Genetic parameters were estimated for production traits and primary antibody response (Ab) against Newcastle diseases virus (NDV) vaccine among two Tanzania chicken ecotypes viz. Kuchi and Tanzania Medium (Medium). Production traits studied were body weights at 8 (Bwt8), 12(Bwt12), 16(Bwt16), and 20 (Bwt20) weeks of age, age at first egg (AFE), egg number in the first 90 days after sexual maturity (EN-90), egg weight (EW), egg shell thickness (STH), and egg shape index (ESI). Heritability estimates for Bwt8, Bwt12, Bwt16, Bwt20, AFE, EN-90, EW, STH, ESI and Ab for Kuchi chicken were 0.38 +/- 0.10, 0.41 +/- 0.07, 0.44 +/- 0.08, 0.45 +/- 0.09, 0.42 +/- 0.10, 0.31 +/- 0.05, 0.43 +/- 0.08, 0.53 +/- 0.11, 0.48 +/- 0.13 and 0.27 +/- 0.06, respectively. Corresponding estimates for Medium ecotype were 0.39 +/- 0.09, 0.43 +/- 0.10, 0.42 +/- 0.08, 0.43 +/- 0.07, 0.52 +/- 0.11, 0.32 +/- 0.06, 0.50 +/- 0.07, 0.61 +/- 0.13, 0.52 +/- 0.10 and 0.29 +/- 0.05, respectively. Genetic (r (g)) and phenotypic (r(p)) correlations in both ecotypes were highest among body weights (i.e. r(g) = 0.60 to 0.93 and r(p) = 0.54 to 0.78), and were lowest (around 0.10 and below, ranging from positive to negative) among primary antibody response against NDV vaccine and production traits, and among eggshell thickness, egg shape index and other production traits. The magnitudes of heritability estimates obtained in this study indicate good prospects of improving these traits in both ecotypes through selection.

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Genetic diversity of sub-Saharan African goats was assessed using 19 microsatellite markers. Breeds were sampled from eastern Africa (Maasai, Kigezi, Mubende, North West Highland, Arsi-Bale), southern Africa (Ndebele, Pafuri) and West Africa (West African Dwarf, Maure, Djallonke). European breeds (Grisons Striped, Toggenburg), Asian breeds (Mongolian Cashmere, Bandipur) and a Middle East breed (Arab) were also included. The mean number of alleles per locus and average gene diversity ranged from 5.26±0.464 (Djallonke) to 7.05±0.516 (Mubende) and from 0.542±0.036 (Pafuri) to 0.672±0.031 (Ndebele), respectively. The between breeds variation evaluated using G ST and θ were found to account for 14.6% (θ) and 15.7% (G ST ) of the total genetic variation. The D A measure of genetic distance between pairs of breeds indicated that the largest genetic distance was between Pafuri and Djallonke while the lowest genetic distance was between Arsi-Bale and North West Highland. A neighbour-joining tree of breed relationships revealed that the breeds were grouped according to their geographic origins. Principal component analysis supported the grouping of the breeds according to their geographic origins. It was concluded that the relationships of sub-Saharan African goat breeds were according to their geographical locations implying that the goats of eastern Africa, West Africa and southern Africa are genetically distinct. Within each sub-region, goat populations could be differentiated according to morphological characteristics.

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