Implicit prices of indigenous cattle traits in central Ethiopia: Application of revealed and stated preference approaches

The diversity of animal genetic resources has a quasi-public good nature that makes market prices inadequate indicator of its economic worth. Applying the characteristics theory of value, this research estimated the relative economic worth of the attributes of cattle genetic resources in central Ethiopia. Transaction level data were collected over four seasons in a year and choice experiment survey was done in five markets to generate data on both revealed and stated preferences of cattle buyers. Heteroscedasticity efficient estimation and random parameters logit were employed to analyse the data. The results essentially show that attributes related to the subsistence functions of cattle are more valued than attributes that directly influence marketable products of the animals. The findings imply the strong need to invest on improvement of attributes of cattle in the study area that enhance the subsistence functions of cattle that their owners accord higher priority to support their livelihoods than they do to tradable products

Genetic diversity and population structure of the indigenous sheep in Kenya based on microsatellite analysis : implications for their conservation

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Simulation of Alternative Plans for Community Based Goat Breeding Program in Arid, Semi-Arid and Mixed Production Systems in Ethiopia

On station small ruminant researches in Ethiopia were ineffective due to various factors. As alternative, community based breeding program (CBBP) has emerged. In the current CBBPs, sire side selection only (SN1) is practiced. The objective of the present work was to compare SN1 by simulating alternative breeding scenarios for Abergelle (AB), Centeral Highland (CH) and Woyto-Guji (WG) goat breeds in Ethiopia. Three scenarios including selection on dam side (SN2) in addition to SN1, application of genomic selection (SN3) onto SN1 and use of sires from SN1 for mating in additional flocks (SN4) were simulated and compared with SN1 based on the predicted annual genetic gain (PAGG) and discounted profits. The breeding objective traits or selection criteria were six month weight (6mw, kg) for all breeds, average daily milk yield (ADM, kg) and survival to six month of age (SURV) for AB, litter size at birth (LSB) for CH and WG, litter size at weaning (LSW) for CH and kidding interval (KI, days) for WG. ZPLAN+ software was used for the simulation. The PAGG for 6mw (kg) ranged from 0.087 (SN4) to 0.25 (SN3) for AB where it ranged from 0.47 (SN4) to 0.97 (SN3) for ADM (kg) for same breed. PAGG in 6mw (kg) ranging from 0.13 (SN4) to 0.47 (SN3) and from 0.20 (SN4) to 0.31 (SN3) for CH Gonder and Ambo sites, respectively were simulated whereas this parameter ranged from 0.10 (SN4) to 0.27 (SN3) for WG. The alternative breeding scenarios to SN1 resulted in better PAGGs, especially for 6mw in three of the goat breeds and for ADM in AB. Based on the PAGGs and profitability, we recommend SN2 over SN1. However, SN4 could also be applied, compared to SN1, in view of suitability of addressing emerging demands

Establishing a national dairy performance recording centre to enhance dairy recording for more milk in Tanzania

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundatio