Economic values for production and functional traits and assessment of their influence on genetic improvement in the Boran cattle in Kenya

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.     

Live weight,conformation, carcass traits and economic values of ram lambs of Red Maasai and Dorper sheep and their crosses

Meat production is the most important trait in the breeding objectives of sheep production in East Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate breed differences in live weight, conformation, carcass traits and economic values for meat production among Red Maasai and Dorper sheep and their crosses. In total, 88 ram lambs, which were reared at the ILRI experimental station, Kapiti plains Estate in Central Kenya, were used for the study. The lambs were slaughtered at Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) at about 1 year of age. Prior to slaughter, the lambs were weighed, measured and assessed by experienced evaluators, and at the abattoir carcass traits were recorded. Large breed differences were found for most traits. Dorper lambs were heavier at delivery for slaughter and had better carcass grade but lower dressing percentage and fat levels than Red Maasai. Crossbreds were generally better than the parental breeds. Evaluators were willing to pay more for the Dorper lambs for slaughter although carcass weights later were shown not to be higher than for Red Maasai. Evaluators undervalued Red Maasai lambs by 8–13 % compared to Dorper lambs according to the prices quoted per kilogramme live or carcass weight by KMC. Live weight was better than any other live measure in predicting carcass weight. Due to the overall higher ranking of the crossbred lambs for meat production, Dorper may be useful as a terminal sire breed for crossing with Red Maasai ewes.     

Purebreeding of Red Maasai and crossbreeding with Dorper sheep in different environments in Kenya

The aim of this article was to study opportunities for improvement of the indigenous and threatened Red Maasai sheep (RM) in Kenya, by comparing purebreeding with crossbreeding with Dorper sheep (D) as a terminal breed, in two different environments (Env. A and a harsher Env. B), assuming different levels of genotype‐by‐environment interaction (G × E). Breeding goals differed between environments and breeds. Four scenarios of nucleus breeding schemes were stochastically simulated, with the nucleus in Env. A. Overall, results showed an increase in carcass weight produced per ewe by more than 10% over 15 years. Genetic gain in carcass weight was 0.17 genetic SD/year (0.2 kg/year) across scenarios for RM in the less harsh Env. A. For survival and milk yield, the gain was lower (0.04–0.05 genetic SD/year). With stronger G × E, the gain in the commercial tier for RM in the harsher Env. B became increasingly lower. Selection of females also within the commercial tier gave slightly higher genetic gain. The scenario with purebreeding of RM and a subnucleus in Env. B gave the highest total income and quantity of meat. However, quantity of meat in Env. A increased slightly from having crossbreeding with D, whereas that in Env. B decreased. A simple and well‐designed nucleus breeding programme would increase the genetic potential of RM. Crossbreeding of RM with D is not recommended for harsh environmental conditions due to the large breed differences expected in that environment.     

Pro-poor animal improvement and breeding — What can science do?

Livestock provide a wide variety of goods and services that generate income and support the livelihoods of millions of poor people in the developing world. Natural and human selections have shaped existing livestock genotypes throughout the estimated 12,000 year history since the first animal domestication. The result, in many production systems in the developing world, is a livestock genotype adapted to its environment and capable of meeting the needs of smallholder farmers. However, this adaptation is unlikely to be optimal and the rapid changes currently affecting the livestock sector, including policy and market changes, movements of germplasm frequently involving the importation of exotic breeds, and the increasing impacts of climate change are affecting the livestock genotype-environment optimum. This is challenging livestock production systems of smallholder farmers. Current challenges include: high rates of loss of the diversity in livestock populations, rapid transformation in smallholder production systems requiring significant changes in genotypes and their management; increased demand for quality and safe foods; increased market competition in a globalizing economy; increased need for complex partnership arrangements in the ever-changing livestock commodity chain; and lack of adaptive capacity to respond to the rapid system changes. Underlying all these is the general lack of strategies for genetic improvement of livestock in smallholder systems and poor livestock infrastructure in developing countries. Opportunities include increased demand for livestock products — and hence potential market opportunities, and new technologies with potential to leap-frog breeding progress in developing countries. This paper analyses options for pro-poor livestock improvement in developing countries, with particular emphasis on the potential role that science – both old and new – will have, from understanding the social underpinnings to innovative technical solutions. It concludes that one of the highest priority interventions for the smallholder systems is the development of innovative approaches for the strategic use of appropriate genotypes from the available range of global breed resources. The analysis strongly suggests that the highest priority ‘breeding intervention’ should be the provision of appropriate genotypes in a sustainable manner, underpinned by a good understanding of what breed resources exist that have demonstrated potential, where else they could be used, and how they would be delivered to smallholders. Efforts to improve/refine breeding skills of smallholders should proceed in parallel. Institutional arrangements and enabling policies are critical for the success in identifying and applying appropriate genetic technologies, improving access to input services and facilitating access to markets in order to translate productivity gains into incomes.     

Survival analysis of factors affecting culling early in the productive life of Holstein-Friesian cattle in Kenya

Holstein-Friesian cattle raised in tropical environments pose a challenge due to genotype by environment interactions which may lead to higher rates of involuntary culling and reduce profit margins obtainable. This study assessed factors influencing culling within the first three parities of Holstein-Friesian cattle raised on four large-scale farms in Kenya using a Cox proportional hazard model. Differences in length of productive life (LPL) due to differences in area of origin of sires were also assessed in an attempt to determine possible adaptations by specific genotypes to the Kenyan environment. Environmental effects of herd, year-season, parity, sire area of origin, milk yield class and stage of lactation all significantly affected LPL. Daughters of sires born in Kenya tended to have a higher risk of being culled compared to those from other countries. Part of this higher risk was linked to a higher culling of low-producing cows. Further analyses and possibilities for the inclusion of LPL in selection criteria for sires to be used in Kenya should be encouraged.     

Genetic evaluation of growth of Kenya Boran cattle using random regression models

Data consisting of 18 884 weight records collected from 1273 Boran cattle from birth to 24 months of age were used to estimate covariance functions and genetic parameters for growth of Boran cattle using random regression (RR) models under a situation of small herd size and inconsistent recording. The RR model fitted quadratic Legendre polynomials of age at recording for additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. Genetic variance increased from birth, reaching an asymptotic value at 455 days and was maximum at 525 days of age after which it gradually dropped. Permanent environmental variance increased throughout the trajectory. Estimates of temporary environmental variance were heterogeneous across ages. Direct heritability and permanent environmental variance as a proportion of phenotypic variance fluctuated greatly during the early ages but later stabilized at intermediate to later ages; the estimates ranged from 0.11 to 0.33 and from 0.18 to 0.83, respectively. Genetic correlation estimates were positive, ranging from 0.10 to unity. The estimates declined with increasing in lag between the age points. Phenotypic correlation pattern was erratic between early ages, negatively low (-0.02) between the extreme data points and moderate to highly positive (>0.50) between intermediate and later points, with prominent spikes along the diagonal. It is concluded that RR models have potential for modelling growth of Boran cattle, notwithstanding conditions of small herd sizes and inconsistent recording.     

Genetics of milk yield and fertility traits in Holstein-Friesian cattle on large-scale Kenyan farms

Purebred Holstein-Friesian cows are the main exotic breed used for milk production on large, medium, and small farms in Kenya. A study was undertaken on seven large-scale farms to investigate the genetic trends for milk production and fertility traits between 1986 and 1997 and the genetic relationships between the traits. This involved 3,185 records from 1,614 cows, the daughters of 253 sires. There was a positive trend in breeding value for 305-d milk yield of 12.9 kg/ yr and a drop in calving interval of 0.9 d/yr over the 11-yr period. Bulls from the United States (U.S.) had an average total milk yield breeding value 230 kg higher than the mean of all bulls used; Canada (+121 kg), Holland (+15 kg), the United Kingdom (U.K., 0 kg), and Kenya (-71 kg) were the other major suppliers of bulls. Average breeding values of bulls for calving interval by country of origin were -1.31 (Canada), -1.27 (Holland), -0.83 (U.S.), -0.63 (Kenya), and 0.68 d (U.K.). The genetic parameters for 305-d milk yield were 0.29 (heritability), 0.05 (permanent environment effect as proportion of phenotypic variance) resulting in an estimated repeatability of 0.34. Using complete lactation data rather than 305-d milk yield resulted in similar estimates of the genetic parameters. However, when lactation length was used as a covariate heritability was reduced to 0.25 and the permanent environment effect proportion increased to 0.09. There was little genetic control of either lactation length (heritability, 0.09) or calving interval (heritability, 0.05); however, there were strong genetic correlations between first lactation milk yield, calving interval, and age at first calving.     

Assessing actors in rural markets of sheep and goats in the Nyando Basin of Western Kenya: a key to improving productivity from smallholder farms

Livestock traders are a key conduit for incentives in livestock production systems. Their actions affect producer prices, investment decisions, and their livelihoods. However, smallholder farmers in rural communities of eastern Africa often have limited understanding of the marketing process and the interactions among market actors. This study was undertaken following the introduction of improved indigenous goat and sheep breeds in Climate Smart Villages of Nyando in western Kenya. We sought to understand the marketing of sheep and goats in five key rural markets used by the smallholder farmers of Nyando, to generate information on key market actors, their functions in the value chain, and their preferences for attributes in sheep and goats. Most traders (65%) in all the markets were men. Four different types of traders operated in the markets, producers, retailers, wholesalers, and brokers, each making a profit. Preference for selling sheep or goats and the animal attributes desired by the traders differed depending on the surrounding community. Markets in Kericho County of Nyando traded more goats than sheep while those in Kisumu County of Nyando traded more sheep than goats. There were no clear policies guiding pricing of animals. Prices offered to producers depended on previous days, and the number of animals available for sale at the marketing point. The collaborative group actions of the producers in the Climate Smart Villages did not extend beyond the level of production to the marketing of their livestock. A critical change is required for the smallholder farmers to derive better incomes from improved quality of animals following adoption of improved breeding and management practices. The results illustrate the need to engage rural market actors when implementing livestock improvement programs for smallholder farmers for better farm gate prices of animals, and thus achieve the improved incomes envisioned.     

Current situations of animal data recording,dairy improvement infrastructure,human capacity and strategic issues affecting dairy production in sub-Saharan Africa

An online survey on the state of existing dairy data, dairy improvement infrastructure and human capacity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) was undertaken with the aim of assessing whether the state of existing animal recording, dairy improvement methods and key issues facing dairy production together with means of addressing the issues differ among countries and regions of SSA. Respondents comprised experts and practitioners in livestock production and genetic resources from research institutes, animal breeding companies, universities, non-governmental organisations and government agricultural ministries. The main dairy farming system in which the respondents were involved was mixed crop-livestock system (30.2%), and this was mainly practised in the private land tenure system (46.3%). Data were analysed using linear model and paired Student t test in R software package. Respondents identified key issues affecting dairy production as poor genetic assessment of imported exotic breeds and crosses in Africa (62.3%), fluctuations in milk prices within both the formal and informal markets (50.9%), no comprehensive sire ranking systems (39.6%), housing and health management regimes which adversely affect milk yield (32.1%), poor market networks for dairy products (25.5%), poor feeding (13.3%), inadequate genetic technologies (9.4%) and poor animal performance recording systems (9.4%). Respondents emphasised the need for updated breeding policies, sire ranking systems, adequate farm management systems, capacity building, across-country collaborations and joint genetic assessments of dairy breeds found in sub-Saharan Africa. The current situation of dairy production though similar for the different countries, differed in order of emphasis and magnitude across the countries and regions in sub-Saharan Africa.