Tsurcana Sheep

The Tsurcana may have descended from the wild Ovis vignei arkar. Since prehistoric times it has been domesticated in the Carpathians Mountains where it was established as a breed. It spread with the movement of flocks through the Alpine grazing areas to all Central European countries. The Tsurcana and its varieties are widely spread over Romania. Known as Valachian Zeckel it can also be found in southern Ukraine, Moldavia (Tushka), Greece, Albania, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hertzegovina, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. The greatest density of population, over six million, are found in Romania, mostly in mountainous regions. There are three varieties: white, grey and black. The white Tsurcana is the most numerous and highly selected.

Average height, long-limbed and medium-limbed, at maturity the ram weight averages 60-80 kg and the ewe weight 40-55 kg. The Tsurcana exhibits a narrow, straight head.  The rams are horned as are 50% of the ewes. The color can be white, brownish-black or grey, depending on the variety. In white sheep there are frequently spots around the lips, eyes and on the face and limbs. The trunk is medium; the well-developed barrel allows the attachment of a globe-shaped and well-developed udder. The breed is easily recognized by its coarse rough wool with a staple length of 20-30 cm. This breed has a harmonious body, a lively temperament, very quick in searching food. During mild winters it can be feed on the pasture only.

Tsurcana is highly adapted to mountainous conditions but it also spreading well received in  hill and plains areas.

It is a hardy breed, remarkably well adapted to bad weather due to its highly water resistant fleece and ability to cover long distances in search of forage. The breed is also very disease resistant. In autumn it develops 5-10 kg of internal fatty deposits, which is used as energy supplies during the winter and dry-lot period. The winter feeding costs are typically  2-3 times less in comparison with the finewool breeds.

It is a dual-purpose breed raised for milk, meat and wool production (Sibiu, Brashov, Caransebesh, Alba, Hunedoara, Gordge); milk, fur of young lambs and wool (Moldavia) depending on ecotype and the breeder's speciality.

Milk: medium production for primiparas 100 ± 40 kg and for pluriparas 150 ± 50 kg is obtained in 220 lactation days. The fat percentage is 7-8% and 6% in protein in milk. The milk is very good for feta, yoghurt, Swiss cheese, cheese for pizza.

Meat: newborn lambs weigh 3-4 kg and then their weight increases as follows: 9-10 kg (30 days old lambs), 20-25 kg (90 days old lambs), 30 kg (150 days old lambs). Suckling lambs with supplemental feeding from the age of ten days reach 15-17 kg at 45 days, gaining 150-275 g daily. If best conditions are provided, weaned lambs at 2.5-3 months and fattened intensively reach 40-47 kg at the age of 7 months.

Wool: 2-4 kg in ewes, 4-6 kg in rams, the wool strand has long and thick fibers (is 25 cm, 50-100 µ respectively), intermediate (12-15 cm and 35-45µ respectively) short ones (9 cm, 25 - 35 µ respectively). It is used for oriental carpets.

Fur of young lambs: the black and gray varieties are good for cross-breeding, with Karakul breed, having as a result 70-80% good quality Karakul fur.

Goat Milk vs. Cow Milk

Goat milk and cow milk are some of the healthiest beverages that are available today. But which one is better for you? Here is some information about goat milk and cow milk to help you decide which one to include in your alimentation.

Digestion 

If you have a sensitive stomach then chances are that you find it difficult to digest cow's milk. This means that goat's milk may be a better choice for you. Goat's milk is much more digestible than cow's milk. For one thing, the size of the fat molecules found in goat's milk are only a fraction of the size of the fat globules found in cow's milk. This means that the fat molecules in goat's milk are broken down easily. Another reason why goat's milk is better for digestion is the fact that goat's milk contains a higher amount of medium chain triglycerides or MCT's. MCT's assist in speeding up your metabolism and can also help lower your cholesterol levels.

Lactose Intolerance And Allergies

If you are lactose intolerant and unable to drink cow's milk then there is a 50% chance that you will be able to tolerate goat's milk. Goat's milk contains less lactose than cow's milk. Goat's milk is also recommended if you are allergic to cow's milk. Your allergy is likely caused by a certain protein found in cow milk called alpha S1 casein protein. Both human milk and goat milk lacks this protein.

Nutritional Content

The fact that goat's milk is more similar to human breast milk than any other food already proves how nutritious it is. One of its advantages over cow milk is its vitamin A content. Even though cow milk also contains vitamin A, it is often in the form of carotenoids. Carotenoids need to be converted by your body before they can become vitamin A. When you drink goat milk, the vitamin A is readily formed so it can be immediately absorbed by the body. This is an important benefit especially if you have a health condition that prevents your body from converting carotenoids to vitamin A.

Goat milk also has a higher content of riboflavin than cow milk. Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is an important vitamin which helps in the metabolism of other minerals such as proteins and carbohydrates. It also strengthens your immune system by stimulating the production of antibodies. Surprisingly, goat milk also contains more protein and calcium than cow milk.

Biorganic Sodium

Aside from being nutritionally superior to cow milk, goat milk is also one of the best sources of biorganic sodium. This mineral assists in the production of important enzymes in the stomach. Therefore, lack of biorganic sodium can lead to digestive problems, bloating and even ulcers. Unfortunately, today's modern diet is full of foods that can deplete your body of the necessary biorganic sodium. If you regularly consume processed foods, alcohol, soda, sweets and other junk food, then you should make sure that your biorganic sodium intake compensates for these unhealthy choices. Making goat milk a regular part of your diet is one of the easiest ways you can do this. 

Romania offers ideal conditions for organic farming

With an agricultural area of about 15 million hectares, Romania can be after Poland the second largest producer of agricultural products in Central-Eastern Europe. In the 19th Century Romania was once the breadbasket of Europe. Only 60 percent of total agricultural land in Romania is currently being used. The grassland acreage- important for livestock production – amounts 4.8 million hectares. On the remaining areas cereals, mainly maize and wheat, are largely cultivated.

Enormous potential for investors:

     Cheap land prices.

     Affordable real estate price.
     High proportion of fallow land.
     Low wages.
     As EU member Romania benefits from free trade in the Union.
     Increasing subsidies for agriculture.

Reasons for beef production in Romania:

    Continental climate with sufficient rainfall.
    Enormous land resources with fertile soils.
    Total area of pastures: 4.8 million hectares.
    Cheap land and property prices.
    Know-how of the rural population in the animal husbandry.


For example,these arguments have led Karpaten Meat, to invest in agriculture in Romania. The existing resources allow both the production of organic beef and organic agriculture.

Free horses of Apuseni, Romania

The free #horses are local #horses which are let loose during summer. During cold season, the owners retrieve their horses ( as the horses never wander too far).  They are mountain horses, which have a more solid build and can withstand effort.

Free horses can be seen in several parts of Romania, but the Apuseni mountains horses are particularly popular.

China, Romania Agree on Pig Deal

 ROMANIA – China has confirmed two large orders of #pigs and #cattle from #Romania to satisfy #meat demand, adding that whatever Romania can deliver, it can #buy.

Officials signed two agreements for the import of 500,000 #cattle and 3 million #pigs ‘over the coming years’, said the South China Morning Post.

Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang said other #meats, particularly #sheep, would also be in demand.

 Romanian #livestock #breeder, Dumitru Grigoean was clear that this was good news.
“It would be a pity to miss the opportunity," said Mr Grigorean. "Of course I'd earn a lot more if I made computer tablets like the Chinese do, but I'm only good at #raising #cattle," he told the South China Morning Post.
He said several members of the #cattle breeder association, running 2,000 cattle each, had signed up to sell to China.
But, Food Industry trade union leader, Dragos Frumosu, said Romania’s herd could not keep up with Chinese needs. Government figures show that cattle numbers have halved to 1.2 million after being at 2.8 million in 2001.

  

Mr Frumosu suggested a solution would be to set up ‘joint farms’ with Chinese capital or expand smaller farms with European Union funds.
Currently, most of Romania’s meat exports go to Arab countries, although it imports half its #pork and 70 per cent of #beef.

Shuanghui International's recent takeover of Smithfield Foods in the United States, which owns a pork producer near Timisoara in western Romania, will partly solve the #pork exports issue.

Tallest Living Dog

Zeus was the father of the gods in Ancient Greece, and his namesake, a 3-year-old Great Dane from Otsego, Michigan, USA, can today be referred to as the "father of the #dogs" as he is announced as the Tallest Dog Ever.

Measuring an incredible 111.8 cm (44 in) from foot to withers, Zeus is the same size as an average #donkey.

Standing on hind legs, he stretches to 7 ft 4 in and towers over his owner Denise Doorlag.

The humongous hound weighs 70.3 kg (155 pounds or 11 stone) and eats around 12 cups of food a day (equivalent to one whole 30-lb bag of #food!).

"Zeus is an awesome #dog," says owner Denise.

"The only downside is that everything costs more; the food, medicines, transport. We had to get a van to be able to transport him, oh, and if he steps on your foot - he leaves bruises!"

Denise loves the reaction Zeus gets when the family takes him out: "The most common thing people ask is: 'Is that a dog or a horse?' and 'Where's his saddle?'

Zeus breaks the record of previous record-breaking pooch Giant George, who is 1-inch shorter, which makes Zeus the tallest #dog ever recorded in history.