The calving season has started in Hortobágy; the calves of the gray cattle and the lambs of the Merino sheep are born on these days, and in the first days of February, the birth of the foals also begins – the Hortobágy Nature Conservation and Gene Preservation Nonprofit Kft. told MTI on Tuesday.
According to their information, the company keeps its domestic animals of high genetic value on the pastures of the Hortobágy National Park (HNP), thus ensuring the management of the area for nature conservation purposes.
The reproductions of Hungarian gray cattle, Hortobágy racka sheep, Hungarian merino sheep, and nonius horses ensure the preservation of the genetic stock of native breeds and the maintenance of the species-rich state of the Hortobágy pastures with the expert activities of the company’s employees and shepherds, they indicated.
The calving season of the Hungarian gray cattle began after the calves were herded to their winter quarters in November. About 300 calves have already been born, and a total of about 750 calves are expected.
In order to increase the genetic distance between the animals, Hortobágyi Nonprofit Kft. and the Magyar Szürke Szarvasmarhát Tenyésztók Egyesülete also involve a geneticist in the creation of the mating plan and in the process of selecting suitable breeding animals, they wrote.
According to their announcement, Hungarian merino sheep and Hortobágy racka sheep were mated for six weeks at the beginning of August. Lambs are born at about 150 days, so lambing season for sheep has started in days. So far, including the twin lambs, 42 animals have been born, and by the end of the lambing season, their number is expected to increase to 850.
In the stables of Mátai Ménes, the calving period is expected to begin at the beginning of February, and the foals and riders are expecting the birth of 50 nonius foals and 5 sport horse foals.
Calves, lambs, and foals are born in the winter accommodation. During the calving season, the shepherds are constantly with the cattle and, if necessary, help with the birth. The young offspring will be raised together with their mother on the desert pastures even after the start of the grazing season, they said.
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