Presented by Jan Philipsson, Emelie Zonabend, Erling Strandberg, James Audho, Julie Ojango and Okeyo Mwai at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Global Workshop, Uganda, December 2012 Uganda, December 2012

1. Animal Genetic Resources
for improved productivity
under harsh environmental conditions
Jan Philipsson, Emelie Zonabend, Erling Strandberg
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsla Sweden
James Audho, Julie Ojango, Okeyo Mwai
International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Global Workshop,
Uganda, December 2012

2. Animal Genetic Resources
for sustainable use in developing countries
 70% of livestock breeds found in developing countries
- indigenous breeds in SSA often adapted to harsh conditions
 Huge ruminant populations but many animals unproductive
 Lack of long term breeding strategies and neglect of the
genetic potential of some indigenous breeds
 Market forces introduced exotic breeds for short term gains
- Indiscriminate ”upgrading” of indigenous breeds
 Many valuable indigenous breeds become endangered

3. The Challenge in use of Animal Genetic
Resources in Developing Countries
Meet increasing demands for Must utilize the potential of
food of animal origin on an the AnGR and increase the
increasingly competitive market productivity per animal!
without environmental
degradation of land and water Develop relevant Animal
Breeding Programs
 considering the needs
for future genetic diversity
The present study involves two
endangered indigenous breeds
TT
with specifically valuable attributes

4. Trypanotolerance of indigenous cattle
breeds in tsetse infested areas of Ethiopia
Trypanosomosis (sleeping sickness)
– one of the most disastrous animal diseases in the
tropics with the tsetse fly as vector
Sub-Saharan Africa
 60 million heads of cattle
exposed to risk
 3 million heads lost annually
Ethiopia
Trypanosomosis covers 15 % of all arable
land and hinders human inhabitation
 10 - 14 million heads of cattle exposed to risk

5. Some breeds show “trypanotolerance”
Capacity of an animal to control the development of the
parasites and to limit their pathological effects
Four indigenous breeds in SW Ethiopia investigated
Collaboration with Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural Research
 Farmer interviews – perceptions about diseases
 Field investigations by blood analyses for PCV
and parasitaemia
 On station comparison of breeds for production,
diseases and survival
Abigar Gurage Horro Sheko

6. Trypanosomosis - Infection rate
Sheko - superior trypanotolerance in all three studies
but is an endangered breed – needs to be conserved!

7. Breeding for Trypanotolerance
 Results presented in a PhD thesis
and shared at a workshop with all
Ethiopian stakeholders
 The remaining issue is how to
conserve the breed and disseminate
genes for trypanotolerance to the
broader livestock populations in
tsetse infested areas of Ethiopia
 MoA taken results onboard for
translation of results into practice
including a proposal to IFAD for
action research

8. The case of
Red Maasai sheep
 Indigenous breed kept in Kenya
and neighbouring countries
 Indiscriminately crossed with
Dorper for better meat production
 Red Maasai population drastically
declining – endangered breed
 Recurrent severe droughts show
higher survival of Red Maasai
 How to conserve Red Maasai
sheep and increase productivity
for food security and better
livelihood?

9. The Dorper breed
 Imported from South Africa
 Composite breed of Dorset
and Blackhead Persian
breeds
 Meat type breed
 Not adopted to harsh
climatic conditions
– problem to survive droughts
 Uncontrolled crossbreeding
with Red Maasai

10. INDISCRIMINATE CROSSBREEDING
Red Maasai x Dorper crosses

11. Materials and methods
Pilot sheep recording scheme
in two Maasai village areas
 Data on live weights, fertility
and health for farmer information
and genetic analyses
- similar data from two research ranches (Kapiti and Naivasha)
 Baseline study on production system, markets and social
aspects of sheep production
- extra focus on gender issues
Interviews for assessment of breeding objectives
Design of alternative breeding strategies
Outreach workshops for sharing results and for
capacity building

12. Recording growth, health and fertility
on Red Maasai, Dorper sheep and their crosses
Fertility Ear tagging Defining age
Interviews Linear Measurements Weighing

13. Breeding objectives
set by interviewing farmers and middlemen and butchers
Farmers Middlemen
Farmers Middlemen
Butchers
Butchers

14. What farmers like in their ewes
Relative percentage of responses

15. What farmers want to improve in their ewes
Relative percentage of responses

16. Potential breeding strategy
Red Maasai Sheep
 Constitutes the main female flock
 Purebreeding for improvement of maternal and survival traits
partly used for crossbreeding to produce slaughter lambs
Dorper Sheep
Use as terminal ram breed for controlled crossbreeding to
produce slaughter lambs
Selection for growth, health and survival

17. Outcomes and Implications
 Closer links between the pastoralists, the local stakeholders,
ILRI and SLU in research for development efforts leading to:
- Increased interest for improvement of indigenous animal genetic
resources as a pathway out of poverty
- Change in animal selection practices within communities
- Enhanced awareness and access to market information and
alternative markets by livestock keepers
 Sharing of collective partner experiences and building on
these to ensure better joint outcomes

18. Way forward for the collaboration
 Build on the results and achievements to jointly secure
resources in order to deliver results to scale (i.e. to other
regions and countries) and inform future action-research
designs and plans in the region
 Target private partners to support innovative livestock
recording systems and community based breeding programs
in developing countries
 Broaden the partnership to include other disciplines from
either parties
 Attract more and facilitate younger SLU scientists´
participation to ensure continuity
An example of long-standing fruitful
cooperation between SLU and ILRI

19. better lives through livestock
ilri.org
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