Abstract
The Bulgarian Rhodope Cattle is a specialized dairy breed Jersey type. The age and population dynamics of the exterior measurements and indexes of 168 representatives of the breed has been examined. The main exterior parameters – wither height, athwart body length, chest girth and cannon bone girth increase until the age of 4 years when they reach average values of respectively 121,7±0,40 cm, 145,1±0,90cm, 173,3±0,74 cm and 17,07±0,09 cm. At 2 years old, the heifers are entirely developed reaching parameters of respectively 97,3%, 94,7%, 95,6% and 98,4% of those typical for the adult cows. The cows are slightly built with the specific proportions characteristic of the dairy cows. There is no enlargement trend, which is a characteristic of the dairy breeds, regarding the Bulgarian Rhodope Cattle and the main exterior parameters are close to those upon creation of the breed. In the last decade it has been observed that there has been a tendency for increase in the body heights, however, judging by the dynamics of the other main parameters – chest girth (-4,11cm), cannon bone girth (-0,05) and the athwart body length (-2,17) it cannot be stated that there has been an enlargement of the animals.
Keywords: Bulgarian Rhodope Cattle Breed, body indexes, exterior, age.