Category Archives: Indigenous Breeds

A 1,000-year-old ‘Evolutionary Jolt’ helped African cattle adapt to the continent’s multiple challenges
Africa / Agriculture / Animal Breeding / Animal Diseases / Breeds / Indigenous Breeds / Launch / Livestock / Livestock Productivity / LIVESTOCKCRP / LivestockGenetics / Pastoralism / Science paper

A 1,000-year-old ‘Evolutionary Jolt’ helped African cattle adapt to the continent’s multiple challenges

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A new study in Nature Genetics retraced 1,000 years of African pastoralist cattle breeding, identifying how cattle acquired the traits that enabled them to spread throughout the continent NAIROBI, Kenya (30 Sep 2020)— Scientists sifting through the DNA of indigenous African cattle breeds announced today the discovery of a thousand-year-old ‘admixture event’ between the world’s … Continue reading →

The elusive quest for the perfect chicken
Africa / Animal Breeding / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Article / Capacity Strengthening / Chickens / Climate Change / Consumption / Disease Control / Environment / Ethiopia / Farming Systems / Indigenous Breeds / Knowledge and Information / Pro-Poor Livestock

The elusive quest for the perfect chicken

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A team of researchers investigating chicken diseases in Ethiopia has discovered that there is far greater genetic diversity in that seemingly nondescript bird than meets the eye, a discovery that could help boost the productivity of small-scale chicken farms throughout Africa. The study was published in this month’s issue of Nature Sustainability by scientists from … Continue reading →

ILRI’s Jimmy Smith on farm animal diversity for more sustainable and resilient global food systems
Animal Breeding / Animal Feeding / Biodiversity / Breeds / Climate Change / Event Report / Forages / Genetics / Geodata / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKCRP / Presentation / Pro-Poor Livestock / Resilience / Spotlight

ILRI’s Jimmy Smith on farm animal diversity for more sustainable and resilient global food systems

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Jimmy Smith, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), this week made a short presentation at the annual meeting of the Food Forever Initiative held in Wilmington, Delaware, 23–24 Sep 2018. Food Forever is a global partnership to raise awareness on the importance and urgency of conserving and using agricultural biodiversity. Smith is one of 30 Food Forever champions advocating this important cause. Smith spoke on the central importance of better conserving, characterizing and using the world’s remaining livestock diversity to ensure future food security in the face of climate and other changes. Continue reading →

Art and science bring poultry genetics to life in Ethiopia while celebrating local diversity in all its forms
ACGG / Animal Breeding / Biodiversity / Biotechnology / Breeds / Chickens / Communications / East Africa / Ethiopia / Event / Food Security / Genetics / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / Knowledge and Information / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKCRP / Nutrition / Pro-Poor Livestock / Project / Spotlight / Women

Art and science bring poultry genetics to life in Ethiopia while celebrating local diversity in all its forms

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Art and science unite to serve Ethiopian farmers—’Incubated Worlds’ explores genetic diversity of poultry to  boost nutrition and incomes. Continue reading →

New advanced poultry facility combines art and science to boost nutrition and incomes in Ethiopia
ACGG / Animal Breeding / Communications / East Africa / Ethiopia / Event / Genetics / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKCRP / Nutrition / Poultry / Women

New advanced poultry facility combines art and science to boost nutrition and incomes in Ethiopia

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On 26 April 2018, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and partner scientists and government officials join forces with Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen to launch the research facility and art installation, Incubated Worlds, a unique combination of art and science that aims to improve nutrition and incomes in East Africa with disease-resistant, climate-resilient poultry. Continue reading →

Lifetime performance of West African dwarf goats under different feeding systems
Animal Feeding / Article / Feeds / Fodder / Forages / Goats / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / Livestock / Livestock Systems / LIVESTOCKCRP / Research / SLS / Small Ruminants / West Africa

Lifetime performance of West African dwarf goats under different feeding systems

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An article in ‘Animal’ compares the lifetime performance (mortality, maturity, nutrition, birth weight etc.) of West African Dwarf goats kept under various feeding systems. Continue reading →

India and Vietnam in South-South collaboration on shared pig breeds, production systems and cultures
Animal Breeding / Breeds / Genetics / ILRI / India / Indigenous Breeds / Pigs / PIL / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Project / South Asia / Southeast Asia / Spotlight / Value Chains / Vietnam

India and Vietnam in South-South collaboration on shared pig breeds, production systems and cultures

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Nagaland launches a comprehensive state pig-breeding policy, the first of its kind in India, developed through participatory and consultative processes. Continue reading →

Badass Chinese sheep quickly evolved adaptations to extreme plateau and desert environments—New study
Animal Breeding / Article / Asia / Biodiversity / Breeds / China / Climate Change / Genetics / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Spotlight

Badass Chinese sheep quickly evolved adaptations to extreme plateau and desert environments—New study

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A new study offers novel insights into rapid genomic adaptations to extreme environments in sheep and other animals and provides a valuable resource for future research on livestock breeding in response to climate change. Continue reading →

Climate-smart livestock farming in developing countries is boosted by a £10-million research award
Africa / Agriculture / Animal Breeding / Article / Award / Biodiversity / Biotechnology / Breeds / Cattle / Chickens / Climate Change / CTLGH / Directorate / Genetics / Goats / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Pro-Poor Livestock / Project / Research / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Spotlight / UK

Climate-smart livestock farming in developing countries is boosted by a £10-million research award

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Researchers at the Roslin Institute will be using funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to investigate how genetic information can improve the health and productivity of farmed animals in tropical climates, which is a proven approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health is an alliance between the Institute at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and the Africa-headquartered International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). The partner institutions are making additional contributions with a value of £10 million to support the initiative over the next five years. Continue reading →