Poster prepared by BecA-ILRI Hub and University of Dschang for the ILRI APM 2013, Addis Ababa, 15-17 May 2013

1. Mobilizing biosciences for Africa’s development
Harnessing the Genetic Diversity of Goats
to Improve Productivity in Africa
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May
2013
BecA-ILRI Hub, ILRI, University of Dschang
Exploring
Eastern
and
Central
African
Goat
Gene3c
landscape
Goats
are
extremely
diverse
in
their
appearance
and
the
ecosystems
they
occupy.
We
are
interroga8ng
this
diversity
at
DNA
level
to
a
high
resolu8on
enabled
by
modern
DNA
and
geo-­‐spa8al
analysis
tools.
DNA
samples
collected
from
goats
adapted
to
hot
humid,
cool
highlands,
or
hot
dry
ecological
zones
in
both
Cameroon
and
Ethiopia
will
be
studied
for
genome
signatures
consistent
with
adapta8on
to
their
na8ve
biophysical
environments.
We
will
also
explore
the
diversity
of
African
wild
ibexes
(e.g.
Nubian
Ibex)
and
their
possible
contribu8on
to
African
domes8c
goat
gene
pool.
These
analysis
will
contribute
to
and
benefit
from
other
goat
gene8c
diversity
studies
such
as
the
African
Genome
improvement
Network
(AGIN)
and
the
ADAPTmap.
Figure
A:
Approximate
distribu8on
of
Ethiopian
goat
popula8ons
based
on
morphological
characters.
Details
of
special
aMributes
of
each
popula8on
can
be
found
can
be
found
at
DAGRIS:
hMp://dagris.ilri.cgiar.org
Breeding
for
Reproduc3ve
Efficiency
Goat
produc8on
systems
that
are
predominantly
geared
towards
meat
produc8on
which
necessarily
demand
high
animal
turnover
and
so
does
that
deliver
mul8ple
kids
are
economically
desirable.
The
West
African
dwarf
goats
commonly
give
birth
to
three,
even
four
kids
per
birth
(pictured
below
with
four
kids)
and
so
they
are
a
good
resource
to
discover
factors
that
control
reproduc8ve
efficiency.
High
fecundity
rate
in
West
African
Dwarf
goats
is
may
be
under
gene8c
control,
as
seen
in
sheep,
and
therefore
amenable
to
gene8c
interven8on.
We
will
aMempt
to
iden8fy
the
gene8c
basis
of
high
fecundity
rates
in
goats
and
develop
DNA
marker
systems,
or
other
means,
to
facilitate
its
introduc8on
in
other
popula8ons
where
it
is
economically
impera8ve.
A
typical
West
African
Dwarf
doe
with
four
kids.
This
picture
was
taken
in
a
goat
market
in
Cameroon.
The
en8re
set
was
bought
for
$300.
Photo
by
Felix
Meutchieye.
Goats
Ma6er
Goats
are
important
but
oWen
undervalued
component
of
the
live
stock-­‐mix
in
the
dominant
farming
systems
in
Africa.
They
are
found
in
the
dry
lands
where
they
graze
extensively
in
mixed
herds
with
caMle
and
or
sheep
or
alone.
Goats
are
also
kept
in
small
tethered
flocks
in
small
holder
systems
in
mixed
farming.
Goats
provide,
meat,
milk
and
income.
Consequently
Goats
are
an
important
rung
in
climbing
ladder
for
nutri8onal
and
financial
security
and
liquidity.
The
project
aims
to
use
innova8on
pla[orm
to
iden8fy
and
respond
to
challenges
in
the
goat
produc8on
value
chain
in
Ethiopia
and
Cameroon.
The
main
focus
being
on
gene8c
improvement,
effec8ve
management
of
goat
breeding
and
health
and
make
the
marke8ng
of
goat
products
more
effec8ve
in
improving
the
incomes
of
farmers.
Project
Focus
The
principal
research
focus
of
this
project
is
to
improve
profitability
of
goats
by
promo3ng
innova3ons
in
the
goat
value
chain;
promo8ng
use
of
produc3ve
and
adapted
goat
genotypes;
and
reducing
the
nega8ve
environmental
impacts
the
rumen
handicap.
Key
research
ac3vi3es
1. Innova8on
pla[orm
and
community
based
breeding
in
Cameroon
and
Ethiopia
2. Gene8c
characteriza8on
of
goat
popula8ons
in
central
and
eastern
Africa
–
Ethiopia,
Cameroon,
The
Sudan,
South
Sudan
and
Tanzania.
3. Explore
the
poten8al
of
African
wild
ibexes
for
conserva8on
and
produc8on.
4. Decipher
the
role
of
rumen
microbial
diversity
and
func8on
in
goat
produc8on
efficiency.
Project
Countries
Affiliate
countries
1.
Next
genera8on
on
animal
breeders
–
3
PhD
and
6
MSc
Students
in
Ethiopia
and
Cameroon.
2.
Gene8c
makers
to
aid
breeding,
and
biological
insight
into
adap8ve
traits
and
reproduc8on
of
goats.
3.
Transforma8ve
tools
and
processes
to
that
add
value
to
the
goat
value
chain.
Outputs: