ANIMAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN EASTERN EUROPE: AN INTRODUCTION TO A SYMPOSIUM 1
substantial animal industry. These count r i e s - Poland, German Democratic Republic, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria - have a combined area of about 124.6 million ha, equivalent to only a bit over 13.3% of the surface area of the United States. Yet they have quite substantial livestock and poultry populations. Lumping all classes of farm animals together, these seven countries had 564,270,000 head (FAO, 1973)or 87.8% of the number in the United States. Among the major classes of farm animals, again using FAO (1973) data as the basis for comparison, there were in the seven Eastern European countries mentioned above, for each t00 of the respective types of animals in the United States, about 60 horses, 30 cattle, 91 pigs, 216 sheep, 103 goats and 93 chickens. In addition, there are substantial numbers of water buffaloes (215,000), donkeys (405,000), and mules (69,000) compared to either no water buffaloes or limited numbers of donkeys (4,000) and mules (1,000) listed by FAO for the United States. (As a former resident of Missouri, I doubt that the estimated figure for the United S t a t e s - estimated because we no longer compile statistics on donkeys and m u l e s - is high enough). Also, the Eastern Animal Agriculture in Eastern Europe European countries are shown as having 23.8 and the U.S.S.R. million ducks, compared with none listed by The seven countries that bridge Europe, FAO for the United States (although this from the Baltic Sea on the north to the Adriatic country does produce a substantial number), and Black Seas on the south, have a very and 5.5 million turkeys compared with 8 million in the United States (this latter figure Presented as part of a Symposium, Animal Science being for January 1 when numbers are low, Research in Some Eastern European Countries, July while the time of the Eastern European figure is 31, 1974, during the 66th Annual Meeting of the not given, so the two figures may not be A.S.A.S., at the University of Maryland, College Park. 2Director, International Organization Affairs, comparable). However, it is evident that the Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agri- animal density per unit of land area is subculture, Washington, D .C. 20250. stantially greater in the seven Eastern European 1281 This Symposium should be regarded as a first step in the building of a better bridge between members of the American Society of Animal Science and the animal scientists of Eastern Europe. It is a unique undertaking, and one which will provide Society members with an overview of the nature and extent of the animal science research being undertaken in the Eastern European countries, and to some extent in the U.S.S.R. It is hardly possible, in a half-day Symposium, to provide complete coverage of the animal science work in such a large and diverse region. However, the three men invited to participate provide a good cross section, both geographically and subject-matter wise. They are Dr. Nicolay A. Todorov of the Academy of Agriculture in Sofia, Bulgaria; Dr. Janos Dohy, of the University of Veterinary Science in Budapest, Hungary; and Dr. Romuald Stupnicki of the Institute of Physiology and Animal Nutrition in Jablonna, Poland. Their papers deal in turn with research on animal nutrition, animal breeding, and animal reproductive physiology and endocrinology, and appear following this introductory paper.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, vol. 40, no. 6, 1975
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Ralph W. Phillips 2
1282
PHILLIPS
Institutions and Organizations
Serving Animal Agriculture Owing to scanty communication between the United States and the Eastern European countries and the U.S.S.R. for many years, we
have relatively little knowledge of the flamework of agricultural research and educational institutions serving that industry. About 7 years ago I had occasion to prepare for the Society a study of national, regional and international societies serving animal science (Phillips, 1968). At that time I was able to obtain information on a national society in only one of the seven Eastern European countries, i.e., Poland, and on governmental organizations serving animal science in one other Eastern European country, i.e., Yugoslavia, and in the U.S.S.R. That paucity of information was symptomatic of the lack of communication among agricultural scientists, to which I have already referred, and of the need for building better communications in the animal science field. Although I was not able in the short period available to prepare for this Symposium, to assemble anything like complete information regarding animal scientific research and educational institutions, I shall mention the situation in three countries, to give some indication of the facilities available in the Eastern European region. Institutions in Hungary that deal with various aspects of animal science include: University of Agricultural Sciences (G6d616 - Budapest) Research Institute for Animal Breeding (2053 Herceghalom); Small Animal Research Institute (2101 GSd615); Hungarian Dairy Research Institute (Bahats u.8, 1093 Budapest); Trust for Poultry Processing Enterprises (Akademia u. 1-3, 1054 Budapest); and the University of Veterinary Science (Landler J.u. 2, 1078 Budapest) which - as is evidenced by Dr. Dohy's participation in this Symposium - deals with some non-veterinary aspects of animal science. Other animal health institutions indude: National Animal Health Institute (Tabor no/2u.2, 1149 Budapest); Institute for the Control of Animal Vaccine (Szallas/u.8, 1107 Budapest); and Animal Health Research Institute of the Hungarian Akademia of Science (Hungaria Kot. 21, 1143 Budapest). In Poland there are seven Colleges of Agriculture, located, respectively, at: (ul. Wojska Polskiego 52, Posnan); (Mickiewicza 21, Krakow); (Norwida 25, Wroclaw); (Ankonska 1, Szczecin); (Olsztyn Kortowo); (ul. Wolynska 33, Poznan); (Slowackiego 17,
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/40/6/1281/4699066 by Iowa State University user on 17 January 2019
countries than in the United States. Treating all classes of animals equally, the number per 100 ha in the United States is about 68, compared with 453 in Eastern Europe. The seven countries under consideration also have substantial outputs of animal products. For each 100 metric tons (m.t.) of the respective animal products in the United States, the combined output of the seven Eastern European countries is about: 20.5 m.t. of beef and buffalo meat; 118 m.t. of mutton and goat meat; 71.6 m.t. of pig meat; 70.2 m.t. of poultry meat; 67.3 m.t. of cows milk; and 35.6 m.t. of hens' eggs. Some reference is also made to the U.S.S.R. in the papers included in this Symposium. Hence, a bit of background on the extent of that country's animal industry is also appropriate. The U.S.S.R., with a surface area of 2,240,200,000 ha, is nearly 2.4 times larger than the United States. It also has a larger farm animal population; 1,009,524,000 compared with 642,160,000 in the United States. However, the overall density is somewhat less, i.e., about 45 animals per 100 ha compared with 68 in the United States. For each 100 head of the respective types of animals in the United States, the U.S.S.R. has about 92 horses, 87 cattle, 111 pigs, 748 sheep, 361 goats and 152 chickens. The U.S.S.R. also has about 540,000 donkeys, 460,000 water buffaloes, and 33,000 turkeys (a figure which owing to the seasonal nature of production and different times of compiling statistics, is probably not comparable with the figure cited earlier for the United States). On the product side, the U.S.S.R. has an output - for each 100 metric tons of output in the United States - of~ about 56 m.t. of beef and buffalo meat, 385 m.t. of mutton and goat meat, 89 m.t. of pig meat, 19 m.t. of poultry meat, 151 m.t. of cow's milk, and 64 m.t. of hen's eggs, respectively. From these comparative data, it should be quite clear that the area being dealt with in this Symposium has a substantial animal industry.
RESEARCH IN SOME EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Participants in the Symposium
has held since 1972. He was born on March 5, 1934, was graduated with honors from tile Faculty of Animal Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences (G6d616 - Budapest) in 1957, and received the doctor's degree in animal breeding from this University in 1963. From 1957 to 1964 he served as research worker at the Research Institute for Animal Husbandry (Budapest). In 1964 he became Research Officer and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Breeding at the University of Veterinary Science; from 1970 to 1972 he served as Senior Research Officer, after which he assumed his present post. Dr. Dohy is Secretary of the Commission for Animal Husbandry and a member of the Commission for Genetics, both of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He is also a member of the COMECON Commission of Specialists on Milk Production. He has travelled extensively in Eastern and Western European countries, and is author of 67 publications. Dr. Romuald Stupnicki is Senior Scientist at the Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Jablonna, Poland. He was born on February 3, 1932; was graduated in 1956 from the Faculty of Biology, Warsaw University; and received the Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition in 1964. He joined the staff of this Institute in 1956, in 1969 was promoted to Senior Scientist and, in 1970, became head of the Institute's Endocrine Laboratory (including the Isotope Laboratory). Periods of training outside Poland included 18 months at The Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, in 1966 to 1968, and 3 months at the Institute of Physiology, Weihenstephan, Federal Republic of Germany, in 1970. Dr. Stupnicki has specialized in physiology of reproduction and endocrinology in farm animals, and has authored 40 publications.
As further background against which to consider the material presented in the Symposium, the following information is provided regarding the authors of the three papers. Dr. Nicolay Alexandrov Todorov is Research Assistant Professor and Lecturer, at the Agricultural Academy "G. Dimitrov", Sofia, Bulgaria. He was born on February 8, 1934 and was graduated in animal husbandry from the Agricultural Academy "G. Dimitrov" in 1957, after which he spent 3 years with the Animal Breeding Improvement Organization. In 1960 he joined the research and teaching staff of the Department of Animal Nutrition at the Agricultural Academy "G. Dimitrov", and subsequently received a Ph.D. from the Academy. Literature Cited His research has related mainly to forage conservation, and to nutrition of the ruminant, FAO. 1973. Produc}ion Yearbook - 1972, Vol. 26. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United and he has authored 33 publications. Nations, Rome, Italy 496 p. Dr. Janos Dohy is Assistant Professor of Phillips, Ralph W. 1968. National, Regional and Animal Breeding at the University of VetInternational Societies Serving Animal Science. J. erinary Science, Budapest, Hungary, a post he Anim. Sci., 27:251.
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/40/6/1281/4699066 by Iowa State University user on 17 January 2019
Szczecin); and a College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture (Rakowiecka 8, Warsaw), all of which deal with animal physiology and nutrition. Also, there is an Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition (Warsawa Palai Kultury i Nauki, Jablonna). The College of Agriculture at Olsztyn-Korotow also deals with problems of conservation and processing of animal products, as do three other Colleges of Agriculture: (ul. Mazowiecka 49, Poznan); (Osterwy 1, Lublin); and Hoza 66/68, Warsaw). In Romania, there is a Central Institute of Cattle Research (Corbeanca, district of Ilfor); a Central Institute of- Nutrition Research (Balotesti, district of Ilfor); a Research Institute of Sheep Breeding (Pakas (Constanta)); and a Central Institute of Veterinary Science Research (Bucarest). These listings make no pretense of being complete, even for the three countries mentioned. However, it should be self-evident that it would be advantageous from the standpoint of the Society, and also from the standpoint of the many institutions in Eastern Europe, to develop more adequate communications and closer working relationships, for the exchange of information and ideas.
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substantial animal industry. These count r i e s - Poland, German Democratic Republic, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria - have a combined area of about 124.6 million ha, equivalent to only a bit over 13.3% of the surface area of the United States. Yet they have quite substantial livestock and poultry populations. Lumping all classes of farm animals together, these seven countries had 564,270,000 head (FAO, 1973)or 87.8% of the number in the United States. Among the major classes of farm animals, again using FAO (1973) data as the basis for comparison, there were in the seven Eastern European countries mentioned above, for each t00 of the respective types of animals in the United States, about 60 horses, 30 cattle, 91 pigs, 216 sheep, 103 goats and 93 chickens. In addition, there are substantial numbers of water buffaloes (215,000), donkeys (405,000), and mules (69,000) compared to either no water buffaloes or limited numbers of donkeys (4,000) and mules (1,000) listed by FAO for the United States. (As a former resident of Missouri, I doubt that the estimated figure for the United S t a t e s - estimated because we no longer compile statistics on donkeys and m u l e s - is high enough). Also, the Eastern Animal Agriculture in Eastern Europe European countries are shown as having 23.8 and the U.S.S.R. million ducks, compared with none listed by The seven countries that bridge Europe, FAO for the United States (although this from the Baltic Sea on the north to the Adriatic country does produce a substantial number), and Black Seas on the south, have a very and 5.5 million turkeys compared with 8 million in the United States (this latter figure Presented as part of a Symposium, Animal Science being for January 1 when numbers are low, Research in Some Eastern European Countries, July while the time of the Eastern European figure is 31, 1974, during the 66th Annual Meeting of the not given, so the two figures may not be A.S.A.S., at the University of Maryland, College Park. 2Director, International Organization Affairs, comparable). However, it is evident that the Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agri- animal density per unit of land area is subculture, Washington, D .C. 20250. stantially greater in the seven Eastern European 1281 This Symposium should be regarded as a first step in the building of a better bridge between members of the American Society of Animal Science and the animal scientists of Eastern Europe. It is a unique undertaking, and one which will provide Society members with an overview of the nature and extent of the animal science research being undertaken in the Eastern European countries, and to some extent in the U.S.S.R. It is hardly possible, in a half-day Symposium, to provide complete coverage of the animal science work in such a large and diverse region. However, the three men invited to participate provide a good cross section, both geographically and subject-matter wise. They are Dr. Nicolay A. Todorov of the Academy of Agriculture in Sofia, Bulgaria; Dr. Janos Dohy, of the University of Veterinary Science in Budapest, Hungary; and Dr. Romuald Stupnicki of the Institute of Physiology and Animal Nutrition in Jablonna, Poland. Their papers deal in turn with research on animal nutrition, animal breeding, and animal reproductive physiology and endocrinology, and appear following this introductory paper.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, vol. 40, no. 6, 1975
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/40/6/1281/4699066 by Iowa State University user on 17 January 2019
Ralph W. Phillips 2
1282
PHILLIPS
Institutions and Organizations
Serving Animal Agriculture Owing to scanty communication between the United States and the Eastern European countries and the U.S.S.R. for many years, we
have relatively little knowledge of the flamework of agricultural research and educational institutions serving that industry. About 7 years ago I had occasion to prepare for the Society a study of national, regional and international societies serving animal science (Phillips, 1968). At that time I was able to obtain information on a national society in only one of the seven Eastern European countries, i.e., Poland, and on governmental organizations serving animal science in one other Eastern European country, i.e., Yugoslavia, and in the U.S.S.R. That paucity of information was symptomatic of the lack of communication among agricultural scientists, to which I have already referred, and of the need for building better communications in the animal science field. Although I was not able in the short period available to prepare for this Symposium, to assemble anything like complete information regarding animal scientific research and educational institutions, I shall mention the situation in three countries, to give some indication of the facilities available in the Eastern European region. Institutions in Hungary that deal with various aspects of animal science include: University of Agricultural Sciences (G6d616 - Budapest) Research Institute for Animal Breeding (2053 Herceghalom); Small Animal Research Institute (2101 GSd615); Hungarian Dairy Research Institute (Bahats u.8, 1093 Budapest); Trust for Poultry Processing Enterprises (Akademia u. 1-3, 1054 Budapest); and the University of Veterinary Science (Landler J.u. 2, 1078 Budapest) which - as is evidenced by Dr. Dohy's participation in this Symposium - deals with some non-veterinary aspects of animal science. Other animal health institutions indude: National Animal Health Institute (Tabor no/2u.2, 1149 Budapest); Institute for the Control of Animal Vaccine (Szallas/u.8, 1107 Budapest); and Animal Health Research Institute of the Hungarian Akademia of Science (Hungaria Kot. 21, 1143 Budapest). In Poland there are seven Colleges of Agriculture, located, respectively, at: (ul. Wojska Polskiego 52, Posnan); (Mickiewicza 21, Krakow); (Norwida 25, Wroclaw); (Ankonska 1, Szczecin); (Olsztyn Kortowo); (ul. Wolynska 33, Poznan); (Slowackiego 17,
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/40/6/1281/4699066 by Iowa State University user on 17 January 2019
countries than in the United States. Treating all classes of animals equally, the number per 100 ha in the United States is about 68, compared with 453 in Eastern Europe. The seven countries under consideration also have substantial outputs of animal products. For each 100 metric tons (m.t.) of the respective animal products in the United States, the combined output of the seven Eastern European countries is about: 20.5 m.t. of beef and buffalo meat; 118 m.t. of mutton and goat meat; 71.6 m.t. of pig meat; 70.2 m.t. of poultry meat; 67.3 m.t. of cows milk; and 35.6 m.t. of hens' eggs. Some reference is also made to the U.S.S.R. in the papers included in this Symposium. Hence, a bit of background on the extent of that country's animal industry is also appropriate. The U.S.S.R., with a surface area of 2,240,200,000 ha, is nearly 2.4 times larger than the United States. It also has a larger farm animal population; 1,009,524,000 compared with 642,160,000 in the United States. However, the overall density is somewhat less, i.e., about 45 animals per 100 ha compared with 68 in the United States. For each 100 head of the respective types of animals in the United States, the U.S.S.R. has about 92 horses, 87 cattle, 111 pigs, 748 sheep, 361 goats and 152 chickens. The U.S.S.R. also has about 540,000 donkeys, 460,000 water buffaloes, and 33,000 turkeys (a figure which owing to the seasonal nature of production and different times of compiling statistics, is probably not comparable with the figure cited earlier for the United States). On the product side, the U.S.S.R. has an output - for each 100 metric tons of output in the United States - of~ about 56 m.t. of beef and buffalo meat, 385 m.t. of mutton and goat meat, 89 m.t. of pig meat, 19 m.t. of poultry meat, 151 m.t. of cow's milk, and 64 m.t. of hen's eggs, respectively. From these comparative data, it should be quite clear that the area being dealt with in this Symposium has a substantial animal industry.
RESEARCH IN SOME EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Participants in the Symposium
has held since 1972. He was born on March 5, 1934, was graduated with honors from tile Faculty of Animal Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences (G6d616 - Budapest) in 1957, and received the doctor's degree in animal breeding from this University in 1963. From 1957 to 1964 he served as research worker at the Research Institute for Animal Husbandry (Budapest). In 1964 he became Research Officer and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Breeding at the University of Veterinary Science; from 1970 to 1972 he served as Senior Research Officer, after which he assumed his present post. Dr. Dohy is Secretary of the Commission for Animal Husbandry and a member of the Commission for Genetics, both of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He is also a member of the COMECON Commission of Specialists on Milk Production. He has travelled extensively in Eastern and Western European countries, and is author of 67 publications. Dr. Romuald Stupnicki is Senior Scientist at the Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Jablonna, Poland. He was born on February 3, 1932; was graduated in 1956 from the Faculty of Biology, Warsaw University; and received the Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition in 1964. He joined the staff of this Institute in 1956, in 1969 was promoted to Senior Scientist and, in 1970, became head of the Institute's Endocrine Laboratory (including the Isotope Laboratory). Periods of training outside Poland included 18 months at The Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, in 1966 to 1968, and 3 months at the Institute of Physiology, Weihenstephan, Federal Republic of Germany, in 1970. Dr. Stupnicki has specialized in physiology of reproduction and endocrinology in farm animals, and has authored 40 publications.
As further background against which to consider the material presented in the Symposium, the following information is provided regarding the authors of the three papers. Dr. Nicolay Alexandrov Todorov is Research Assistant Professor and Lecturer, at the Agricultural Academy "G. Dimitrov", Sofia, Bulgaria. He was born on February 8, 1934 and was graduated in animal husbandry from the Agricultural Academy "G. Dimitrov" in 1957, after which he spent 3 years with the Animal Breeding Improvement Organization. In 1960 he joined the research and teaching staff of the Department of Animal Nutrition at the Agricultural Academy "G. Dimitrov", and subsequently received a Ph.D. from the Academy. Literature Cited His research has related mainly to forage conservation, and to nutrition of the ruminant, FAO. 1973. Produc}ion Yearbook - 1972, Vol. 26. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United and he has authored 33 publications. Nations, Rome, Italy 496 p. Dr. Janos Dohy is Assistant Professor of Phillips, Ralph W. 1968. National, Regional and Animal Breeding at the University of VetInternational Societies Serving Animal Science. J. erinary Science, Budapest, Hungary, a post he Anim. Sci., 27:251.
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/40/6/1281/4699066 by Iowa State University user on 17 January 2019
Szczecin); and a College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture (Rakowiecka 8, Warsaw), all of which deal with animal physiology and nutrition. Also, there is an Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition (Warsawa Palai Kultury i Nauki, Jablonna). The College of Agriculture at Olsztyn-Korotow also deals with problems of conservation and processing of animal products, as do three other Colleges of Agriculture: (ul. Mazowiecka 49, Poznan); (Osterwy 1, Lublin); and Hoza 66/68, Warsaw). In Romania, there is a Central Institute of Cattle Research (Corbeanca, district of Ilfor); a Central Institute of- Nutrition Research (Balotesti, district of Ilfor); a Research Institute of Sheep Breeding (Pakas (Constanta)); and a Central Institute of Veterinary Science Research (Bucarest). These listings make no pretense of being complete, even for the three countries mentioned. However, it should be self-evident that it would be advantageous from the standpoint of the Society, and also from the standpoint of the many institutions in Eastern Europe, to develop more adequate communications and closer working relationships, for the exchange of information and ideas.
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