute for Agricultural Research in Novi Sad. By the decree of the National Assembly of AP Vojvodina on October 21, 1950, the Provincial Institute for Animal Husbandry was founded, with its headquarters in Novi Sad.

Within the Institute, the Department for Livestock Selection and Herdbook Keeping was established in 1952, which separated in 1957 as the Institute for Livestock Selection and Herdbook Keeping. On August 1, 1959, the Institute for Animal Husbandry continued its work as the Institute for Cattle and Pig Breeding, and by a decision dated November 21, 1961, it was named the Institute for Animal Husbandry.

In late 1975, the Department of Animal Science of the Faculty of Agriculture, the Institute for Animal Husbandry, and the Institute for Selection and Artificial Insemination were integrated. By a formal decision on December 26, 1975, the OOUR Institute for Animal Husbandry was formed within the Faculty of Agriculture, and since 1976 the Institute has operated within the Faculty.

In 1995, the Institute for Animal Husbandry lost its status as a legal entity and continued its work as an organizational unit of the Faculty of Agriculture. In May 2002, the former Institute for Animal Husbandry was transformed into the Department of Animal Science.

The tasks of livestock selection, pedigree records, and professional breeding work, which have been institutionally developed since the establishment of the Provincial Institute, were continued within the Institute and the Department. Today, the Faculty of Agriculture performs the duties of the Main Breeding Organization through the Center for Livestock Breeding at the Department of Animal Science.

Center Activities

Breeding Programs – Drafting and professional monitoring of the implementation of main breeding programs;
Pedigree Records – Maintaining the main pedigree records for high-quality breeding animals;
Zootechnical Documentation – Issuing pedigrees, certificates of origin, and other prescribed documentation;
Trait Control – Monitoring the production and breeding traits of domestic animals;
Breeding Value – Assessment, ranking, and classification of high-quality breeding animals;
Professional Control – Verification of the application of prescribed methods and procedures in breeding work;
System Support – Cooperation with regional breeding organizations, local breeding organizations, breeders, professional services, and competent authorities; keeping records of breeders and breeding organizations.

Field of Work

Cattle Breeding – Dairy, beef, and autochthonous breeds;
Pig Breeding – Noble and autochthonous breeds;
Sheep Breeding – Noble and autochthonous breeds;
Goat Breeding – Noble and autochthonous breeds;
Equines – Horse breeds and the Balkan donkey (for the Lipizzaner breed, it performs MBO tasks for the territory of the Republic of Serbia);
Poultry Farming – Heavy and light types, pure and autochthonous breeds.

Main Breeding Organization

The Faculty of Agriculture, as the Main Breeding Organization for the territory of AP Vojvodina, carries out the duties of the MBO through the Center for Livestock Breeding. The role of the Faculty in this capacity includes drafting main breeding programs and their professional, organized, and continuous implementation, monitoring production and breeding traits, maintaining main pedigree records, issuing zootechnical documentation, and improving the genetic potential of farm animals.

Breeding Programs