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In this study, expected genetic progress and economic benefits from implementing three community-based breeding programs for sheep (CBBP) out- and upscaling strategies were investigated. Strategy 1 is to replicate average existing CBBPs, strategy 2 is to increase the number of breeding males produced and disseminated by average CBBPs and strategy 3 is to intensify the use of breeding males with artificial insemination (AI). The strategies were modelled using field and market data from Ethiopian Menz sheep. The data included costs incurred by nucleus farmers to run the breeding program and base farmers to pay for improved rams. Genetic progress in six-month weight and economic benefit in US dollars with a reference planning horizon (H) of 20 years and a discount rate (r) of 0.07 were calculated using gene flow techniques. Genetic progress expected in average existing CBBPs came to 0.11 kg/year and accumulated discounted economic benefit (income/costs) was USD54,290 with a return on investment (income/costs) of USD5.1 per dollar invested. Thus, strategy 1, which replicates ongoing CBBPs, ranked highly beneficial. Strategy 2 was tested with 200 improved rams purchased at 1.1 times their meat market value. Accumulated discounted economic benefit with this strategy resulted in USD133,317 and return on investment was calculated at USD14.1. Cost of improved rams would need to be 2.5 times the current meat market value to make this strategy unprofitable. Strategy 3, taking advantage of AI, was tested in two ways: using fewer rams to increase selection differential in the nucleus of a CBBP (strategy 3a) and increasing the number of ewes in general herds served with improved rams (strategy 3b). Feasible AI programs were modelled allowing for lower conception rates and including all AI costs in the economic analyses. Strategy 3a increased genetic progress of six-month weight from 0.11 to 0.14 kg/year and strategy 3b increased the number of improved lambs from 7290 to 12,474. Therefore, incomes became larger but so did costs, leading to very low or negative benefits. Considering a shorter planning horizon (H = 10) and a larger discount rate (r = 0.12) would reduce benefits and returns to investment but would not change the general finding that out-scaling current CBBPs or upscaling the number of improved males from current CBBPs for dissemination are highly recommendable strategies for livestock development. However, AI, at current conception rates and costs, can only be justified with major subsidies or under specific circumstances.

Awassi dairy sheep farmers in the Middle East are facing high feed costs, particularly during the milk production season, along with large fluctuation in grain and straw prices. Incorporating agro-industrial byproducts into the diet of Awassi dairy sheep can help to balance diets and decrease costs. But it may affect milk quality through changes in the fatty acid profile. Six experimental diets were compared to a control diet in the research station of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Tal Hadya, Syria. Milking Awassi ewes (n = 56) were used to test six experimental diets, in which supplements comprised molasses, sugar beet pulp, or cotton seed cake to a traditional control diet contained barley, wheat bran, and barley straw. Milk samples were collected on a weekly basis from April to June. The daily milk production and fat content were enhanced in diets containing urea-treated wheat straw (P

In this study we genotyped 14 microsatellites to assess genetic diversity, population stratification and demographic dynamics using Egyptian local goats (Zaraibi, Baladi, Saidi and Barki) and the Shami (Damascus) goat from the Middle East and West Asia close to the geographic center of goat domestication. We observed high levels of allelic and genetic diversity that was partitioned into six gene pools. Cluster analyses separated Zaraibi and Shami, which were identified with independent gene pools of potential ancestral backgrounds. The analyses provided further evidence for extensive sharing of genetic variation, revealing, varying levels of admixture among the study populations. This finding was supported by AMOVA analysis, which indicated that the proportion of genetic variation due to differences among populations was 7.06%. Our results most likely indicate that multiple waves of introduction of diverse gene pools and recent flock intermixing has created and maintained a unique set of caprine biodiversity in Eastern North Africa emphasizing the importance of the region as one of the hotbeds of African animal biodiversity. Key words: Admixture, Bayesian clustering, bottleneck, expansion, Egypt.

With the main objective of improving Tajik mohair quantity and quality, frozen semen from eight top performance tested Texan Angora bucks was imported and used on 459 selected local goats from 11 farmers in two insemination seasons. Conception rates in both seasons were very low. Sixty six Texan x Tajik crossbred progeny were compared with 308 contemporary Tajik controls. Early live body weights, mohair quantity and mohair quality data were collected and genotypes compared after correcting for season, farm and sex of progeny, fitting age as a co-variable. Body weights at birth were higher in crossbreds (2.39 vs. 2.19 kg, P

Village- and central nucleus-based schemes were simulated and evaluated for their relative bio-economic efficiencies, using Ethiopia's Menz sheep as example. The schemes were: village-based 2-tier (Scheme-1) and 1-tier (Scheme-2) cooperative village breeding schemes, dispersed village-based nuclei scheme (Scheme-3), conventional 2-tier central nucleus-based scheme (Scheme-4), and schemes linking a central nucleus and village multiplier nuclei with selection in central nucleus (Scheme-5) or in both central and village nuclei (Scheme-6). Among village-based schemes, Scheme-1 gave the highest genetic progress, while Scheme-2 was economically the most efficient with genetic gain in the breeding objective of Birr 5.6 and a profit of Birr 37.2/ewe/year. The central nucleus schemes were more efficient than the village schemes. Scheme-4 was the most efficient with genetic gain in the breeding objective of Birr 13.5 and a profit of Birr 71.2, but is operationally more difficult as it requires a very large central nucleus. The choice between village and central nucleus-based schemes would depend on local conditions (availability of infrastructure, logistics and technical knowhow and support). Linking central nucleus with village-based nuclei (Scheme-6) would be a feasible option to overcome the operational difficulties of the conventional central nucleus scheme. If a village-based breeding program is envisaged as should be the 1st step in most low-input systems, then Scheme-2 is the most efficient. To scale out to an entire Menz breed level, Scheme-3 would be recommended.

A simulation study was conducted to optimize a cooperative village-based sheep breeding scheme for Menz sheep of Ethiopia. Genetic gains and profits were estimated under nine levels of farmers' participation and three scenarios of controlled breeding achieved in the breeding programme, as well as under three cooperative flock sizes, ewe to ram mating ratios and durations of ram use for breeding. Under fully controlled breeding, that is, when there is no gene flow between participating (P) and non-participating (NP) flocks, profits ranged from Birr 36.9 at 90% of participation to Birr 21.3 at 10% of participation. However, genetic progress was not affected adversely. When there was gene flow from the NP to P flocks, profits declined from Birr 28.6 to Birr -3.7 as participation declined from 90 to 10%. Under the two-way gene flow model (i.e. when P and NP flocks are herded mixed in communal grazing areas), NP flocks benefited from the genetic gain achieved in the P flocks, but the benefits declined sharply when participation declined beyond 60%. Our results indicate that a cooperative breeding group can be established with as low as 600 breeding ewes mated at a ratio of 45 ewes to one ram, and the rams being used for breeding for a period of two years. This study showed that farmer cooperation is crucial to effect genetic improvement under smallholder low-input sheep farming systems.

SummaryAs part of the country-driven strategy for the management of animal genetic resources, FAO invited 188 countries to participate in the preparation of the First Report on the State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources. Utilizing the information provided in the 148 country reports ready for analysis in July 2005, this paper presents a global overview of the state of capacity and utilization of reproductive and molecular biotechnologies in the management of animal genetic resources. Regional descriptions outline the distribution of different biotechnologies, along with a discussion of the species and breed focus of their use, and stakeholder involvement in service delivery. Unsurprisingly, there is a big gap in biotechnology use between developed and developing countries, with artificial insemination being the technology most widely applied in developing countries. More complex technologies such as embryo transfer and molecular tools, are even less common in developing countries. Use of biotechnologies is in general biased towards cattle, and examples of the application of biotechnologies in the management of locally adapted breeds are limited. Most developing countries express the wish to increase the utilization of biotechnologies. However, in many cases clear plans for incorporating technologies into animal genetic resource management are lacking.