Open Nucleus Breeding Strategy for Fogera Cattle Breed in Ethiopia: Achievements and Lessons Learnt

Fogera cattle are one of the promising indigenous milk type local breed of Ethiopia. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the performance of Fogera breed under open nucleus breeding scheme. The work was done in two purposively selected districts (Gondar Zuria and Fogera) with community-based breed productivity improvement (CBBPI) as an approach. The collected data was analysed by GLM procedure of SAS for fixed factors estimation. Genetic parameters estimate was made by ASREML software for heritability and correlation. The overall milk yield of the nucleus herd was 2.26 ± 0.794 litter. From the total herd, best 10% and 25% of them give a respective milk yield of 3.31 and 2.87 litter; and some elite cows give an average of 5.45 ± 0.73 litter with a maximum yield of eight litters per day. The overall birth and weaning weight of nucleus herd calves was 21.30 ± 0.06 and 103.66 ± 0.59kg, respectively. Heritability for birth and weaning weight was 0.24 ± 0.09 and 0.18 ± 0.05, respectively. The phenotypic and genotypic correlation with their respective standard error between birth and weaning weight was 0.0613 ± 0.0075 and 0.0712 ± 0.0343, respectively. For CBBPI program, 17 pure Fogera bulls were distributed to the two districts. The birth and weaning weight of the village calves was 23.77 ± 0.21 and 85.89 ± 1.07, respectively. Through the program, above 1000 households were benefiting through the breeding program, health, forage development and grazing land management. To share the achievements of the results in CBBPI program, popularization through filed days and innovation platforms; and documentation of each step via publications, videos and pictures was done. From the result, it can be concluded that the strategy implemented for the breed conservation “open nucleus breeding scheme” had shown progressive results and improvement was recorded. To widen the result and improve the livelihood of the farmer, scaling up of the activity should better be planned with stakeholders.

Pengembangan Sistem Pembibitan Ternak Kambing Peranakan Etawah di Kelompok Ternak Lembah Meru, Desa Wonoasri, Kabupaten Jember

Kelompok Ternak Lembah Meru merupakan salah satu kelompok yang mengusahakan pembibitan ternak kambing PE (Peranakan Etawah). Permasalahan dalam kelompok ini adalah sulitnya mendapatkan bibit unggul yang dapat menunjang keberhasilan usaha. Adapun solusi permasalahan tersebut adalah dengan mengembangkan dan menerapkan sistem pembibitan pola inti terbuka (open nucleus breeding scheme) karena sistem ini cocok diimplementasikan di peternakan rakyat. Metode pelaksanaan kegiatan berupa FGD (Focus Group Discussion) dengan UPTPT-HMT Jember sebagai sumber parent stock, sosialisasi dan pelatihan sistem pembibitan kambing PE, sosialisasi dan pelatihan manajemen pencatatan dan pembibitan ternak, dan evaluasi serta pemonitoran keberhasilan program. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan bahwa terjadi peningkatan perilaku (100%), pengetahuan (100%), dan keterampilan peternak dalam melakukan usaha pembibitan ternak kambing PE dengan sistem pembibitan inti terbuka (100%). Akan tetapi, penerapan teknologi pengolahan pakan dan penggunaan smartphone untuk pencatatan masih rendah (55%). Kelompok ternak berperan sebagai inti yang memelihara dan mengembangkan ternak unggul. Adapun anggota kelompok berperan sebagai plasma dan multiplier. Program ini sangat bermanfaat bagi peningkatan struktur sistem pembibitan ternak kambing PE di Kelompok Ternak Lembah Meru.

Diversity in morphology and pigmentation patterns of local Pabna cattle in Bangladesh

The study was aimed to reveal the morphological features of local Pabna cattle at Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Regional Station, Sirajganj and community levels. Data of various morphological features were collected from total 24 cattle from on-station and 8 cattle from community. It was observed that most of the morphological features were not varied between the studied cattle populations except body length, height at wither, pelvic length, tail dock circumference and mouth circumference (p <0.05). Pigmentation pattern revealed that light red was dominated for coat color in both cattle population while black color was most frequently observed in muzzle, eyelid, eyelash, horn, hoof, dew claw and tail switch. As most of the phenotypic observation and pigmentation patterns were unique between two existing Pabna cattle population, an open nucleus breeding system might be enhanced the desire dairy breed development from those cattle population regarding the uniformity of morphological features.Res. Agric. Livest. Fish.4(3): 201-208, December 2017

Model Rekording dan Pengolahan Data untuk Program Seleksi Sapi Bali

<p>Sapi Bali merupakan ternak lokal asli Indonesia sangat berpotensi untuk dikembang-biakkan dan sebagai plasma nutfah harus tetap dilestarikan agar tidak tercemar dengan “darah” bangsa sapi lain. Disinyalir performans sapi Bali cenderung menurun disebabkan aplikasi program pemuliaan yang kurang ketat, sehingga mutu genetiknya rendah. Dalam upaya memperbaiki mutu genetik, Pola Peternakan Inti Terbuka (Open Nucleus Breeding) tampaknya sesuai untuk diterapkan dalam pengembangan sapi Bali yang banyak melibatkan peternakan rakyat sebagai populasi dasar dengan dukungan kegiatan seleksi pada berbagai lapisan peternakan dan harus ditunjang dengan rekording performans produksi dan reproduksi secara tertib, benar dan akurat, serta berkesinambungan. Rekording merupakan metode untuk menunjang keberhasilan program perbaikan mutu genetik ternak yang sangat bermanfaat dalam program seleksi berdasarkan performans individu, dan dapat membantu manajemen beternak yang baik. Dari rekording dapat diketahui silsilah ternak sehingga sangat bermanfaat untuk melakukan analisis komponen ragam dan menduga nilai pemuliaan (breeding value) ternak. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengembangkan manajemen rekording bagi pola perbibitan sapi Bali dan perangkat lunak (software) sistem rekording dan pengolahan data. Luaran berupa laporan Kegiatan Model Rekording dan Pengolahan Data Untuk Program Seleksi Sapi Bali; model rekording sederhana untuk data primer di lapang dan model tabulasi data secara manual; dan perangkat lunak program rekording (sistem rekording data produksi dan reproduksi, rekapitulasi data, faktor koreksi, dan nilai pemuliaan ternak). Kesimpulan adalah perbaikan mutu genetic untuk memperbaiki performans produksi pada keturunan secara bertahap dan kontinyu perlu dilakukan sehingga perlu perencanaan dan implementasi program breeding yang tepat dan berkelanjutan. Diperlukan format recording dan pengolahan data yang sederhana dan standar sehingga mudah diaplikasikan. Program recording di lapangan yaitu recording langsung di lapangan dengan menggunakan lembar isian recording oleh peternak dan komputerisasi data pada petugas atau di pusat pembimbitan, dinas atau instansi terkait. Diperlukan pelatihan mengenai manfaat dan teknik pengisian paket recording baik di tingkat peternak maupun petugas/dinas. Penggunaan perangkat lunak (software) dalam program recording akan sangat membantu dalam pengarsipan, pengolahan dan pencarian data yang diperlukan dalam rangka mendukung program breeding.</p><p> </p><p>Kata Kunci : sapi Bali, data, model rekording, program seleksi<strong></strong></p>

Assessment of institutional capacities of the Gambia Indigenous Livestock Multipliers’ Associations

SummaryThis exploratory study aims to understand and improve the performance of Gambia Indigenous Livestock Multipliers’ Associations (GILMA – Fulladu and Saloum) as a way of enabling them to better respond to the challenges faced in fulfilling their institutional responsibilities. Using participatory institutional diagnosis, the GILMA members and experts were able to examine their associations and to stimulate collective reflection as a means of making the associations more efficient and effective. The findings of this diagnosis showed that functioning of both GILMAs was closely linked to the operations of their technical partners. This resulted to GILMAs which clearly lack defined vision and mission. Main issues to address include capacity development of GILMA's executive committee in terms of institutional management, group facilitation, participatory planning, effective strategies for partnership and ownership. Overall, this study developed pathways for revitalizing GILMAs into vibrant and self-sustaining indigenous ruminant livestock multipliers’ associations that can effectively carry out specific roles and responsibilities within the three-tier Open Nucleus Breeding Scheme of the International Trypanotolerance Centre.

N Dama Cattle Conservation: The Potential Roles of Artificial Insemination and the National Policy

Regular access to genetically superior bulls from an open nucleus breeding system is an impetus for N’Dama cattle utilization and conservation. However, shortage in the number of bulls that could be distributed to the farmers for subsequent breeding remains a challenge in some countries of West Africa. In this regard, the potential benefit of artificial insemination (AI) and the roles of national policy were assessed. The open nucleus-breeding scheme of International Trypanotolerance Center (ITC) in the Gambia was used as a case study and the research questions were answered with literature review, focus group discussion, and Likert-scale questionnaire. Introduction of AI into the breeding scheme of N’Dama cattle can create higher selection intensity and promote a wider dissemination of genetic gain made at the nucleus. With improved AI techniques, a better use of improved N’Dama bulls can be achieved. Notwithstanding, there are concerns about low pregnancy rate, quality of the semen, inadequate knowledge of AI technicians, and the regular availability of quality bulls. For the Gambian national policy, the environmental component is the most relevant for conservation of N’Dama cattle. This can be buttressed with more flexibility and a clearer communication of the objectives through workshops and local media.