The 24th edition of the Bull Parade at Sangeorgiu de Mures celebrates half a century of activity in the field of genetic improvement and reproduction in cattle, which is why the first local bulls in testing will be presented for the first time in the arena.

'We are preparing for the 24th edition of the Bull Parade that will take place on Saturday at Sangeorgiu de Mures. We are celebrating 50 years since our unit was founded in 1976, it is a double celebration. Almost 20 bulls will be presented at this parade, there will even be two presentations. In the first part we will go with the presentation of breeding bulls, as we have accustomed the participants over the years, and in the second part we will present for the first time bulls in testing, bulls obtained in the genetic improvement programme in Transylvania, the Romanian Baltata programme. So, for the first time I can say that we are presenting this for those in attendance,' the Semtest-BVN Mures Director Valer Radu Sician told AGERPRES on Friday.

As for the recent developments in the national selection programme, the director of Semtest-BVN Mures showed that the presentation of the native breeds represents the culmination of a rigorous zootechnical monitoring work carried out in recent years.

'Transylvanian genetics has been operating for five years as a breeding programme, as a breeding society, on the two, the Romanian Baltata breed and the Romanian Baltata for meat. The works start from the official control of the production, from the registration of the data, of the pedigree, to the analyses done and in the end, it is this link, the last in the breeding program, the testing of the bulls. So, it is the result of what has been done so far,' said Sician.

He admitted that this process is just beginning, but that it is vital for the future of Romanian animal husbandry.

'We are at the beginning of the road, we have to go further on this road because further they have to enter test packages, enter the population to be tested and their improvement value verified.'

According to him, the facility's international collaborations allow Romanian farmers to have constant access to elite animals and that these collaborations will be seen physically through the specimens that will participate in the Bull Parade.

'Each time at the parade we presented bulls that are listed at European level, worldwide, in the top, because we have a very good partnership through Eurogenetic and Romanian farmers have always benefited from top genetics, premium genetics.'

Sician explained that the Bull Parade goes beyond a simple exhibition event, having a strong technical component and practical support for farmers in difficult economic times.

'The parade has two roles: a beautiful, emotional event, in which farmers and those in attendance can see with their own eyes these wonderful specimens and encourage them to move forward in these interesting and difficult times. And two, each time we deciphered together what is hidden in the genome, the attributes and genes that are related to the production characteristics. We deciphered them together, so that it is easier for the farmer and the operator to make the decision they make in the end to be one that corresponds to what they need,' said the engineer.

Oganisers assure that Saturday's event, dedicated exclusively to cattle breeders and specialists, will remain, year after year, a traditional meeting place for debates and applied consultations on genetics, reproduction and breeding of animals in Romania.

'In the end, we enjoy this event and we expect that, on Saturday, October 3, farmers and operators will be with us,' Sician concluded. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Dorina Matis; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)