Nutritional Value and Technological Suitability of Milk from Cows of Three Polish Breeds Included in the Genetic Resources Conservation Programme: The study included milk obtained from cows of three native cattle breeds, i.e. White-backed (BG), Polish Red (RP) and Polish Black-and-White (ZB) kept under conventional conditions. The reference group consisted of milk from Polish Holstein-Friesian cows (PHF) maintained in the intensive system and milk from Simmental cows (SM) kept under conventional conditions. The following parameters were determined in 976 samples of milk: content of fat, protein, casein, lactose and solids; acidity (pH value); heat stability; rennet coagulation time; content of α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, serum albumin, lactoferrin and lysozyme. Additionally, a certain proportion of samples was investigated for fatty acid profile and content of macro- and microelements. Cows of native breeds produced milk of higher nutritional value (higher content of whey proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including CLA) and more suitable for processing as compared to PHF cows. Milk from cows of the Polish Red breed was the most valuable in terms of these parameters, which can be associated with a distinctive phylogenetic origin of this breed. The favourable parameters in regard to the nutritional value and technological suitability of milk obtained from analysed population of cows of 3 breeds included in the programme of genetic resources conservation are therefore an important reason of validity for subsequent implementation of this programme.

There are many genes responsible for the appearance of different coat colours, among which the melanocortin 1 receptor gene (MC1R) plays an important role. The aim of the study was to characterize genetic variation in Central European cattle breeds based on polymorphism of the MC1R gene and factors determining their coat colour. The study was conducted on 290 individuals of the following breeds: Polish White-Backed (PW), Lithuanian White-Backed (LW), Polish Red (PR), Lithuanian Red (LR), Carpathian Brown (CB), Ukrainian Grey (UG), and Slovak Pinzgau (SP). Polymorphism at the MC1R gene locus was analysed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) using two restriction enzymes: Cfr10I and SsiI. The proportions of alleles and genotypes in the MC1R locus indicates a strong relationship between polymorphism and the coat colour of cattle: The E^D allele proved to be characteristic for the breeds with a white-backed coat (PW and LW), while the dominant allele in the red breeds (PR and LR) was E⁺. It is noteworthy that coat colour in the SP population was determined only by the recessive e allele, which resulted in the formation of a separate clade in the phylogenetic tree.

Wetland ecosystems are highly productive and valued for numerous reasons including wildlife habitat, biodiversity, water quantity and quality, and human uses. Grazing livestock on wet grasslands can sometimes be controversial due the humidity of the habitat, but on the other hand, it plays an important role in grassland preservation. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of Polish white-backed cattle grazing on changes in the vegetation (13 phytosociological relevés taken in years 2016–2019) of wet meadows as well as forage quality based on the species composition. Biodiversity was estimated based on species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity and evenness indices, and Rényi diversity profiles. The peatland featured mostly high-sedge and wet meadows communities of the Magnocaricion and the Calthion alliances. The species and biodiversity indices demonstrated significant rising trends. Extensive grazing resulted in the decreased cover of the dominant species of rush meadows, e.g., the common reed, acute, and tufted sedge. The gaps that had emerged thanks to the reduced cover of the dominant species were filled by meadow plants, which led to increased biodiversity. During the four years of grazing, the cattle obtained satisfactory weight gains, particularly in 2019, which indicates that wet meadows are suitable for grazing and can provide sufficient feed for cattle.