Program Director:
- Dr. Árpád Ferenc Peles, PhD
Members:
- Dr. Béla Béri, CSc
- Dr. András Jávor, CSc
- Dr. János Csapó, DSc
- Dr. Zoltán Csiki, PhD
- Dr. Sándor Kukovics, CSc
- Dr. Géza Nagy, CSc
- Dr. János Oláh, PhD
In the Eastern Hungarian region (Tiszántúl), ruminant farming — particularly cattle and sheep — is of key importance, both in extensive, pasture-based systems and in intensive production. This doctoral program places special emphasis on traditional breeds, while also including research and development topics such as performance testing of various beef cattle breeds and their crossbreeds, as well as the continuation of breeding programs with concentrated milk-producing breeds (Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire, Norwegian Red, Swedish Red), their crossbreeding with Holstein-Friesians, and the comparative analysis of their performance.
Within the program, studies have been carried out on the milk composition of cows with different genotypes and on the analytical evaluation of how various feed types influence milk composition. For assessing body condition and body composition, ultrasonographic measurements on live animals complement traditional methods.
At the Experimental Animal Husbandry Farm, Tsigai and Merino sheep provide opportunities for resistance studies. A sheep milking parlor, completed in 2014, enables the collection of milk production data as well as the processing of dairy products. The program also investigates the effect of various domestically and internationally grown medicinal plants on the composition and processability of cow’s milk.
The program develops DNA-based methodologies for detecting animal species used in the production of raw and processed foods. Building on capillary electrophoresis, SSCP, and DGGE methods, this work has been extended to mammalian, avian, and fish species. A key priority is lowering the detection threshold and increasing methodological sensitivity. The ultimate goal is the simultaneous detection of multiple species using primers and probes designed for species-specific regions.
In poultry research, candidate neuropeptides involved in the regulation of feed intake are quantified through expression analyses. Gene expression is assessed at both mRNA and peptide levels, with tissue localization confirmed by immunohistochemistry.
The program also examines the factors influencing the microbiological quality of raw milk, as well as the microbiological status of raw cow’s and sheep’s milk samples and various dairy products. Phenotypic and genotypic properties of microorganisms isolated from milk samples are also characterized.
Strong emphasis is placed on the quality of animal products. In cooperation with internal and external partners, the program addresses the improvement of human nutrition through research and development of functional foods.