site.btaAgriculture Minister Gechev: Bulgaria Has a Rich Gene Pool of Animals that Must Be Protected

Agriculture Minister Yavor Gechev opened Saturday the 17th national convention for the protection of local Bulgarian agricultural animal breeds in the area Panitsite near Kalofer, Central Bulgaria. "Bulgaria has a rich gene pool of animals that we are obliged to protect," said the Minister, adding that few people realize that the autochthonous breeds presented at the convention are actually a form of wealth.

"Livestock breeding is a traditional industry and Bulgarians are strongly connected to it. It has taken us through many crises and trials," said the head of the the Executive Agency for Selection and Reproduction in Animal Husbandry, bioengineer Georgi Yordanov. He pointed out that it is the duty of the present generation to pass on the love and interest for farm animals to the future generation. Yordanov ended with the words of Prof. Georgi Zdravkov, who said: "Our local Bulgarian breeds are living monuments, part of our history, and we don't know when we will need them".

The programme of the event included presentation of the characteristics of several local breeds, parade of animals and awarding of certificates, cups and fodder vouchers. The breeds presented included the Duben sheep, Karakachan sheep and middle Balkan sheep, Gray Iskar cattle, Karakachan horse, long-haired Kalofer goat and Bulgarian shepherd dog 

The initiative was implemented under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture.