Gizaw S., Rischkowsky B., Valle-Zárate A., Haile A., van Arendonk J.A.M., Mwai A.O., Dessie T.
International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, ICARDA, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic; Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands; International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya
Gizaw, S., International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Rischkowsky, B., International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, ICARDA, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic; Valle-Zárate, A., Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Haile, A., International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, ICARDA, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic; van Arendonk, J.A.M., Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands; Mwai, A.O., International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya; Dessie, T., International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Village-and central nucleus-based schemes were simulated and evaluated for their relative bio-economic efficiencies, using Ethiopia's Menz sheep as example. The schemes were: village-based 2-tier (Scheme-1) and 1-tier (Scheme-2) cooperative village breeding schemes, dispersed village-based nuclei scheme (Scheme-3), conventional 2-tier central nucleus-based scheme (Scheme-4), and schemes linking a central nucleus and village multiplier nuclei with selection in central nucleus (Scheme-5) or in both central and village nuclei (Scheme-6). Among village-based schemes, Scheme-1 gave the highest genetic progress, while Scheme-2 was economically the most efficient with genetic gain in the breeding objective of Birr 5.6 and a profit of Birr 37.2/ewe/year. The central nucleus schemes were more efficient than the village schemes. Scheme-4 was the most efficient with genetic gain in the breeding objective of Birr 13.5 and a profit of Birr 71.2, but is operationally more difficult as it requires a very large central nucleus. The choice between village and central nucleus-based schemes would depend on local conditions (availability of infrastructure, logistics and technical knowhow and support). Linking central nucleus with village-based nuclei (Scheme-6) would be a feasible option to overcome the operational difficulties of the conventional central nucleus scheme. If a village-based breeding program is envisaged as should be the 1st step in most low-input systems, then Scheme-2 is the most efficient. To scale out to an entire Menz breed level, Scheme-3 would be recommended. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.