Breeding strategies for Sahiwal cattle genetic resources in Kenya

The Sahiwal breed is an important cattle genetic resource in the tropics where it is vital for subsistence and economic development among various communities. In Kenya a breeding and conservation programme has been in existence for over 45 years with the ascertains of its relevance in light of the producers? production aims and breeding goals still left pending. Moreover, there have been no systematic efforts undertaken to evaluate the suitability of the existing breeding programme or to examine how competitive it is compared to other alternative programmes in terms of genetic and economic merit. This thesis focused on understanding the breeding strategies for improvement of Sahiwal cattle genetic resources in Kenya. Specific objectives were; 1) to critically examine the existing breeding and conservation programmes for Sahiwal cattle genetic resources in the tropics focussing mainly on the strengths and weaknesses in Pakistan, India and Kenya as the core regions of development, 2) to understand the production conditions under which Sahiwal cattle genetic resources are raised, determine producers production aims and assess the relative importance of breeding goals and production challenges, 3) to identify and define the roles of various stakeholder institutions that are crucial in the realisation of a promising and sustainable Sahiwal cattle breeding programme, 4) to identify based on genetic and economic merits the optimal breeding programme for Sahiwal cattle genetic resources by evaluating the current and alternative breeding programmes, and 5) to analyse and discuss organisational options for implementation of promising breeding and conversion programmes. The results from the literature review study show that most studies on Sahiwal cattle genetic resources in the tropics have mainly concentrated on evaluating their performance levels with only a few published reports describing other breed characteristics. The Sahiwal breed is utilised for dairy and beef production under smallholder dairy pastoral extensive and ranching production systems both as purebreds or crossbreds. The necessary components to strengthen the breeding programme such as performance recording genetic evaluation and AI facilities exist albeit at different degree. Breeding and conservation efforts benefit from the technical and financial support from government research institutions, which also provide incentives to enhance participation in the programmes. However, breeding goals are rather informal and only defined in terms of high production levels with functional traits largely ignored. Field data analysis revealed that Sahiwal genetic resources were mainly kept for domestic milk production and for revenue generation through sales of milk and live animals. To a limited extent they were kept for breeding and also for multiple objectives that included insurance against risks and social functions. Production aims were influenced to varying extents by various household and farmer characteristics. Sahiwal cattle and their crosses were generally perceived to be better with respect to productive traits and fertility traits when compared to the EAZ. However, the EAZ was rated higher with respect to adaptation traits. The breeding objective traits of primary importance were high milk yield and big body size, good reproductive efficiency and relatively good adaptation to local production conditions. Performance and functional traits are important breeding goals that play a major role in fulfilling the multiple production objectives. This forms the basis for the optimisation of a breeding programme for sustainable utilisation to meet the needs of Sahiwal cattle producers. All the breeding programmes evaluated in this study showed positive genetic and economic gains, however, the difference was only in the margins of these benefits. Given the small population of the Sahiwal breed, an open-nucleus breeding programme is economically and genetically optimal because it will allow for efficient utilisation of the existing genetic base by allowing participation of more diverse pastoral born sires in the nucleus. The CNCROSS will continue to play an important role of facilitating the exploitation of trade-offs that exist between the Sahiwal and the EAZ with regard to production and adaption, as well as an intermediate phase in the up-grading programme. However, the full benefits of the open-nucleus breeding programme can only be realised in the presence of proper logistical organisation to facilitate exchange of breeding bulls between the pastoral herds and the nucleus farms and ensure equitable distribution. Co-operation between producers and relevant stakeholder institutions is necessary to ensure the requisite structures for implementation and sustainable execution of the breeding programme.Die Sahiwal-Rinderrasse ist eine wichtige genetische Ressource der Tropen, die entscheidend für die Subsistenz und ökonomische. In Kenia besteht seit mehr als 45 Jahren ein Zucht- und Erhaltungsprogramm, dessen Relevanz in Bezug auf die Produktions- und Zuchtziele der Nutzer noch unklar ist. Außerdem gibt es bisher keine systematischen Versuche, bestehende Zuchtprogramme bezüglich ihrer Eignung bzw. ihrer genetischen und ökonomischen Konkurrzenzfähigkeit im Vergleich zu anderen Programmen zu untersuchen. Im Fokus dieser Arbeit steht daher das Verständnis von Zuchtstrategien zur Verbesserung der genetischen Ressource Sahiwal-Rind in Kenia. Besondere Ziele waren: 1)die bestehenden Zucht- und Erhaltungsprogamme für Sahiwal-Rinder in den Tropen kritisch zu untersuchen, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Stärken und Schwächen der Programme in den Hauptentwicklungsregionen Pakistan, Indien und Kenia; 2) die Produktionsbedingungen zu verstehen, unter denen Sahiwal-Rinder gehalten werden und die Produktionsziele der Halter zu bestimmen, und die relative Bedeutung der Zuchtziele und Herausforderungen in der Produktion zu bewerten; 3)die Rollen der verschiedenen beteiligten Institutionen zu identifizieren und zu definieren, die für die Umsetzung eines vielversprechenden nachhaltigen Zuchtprogramms für Sahiwal-Rinder in Kenia entscheidend sind; 4) durch die Bewertung der bestehenden und alternativen Zuchtprogramme das optimale Zuchtprogramm für Sahiwal-Rinder zu identifizieren, basierend auf dem genetischen und ökonomischen Gewinn; 5)und die praktischen Möglichkeiten der Implementierung aussichtsreicher Zucht- und Erhaltungsprogramme zu diskutieren. Ergebnisse der Literaturstudie zeigten, dass sich die meisten Studien über die genetische Ressource des Sahiwal-Rindes in den Tropen hauptsächlich auf die Leistungsbewertung konzentrieren, die sich auf nur wenige veröffentlichte Berichte zur Beschreibung der Rasse stützt. Das Sahiwal-Rind wird zur Milch- und Fleischproduktion in kleinbäuerlichen und pastoralen Milchvieh- und Weidesystemen verwendet, wobei sowohl Reinzucht-, als auch Kreuzungstiere eingesetzt werden. Notwendige Voraussetzungen zur Verbesserung der Zuchtprogramme, wie zum Beispiel die Leistungserfassung, die genetische Bewertung und Besamungseinrichtungen existieren, sind jedoch unterschiedlich stark vorhanden. Bemühungen der Zucht und des Erhalts können durch technische und finanzielle Hilfe staatlicher Forschungsinstitutionen unterstützt werden, die auch Anreize zur Teilnahme an den Programmen geben. Jedoch sind die Zuchtziele eher informell und nur auf hohem Produktionsniveau definiert, während funktionale Merkmale größtenteils unberücksichtigt bleiben. Die Auswertung der im Feld gesammelten Daten zeigte, dass Sahiwal-Rinder hauptsächlich zur Milchproduktion für den Eigenbedarf und dem Einkommenserwerb durch den Verkauf von überschüssiger Milch und lebendes Tiere gehalten werden. Zu einem geringen Teil werden sie auch zur Zucht gehalten oder dienen anderen mannigfachen Zwecken, unter anderem der Risikoabsicherung und sozialen Funktionen. Produktionsziele werden dabei unterschiedlich stark von Farm- und Haushaltseigenschaften beeinflusst. Sahiwal-Rinder und ihre Kreuzungen werden in den Produktions- und Fruchtbarkeitsmerkmalen im Allgemeinen besser angesehen als EAZ. EAZ hingegen werden besser beurteilt in Bezug auf Adaptationsmerkmale. Die wichtigsten Merkmale für Pastoralisten sind eine hohe Milchleistung und ausgeprägte Körpergröße, hohe Reproduktionsleistung und eine gute Anpassung an die örtlichen Produktionsbedingungen. Leistungs- und Funktionsmerkmale sind wichtige Zuchtziele, die zum Erreichen verschiedener Produktionsziele beitragen. Sie formen daher die Basis für die Optimierung der Zuchtprogramme zur Sicherstellung Befriedigung der Bedürfnisse der Sahiwal-Rinderhalter. Alle Zuchtprogramme, die in dieser Arbeit evaluiert wurden, zeigten einen positiven genetischen und ökonomischen Gewinn, wenn auch mit unterschiedlichen Gewinnspannen. Aufgrund der geringen Populationsgröße der Sahiwal-Rasse ist ein offenes Nukleus-Zuchtprogramm ökonomisch und genetisch optimal, denn es erlaubt einen effizienten Nutzen der vorhandenen genetischen Basis, die durch die zusätzliche Aufnahme diverser Zuchtbullen aus den Herden der Pastoralisten in die Nukleusherde erweitert wird. Kreuzungstiere werden jedoch weiterhin von Bedeutung sein, da sie die Vorteile beider Rassen (Sahiwal und EAZ) vereinen und so ein wichtiger Zwischenschritt im Zuchtprogramm sind. Es braucht allerdings geeignete logistische Strukturen für den Austausch von Bullen zwischen den Herden der Pastoralisten und den Nukleusfarmen, sowie für die ausgewogene Verteilung der Tiere, um den vollen Nutzen eines offenen Nukleuszuchtprogramms zu realisieren. Eine aktive Teilnahme der Produzenten und der relevanten Institutionen könnte außerdem die notwendigen Strukturen für die Implementierung und den reibungslosen Ablauf der Zuchtprogramme sicherstellen

Socio-Economics Determinants of Selection Criteria for East African Zebu Cattle Breeding for Dairy Production: Case of Kitui County, Kenya

East African Zebu (EAZ) cattle play a very important role in the livelihoods of the Arid and the Semi-arid communities.  Despite the breed being the most populous, its contribution to the dairy industry is very low. To ensure success of a breeding program for more milk production, there is need to understand how the indigenous farmers select their breeding cows and bulls for more milk production. A study was therefore conducted in Kitui County to determine the farmers’ selection criteria for breeding bulls and cows for more milk production. To determine how farmers, select an animal for breeding, five selection criteria traits for bulls and eight selection criteria for cows were ranked using Friedman non-parametric analysis of variance test and Wilcoxon Test.  Multivariate Probit model was used to determine the influence of socio economic factors on bulls and cow selection criteria for EAZ breeding. The mean ranks indicated that the bull’s body frame (5.94), udder shape (6.04), teat size and placement (5.8) for cows were regarded as the most important selection criteria.The Multivariate Probit regression results showed that male farmers had a higher preference for bulls’ body frame than female farmers.  The study concluded that selection criteria in breeding bulls and cows are significantly influenced by socio-economic and demographic factors. Key recommendation from the study is to consider farmers’ trait selection criteria in planning and design of a breeding program Keywords: selection criteria, breeding program, East African Zebu DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-18-06 Publication date:September 30th 201

Genetic and phenotypic correlations among feed efficiency, immune and production traits in indigenous chicken of Kenya

This study aimed at estimating genetic and phenotypic relationships among feed efficiency, immune and production traits measured pre- (9–20 weeks of age) and post- (12 weeks from on-set of lay) maturity. Production traits were average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed-intake (ADFI1) in the pre-maturity period and age at first egg (AFE), average daily feed-intake (ADFI2) and average daily egg mass (EM) in the post-maturity period. Feed efficiency comprised of residual feed intake (RFI) estimated in both periods. Natural antibodies binding to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH-IgM) and specific antibodies binding to Newcastle disease virus (NDV-IgG) measured at 16 and 28 weeks of age represented immune traits pre- and post-maturity, respectively. In the growing period, 1,820 records on ADG, KLH-IgM and NDV-IgG, and 1,559 records on ADFI1 and RFI were available for analyses. In the laying period, 1,340 records on AFE, EM, KLH-IgM and NDV-IgG, and 1,288 records on ADFI2 and RFI were used in the analyses. Bi-variate animal mixed model was fitted to estimate (co)variance components, heritability and correlations among the traits. The model constituted sex, population, generation, line and genotype as fixed effects, and animal and residual effects as random variables. During the growing period, moderate to high heritability (0.36–0.68) was estimated for the production traits and RFI while the antibody traits had low (0.10–0.22) heritability estimates. Post-maturity, the production traits and RFI were moderately (0.30–0.37) heritable while moderate to high (0.25–0.41) heritability was estimated for the antibody traits. Genetic correlations between feed efficiency and production traits in both periods showed that RFI had negative genetic correlations with ADG (−0.47) and EM (−0.56) but was positively correlated with ADFI1 (0.60), ADFI2 (0.74) and AFE (0.35). Among immune and production traits, KLH-IgM and NDV-IgG had negative genetic correlations with ADG (−0.22; −0.56), AFE (−0.39; −0.42) and EM (−0.35; −0.16) but were positively correlated with ADFI1 (0.41; 0.34) and ADFI2 (0.47; 0.52). Genetic correlations between RFI with KLH-IgM (0.62; 0.33) and NDV-IgG (0.58; 0.50) were positive in both production periods. Feed intake, RFI and antibody traits measured in both production periods were positively correlated with estimates ranging from 0.48 to 0.82. Results from this study indicate selection possibilities to improve production, feed efficiency and immune-competence in indigenous chicken. The genetic correlations suggest that improved feed efficiency would be associated with high growth rates, early maturing chicken, high egg mass and reduced feed intake. In contrast, improved general (KLH-IgM) and specific (NDV-IgG) immunity would result in lower growth rates and egg mass but associated with early sexual maturation and high feed intake. Unfavorable genetic correlations between feed efficiency and immune traits imply that chicken of higher productivity and antibody levels will consume more feed to support both functions. These associations indicate that selective breeding for feed efficiency and immune-competence may have genetic consequences on production traits and should therefore be accounted for in indigenous chicken improvement program

Fourth Report on Chicken Genes and Chromosomes 2022

International audienc