The Greek Red Cow Breed - Kristallopigis

EAFRD-funded projects

A project focusing on the protection and promotion of a breed of cattle specific to Western , the Greek Red -Kristalopigi cow.

Summary

In the past, livestock breeders would © 2018 Greek Red Breed Kastorias - Kristallopigis randomly cross domestic breeds with imported males of different breeds. The results were often unsuccessful. Many of the cross breeds had health problems or genetic anomalies and were not adapted to the local environment, or to the needs of the

farmers. Most significantly, this practice restoration, Biodiversity Biodiversity was eroding the local genetic resources

enhancement and pushing domestic breeds to the preservation & & preservation verge of extinction. This project focused on the identification and registration of genealogical data about Location the Greek Red Kastoria-Kristalopigi cow, a breed that is fully adapted to pastures of Kastoria – - . Project activities included registration of the breed's genealogy, Programming period selection and reproduction of the most productive animals, body measurements, 2014 – 2020 meat quality control, blood sampling, commination and promotion activities. Priority P4 – Ecosystems Results management Specimens of the Greek Red Kastoria-Kristalopigi cow are ear tagged with a code number for automatic identification. Measure M10 – Agri-environment- A breed register has been prepared with the purpose of issuing genealogy climate certificates (pedigrees). Increased the number of young farmers that use this breed (from 27 to 42 breeders). Funding (EUR) Total budget 173 475 Increased the number of animals from 1 336 to 2 200. RDP contribution 73 275 Private 59 000 Lessons & Recommendations Other 41 200 ❑ The collaboration of the Centre for Animal Genetic Resources of , the Project duration Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food, the University of Thessaloniki and 2017 – 2020 the Kastoria Agricultural Cooperative of Cereals and Livestock, created a dynamic Project promoter impetus for the project. Agricultural Cooperative for ❑ The project is contributing to locally-led development in the Cereals & Livestock Products Kastoria/Kozani/Florina area through the creation of significant local synergies of Kastoria (e.g. local quality pact). Contact ❑ The use of certified reproductive material and the implementation of good [email protected] practices were critical to ensuring cattle breeders can achieve high-quality Website products of added value. https://gred-cow.gr/#home ❑ A lot of effort is needed to tackle the highly complex bureaucratic procedures that often delay the receipt of financial support.

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Context The project will also use local male Greek Red cattle as stallions in place of imported stallions. In the past, livestock breeders in Greece would mainly select male or female animals for breeding based on their external characteristics. In many cases, females were selected only because they were not sold. At the same time, the breeders spent considerable sums of money on purchasing animals from abroad for breeding. This practice regularly produced undesirable results, such as the loss of females during labour, small calves, and animals with genetic anomalies. This created a financial © 2018 Greek Red Breed Kastorias - Kristallopigis burden for the livestock farmers and often had negative economic outcomes on their businesses. A significant problem was the absence of scientific guidance which in Activities the long run, resulted in the erosion and disappearance of September 2017: specialist identification and recording of indigenous genetic resources, such as the Greek Red cow Greek Red Kastoria-Kristalopigi genealogical data and breed. meat production specimens. Classification of calves from The Greek Red Kastoria-Kristalopigi is ideally suited to the these cattle as thoroughbred Greek Reds. geomorphological conditions of north-west Greece. It January 2018: somatometric examination of the breed by grazes for eight months a year on the pastures of Western an auditor and registration of the data in a European-level Macedonia and can live for many years. Grazing is of great database. importance, as it is traditionally done outdoors, thus benefitting from and helping to maintain the local natural April 2018: launch of an awareness-raising campaign, environment. including meetings and workshops with breeders supported by a range of promotional material (posters, Meat from the Greek Red is a high-quality product, but trade fairs, etc..). The official website of the Greek Red there is little consumer awareness of it. It was hoped that Kastoria-Kristalopigi breed went live in December 2018. by maintaining the breed and issuing pedigree certificates, this project would preserve, protect and highlight the Further promotional appearances at exhibitions and trade quality characteristics of these animals. fairs are planned before the end of the project.

Objectives Main results The objectives of the project include: • Increased the number of Greek Red Kastoria- Kristalopigi cattle (from 1 336 to 2 200 animals); • offering incentives to inhabitants in remote rural areas to remain in the area; • increased the number of young farmers that use this breed (from 27 to 42 farmers); • maintaining jobs, since livestock farming is an important sector; • Tagged all Greek Red cattle for identification purposes; • attracting young people to become beef-cattle farmers • Created a breed register to enable the issuing of – most beef consumed in Greece is imported so there genealogy certificates (pedigrees); are great opportunities for profitability; and • Monitoring of the weight and productive life span of • Making Greek beef more competitive with imported the cattle, information that helps set goals for a beef by focusing on quality rather than quantity. genetic improvement programme; • Creation of a communications campaign to promote The pedigree certificates and other support measures will the advantages of the Greek Red Kastoria-Kristalopigi ensure that farmers can manage their livestock profitably. a) to breeders; b) to consumers. This includes The project will help them to select for breeding the organising workshops, appearing at conferences and female Greek Red cattle that are best suited to the trade fairs (e.g. meat tasting event at the Panhellenic particular terrain of the Western Macedonian pastures. Agricultural Economics Conference), and creating a Around 35% of the animals included in the project do not website, videos and a social media presence. give birth every year, a major problem for breeders. The project targets at least one gestation per cow per year.

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Key lessons Weaknesses and threats: • the project created significant expectations for farmers Strengths and Opportunities: and local communities and there is always the risk of • increasing interest of breeders and the public in the frustration from future mismanagement, or the ending project and the breed; of the programme; • • the project has been embraced by the breeders and steps must be taken to maintain the collective support the local community, and many young people are for livestock farmers and the local community without interested in taking part; friction or conflict; • • considerable support from the local government and a lot of effort is needed to tackle the highly complex central government; bureaucratic procedures that often delay the distribution of money; • the collaboration of the Centre for Animal Genetic • Resources of Thessaloniki, the Ministry of Agricultural Interest in selling and consuming Greek Red meat may Development and Food, the University of Thessaloniki be hampered by the limited production capacity of the and the Kastoria Agricultural Cooperative of Cereals animals in the area; and and Livestock created a dynamic impetus for the • it is not yet possible to say that the Greek Red farmers project; have higher sales prices and improved financial • there is a strong consumer demand for quality meat performance. Careful thought is needed about how to from Greek free-range breeds such as the Greek Red promote the breed – this could mean developing a Kastoria-Kristalopigi breed; specific quality certificate for the final product. • the project is contributing to locally-led development in the Kastoria/Kozani/Florina area through the creation of significant local synergies (e.g. a local quality pact); and • the use of certified reproductive material and the implementation of good practices were critical to ensuring cattle breeders can achieve high-quality products of added value.

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