Proposal of measures for preservation of free breed horse population in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Horse breeding is a branch of animal husbandry that keeps loosing its importance in BiH, in particular in the postwar period. Horse population number tends to decline constantly. In 1990, horse population in BiH was about 99.803, in 2004 about 27.156, in 2006 about 25.699, while in 2009 the number decreased to 21.185 with the objective tendency of further decline. These data support the opinion of many livestock breeding experts that horse breeding surely became the most endangered livestock breeding in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently, horse population has an estimate of 1000. Only thanks to a number of enthusiasts in horse breeding, horse population has been surviving, sometimes under unbelievable circumstances lacking food, water and adequate accommodation. These facts command a thorough research both phenotypic and genetic, with the goal of complete determination of this horse population.