NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION

Bogumiła Choroszy, Danuta Dobrowolska

The National Research Institute of Animal Production (NRIAP) in KrakŁw- Balice is one of Poland's largest scientific research instituteŁ serving the whole country. The Institute is subordinated to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. It was founded in 1950 on the initiative of Prof. Teodor Marchlewski, an eminent animal breeding specialist and geneticist, and Rector of the Jagiellonian University.

The Institute's mission is to carry out research in the field of animal sciences with a view to the current and future production of inexpensive and safe food under animal and environmentally friendly conditions, and to use farm animals for biomedical purposes.

The Institute's research programme covers 6 areas that are considered strategic for the Institute and the changing needs of animal production:

• Genetics and Breeding of Farm Animals,
• Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources,
• Feed Science and Animal Nutrition,
• Animal Immuno- and Cytogenetics,
• Biotechnology of Animal Reproduction,
• Technology, Ecology and Economics of Animal Production.

Achievements of the National Research Institute of Animal Production:

- creation of improved boars of line 990 and 890 and high-value Polish Large White and Polish Landrace gilts characterized by resistance to stress,

- production of a highly productive population of White Koluda geese,

- production of a genetically modified transgenic boar to be used as a source of organs for human transplants, - cloning of animals using the Institute's original cloning method (rabbit, goat),

- mastering of bull semen sexing technology for sex predetermination of the offspring,

- elaboration of a molecular method for the identification of animal protein in feeds,

- production of a male and female line of New Zealand White rabbits characterized by very good reproductive and growth parameters and good carcass muscling,

- team awards from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the following implementation work:

• Identification of animal components in compound feeds? spongiform encephalopathy prevention,
• Ecological and energy-saving technology of chicken broiler production,
• Elaboration and implementation of breeding value assessment of sheep using the BLUP animal model for paternal flocks,
• Elaboration and implementation of a modified method for breeding value assessment in pigs,
• Production of two homozygous piglets with a gene modifying the immunological barrier between humans and pigs. The success was achieved in cooperation with the Institute of Human Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Agricultural University in PoznaŁ,

Creation of a genetic material reserve for native breeds of farm animals under species protection. From the very beginning, the National Research Institute of Animal Production has focused its activities on agricultural practice. In experimental stations operating all over Poland, researchers teŁt the validity of their theories and put them into practice. The work, often commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is focused on the determination of animal breeding values based on performance results; the production and standardization of blood typing reagents to identify the origin of animals; conservation breeding; the creation of a genetic reserve of Polish Red cattle by embryo and semen freezing; and the operation of the national feed information centre.

The Institute's achievements are put into practice thanks to cooperation with Agricultural Extension Centres concerning: transfer of implementation and popularization tasks and implementation instructions, organization of different forms of additional vocational training, development of modern livestock breeding and nutrition software, preparation of audiovisual aids useful for extension and training, popularization of research findings in popular science journals, organization of, or participation in, animal exhibitions. (www.izoo.krakow.pl)

Thanks to the achievements of its scientists, resulting from 58 years of research, popularization and implementation work, the National Research Institute of Animal Production acquired the status as a State Research Institute in November 2006. This distinction places the Institute among the top research institutions in Poland.

Polski Związek Hodowców Bydła Simentalskiego z/s w Odrzechowej
Adres: Odrzechowa 1, 38-530 Zarszyn
tel. (013)-467-11-72, fax (013)-435-91-20, e-mail:simentale@simentale.pl