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The authors describe the goat markets in Afghanistan by analyzing goat producers’ price expectations and by identifying the factors that determine these price expectations. Data on expected prices for goats transacted were collected from 280 goat producers from Baghlan and Nangarhar provinces, along with information on factors anticipated to influence the price expectation from May 2008 to April 2009. A price expectation model was built and analyzed using a general linear model. Results indicated that goat producers adjusted expected prices for marketing day (Saturday and Thursday), location of sales (district and provincial markets), live weight, and goat producers’ market network. However, goat producers did not expect a premium for goat attributes like breed and age. The implications of the study are that goat producers can expect more when they plan their goat sales based on live weight, market day, marketing place and sex of goat. [Econlit Citations: Q130; Q120, C100]. C � 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Summary Based on the results of participatory approaches to define traits in the breeding objectives, four scenarios of ram selection and ram use were compared via deterministic modelling of breeding plans for community-based sheep breeding programmes in four diverse agro-ecological regions of Ethiopia. The regions (and production systems) were Afar (pastoral/agro-pastoral), Bonga and Horro (both mixed crop-livestock) and Menz (sheep-barley). The schemes or scenarios differed in terms of selection intensity and duration of ram use. The predicted genetic gains per year in yearling weight (kilograms) were comparable across the schemes but differed among the breeds and ranged from 0.399 to 0.440 in Afar, 0.813 to 0.894 in Bonga, 0.850 to 0.940 in Horro, and 0.616 to 0.699 in Menz. The genetic gains per year in number of lambs born per ewe bred ranged from 0.009 to 0.010 in both Bonga and Horro. The predicted genetic gain in the proportion of lambs weaned per ewe joined was nearly comparable in all breeds ranging from 0.008 to 0.011. The genetic gain per year in milk yield of Afar breed was in the order of 0.018 to 0.020 kg, while the genetic gain per generation for greasy fleece weight (kg) ranged from 0.016 to 0.024 in Menz. Generally, strong selection and shorter duration of ram use for breeding were the preferred options. The expected genetic gains are satisfactory but largely rely on accurate and continuous pedigree and performance recording.

Summary Ethiopian cattle are under threat from uncontrolled mating practices and are at high risk of becoming genetically homogeneous. Therefore, to evaluate genetic diversity, population structure and degree of admixture, 30 microsatellite markers were genotyped using 351 DNA samples from 10 Ethiopian cattle populations and the Holstein breed. The mean number of alleles per cattle population ranged from 6.93 ± 2.12 in Sheko to 7.50 ± 2.35 in Adwa. The mean observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.674 ± 0.015 and 0.726 ± 0.019 respectively. Ethiopian cattle populations have maintained a high level of within-population genetic differentiation (98.7%), the remainder being accounted for by differentiation among populations (1.3%). A highly significant deficiency in heterozygotes was detected within populations (FIS = 0.071; P < 0.001) and total inbreeding (FIT = 0.083; P < 0.001). The study populations were highly admixed but distinct from pure Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds. The various levels of admixture and high genetic diversity make Ethiopian cattle populations suitable for future genetic improvement and utilization under a wide range of agro-ecologies in Ethiopia.