Animal biodiversity is essential for maintaining the functionality of local food systems and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. Starting in 2000, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (F.A.O.) has drawn attention to the decline in cattle populations, including the Transylvanian Pinzgau breed from Romania. Renowned for its hardiness, adaptability, and enhanced resistance to diseases and climate change, the Transylvanian Pinzgau is regarded as an important genetic asset for advancing livestock production. As a result, tracking genetic diversity has become a key focus in breeding programs, particularly for small, endangered local populations that play a vital role in regional agro-ecological systems. This research paper sought to assess the genetic diversity of a group of 24 head of cattle from the Transylvania region by analyzing two mtDNA markers, cytochrome b and D-loop sequences, both widely recognized for their relevance and importance in the analysis of genetic diversity of cattle and phylogenetic studies. The findings, derived through statistical analysis of nucleotide sequences using specialized software, indicated that the analyzed cattle are part of the ancestral T haplogroup, with a direct lineage tracing back to Bos taurus. This information can aid in developing crossbreeding programs focused on conserving essential genetic resources, improving other cattle breeds, and protecting biodiversity.

Cultured meat is an emerging innovation with the potential to contribute to sustainable animal production by reducing the environmental and ethical challenges associated with conventional animal farming. In Romania, this new source of protein is viewed with both interest and scepticism, reflecting broader consumer uncertainties about food innovations. Market data indicates that Romania faces a significant deficit in animal protein supply (exceeding 65% for pork, as well as notable deficits in fish and beef), while also recording one of the largest overall trade deficits in pet food. In this context, the present study explored the openness of respondents in northeastern Romania to the consumption of cultivated meat, taking into account both personal diet and pet nutrition. The results showed that 33.2% of participants were fully willing to feed their pets cultured meat products, and 70% supported its introduction to the market, provided that regulatory frameworks ensure product safety and quality. Although Romania does not currently have the legal and technological infrastructure necessary to integrate cultured meat into the food system, these findings highlight the potential role of consumer acceptance in shaping future nutritional strategies aimed at sustainable, high-quality protein alternatives for humans and pets alike.

Mountain sheep farming contributes to rural livelihoods and the management of mountain grazing landscapes; however, its economic performance may be constrained by low animal productivity, remoteness, labor requirements, and limited market integration. This study investigated farm-level characteristics associated with self-reported annual income per ewe in 37 mountain sheep farms. Using a structured questionnaire, we examined farm structure, flock management, grazing practices, infrastructure, technology, production, marketing, and future development intentions. Annual income per ewe was categorized into four ordered brackets. Because two responses combined income categories and could not be unambiguously assigned, 35 observations were used; therefore, they were used for the principal inferential analyses. Associations were examined using Spearman’s rank correlation and Mann–Whitney U tests with effect sizes. The two primary associations were further evaluated using bootstrap confidence intervals, permutation testing and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses, while a parsimonious ordinal logistic regression was used as a multivariable sensitivity analysis. Annual milk yield per ewe was positively associated with income per ewe (Spearman’s ρ = 0.570; 95% bootstrap CI: 0.282–0.789; permutation p = 0.0006). Off-road access to grazing areas showed a similarly robust positive association (Spearman’s ρ = 0.521; 95% bootstrap CI: 0.270–0.737; permutation p = 0.001). Both variables remained associated with higher income categories in parsimonious ordinal models, whereas herd size and pasture area showed no evidence of association with income per ewe. These findings suggest that economic differentiation in the surveyed mountain sheep farms may be more closely related to animal-level productivity and operational accessibility than to physical farm scale alone. Given the small, cross-sectional sample and the self-reported ordinal outcome, the results should be interpreted as associative and hypothesis-generating rather than causal.