Livestock industries in developing countries face numerous constraints that have often hampered the establishment and sustainability of national genetic-improvement programmes. One major inadequacy in a number of programmes previously developed was that livestock owners were not taken into account in decision making and ownership of improvement initiatives. No matter how much effort is put into financial and technological support, the eventual survival of improvement programmes depends on whether the farmers understood and agreed with the objective of the projects. Otherwise, programmes tend to fade away as soon as the development agencies leave. Community ownership of genetic-improvement programmes has been suggested as a potentially sustainable alternative. In this paper, the establishment and sustainability of community-based organizations for the genetic improvement of livestock (CBOGIL) are discussed with reference to some successful community-based genetic-improvement initiatives in different livestock species.
This study evaluated pig production practices by smallholder farmers in two distinct production systems geared towards addressing their constraints and prospects for improvement. The production systems evaluated were semi-intensive and extensive and differed in remoteness, market access, resource availability and pig production intensity. Data were collected using structured questionnaires where a total of 102 pig farmers were interviewed. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to define the socioeconomic characteristics of the production systems, understanding the different roles that pigs play, marketing systems and constraints to production. In both systems, regular cash income and insurance against emergencies were ranked as the main reasons for rearing pigs. Marketing of pigs was mainly driven by the type of production operation. Finances, feeds and housing were identified as the major constraints to production. The study provides important parameters and identifies constraints important for consideration in design of sustainable production improvement strategies. Feeding challenges can be improved through understanding the composition and proper utilization of local feed resources. Provision of adequate housing would improve the stocking rates and control mating.
This paper reviews breeding technologies vital for breeding programme development in Sub-Saharan Africa while considering indigenous cattle genetic resources for beef production. The importance of beef cattle is highlighted, given the globally and regionally growing demand for meat and the fact that Sub-Saharan Africa is home to a large population of indigenous cattle-for which, however, few examples of successful breeding programmes exist. Examples are analysed, including the N'Dama pure breeding programme in western Africa, the Boran improvement programme in eastern Africa, Nguni cattle breeding in southern Africa and the Ankole cattle of Uganda. The characteristics of livestock production systems, livestock breeds and socio-political aspects of Sub-Saharan Africa have largely inhibited successful breeding technology transfer from developed countries. Technological adjustments and the increasing consideration of target group involvement in livestock breeding programmes may offer better possibilities for raising production by breeding in low-input and medium-input livestock production systems. Livestock keepers can be differentiated into breeder groups and commercial groups. Breeder groups are important targets for genetic improvement programmes via community-based genetic improvement organizations. Breeding programmes are suggested for Sub-Saharan Africa within the concept of regional genetic improvement programmes controlled by breed societies, government and national agricultural research systems.
Economic values for production (sale weight in steers, SWs, kg and heifers, SWh, kg; dressing percentage, DP; consumable meat percentage, CMP and milk yield, MY, kg) and functional (cow weight, CoWT, kg; cow survival rate, CoSR, %; postweaning survival rate, PSR, %; feed intake of cows, FIc, heifers, FIh and steers, FIs, kg DM) traits were estimated for six production systems utilizing the Boran breed in Kenya. The influence of the estimated economic values on genetic improvement was also assessed using different selection indices. The six production systems were described according to their sale age, levels of input and final goal, namely, short-fed medium input beef (SMB); long-fed medium input beef (LMB); short-fed high input beef (SHB); long-fed high input beef (LHB); long-fed low input dual purpose (LLD); and long-fed medium input dual purpose (LMD). Two evaluation bases were considered: fixed herd size and fixed pasture input. In the fixed herd-size situation, the economic values for production (except MY in beef systems) and functional traits (except FI in all systems) were positive meaning a unit increase in genetic merit of these traits had greater influence on revenues than costs. As expected, the economic value for MY was negative in the pure beef systems (SMB, LMB, SHB and LHB) and positive in the dual-purpose systems (LLD and LMD). When compared with the economic values estimated in the fixed herd-size situation, in the fixed pasture input situation they were lower for feed intake in the three classes of livestock and other traits related to it in all systems. These traits were CoSR, CoWR, PSR, CoWT, SWh and MY. The economic values for CoWT in LLD and LMD were negative (KSh -11.14 and -15.33 respectively). The economic values did not influence much the direction of the genetic response in each trait in the different production systems. However, the magnitude of the actual gain was dependent on the index applied. The magnitude of the economic values for production and functional traits estimated in this study suggest that genetic improvement of these traits will have a positive effect on profitability of Boran cows kept in dual-purpose systems and when herd size is restricted. In beef systems, genetic improvement of MY will have a negative effect on profitability, especially when restrictions on herd size and feed exists.
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