Herbage of Cratylia argentea, Desmodium velutinum, Fleminigia macrophylla, Leucaena diversifolia, Canavalia brasiliensis, Centrosema brasilianum, Clitoria ternatea, Lablab purpureus, Stylosanthes guianensis and Vigna unguiculata from the CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) gene bank were assessed for their nutritional value and in-vitro digestibility for pigs in order to predict their potential as alternative protein supplement in a tropical smallholder context. Crude protein (CP) contents ranged from 137 to 257 g kg-1 dry matter (DM) (mean 191 g kg-1 DM), although a considerable proportion of it, 27 % on average, was bound to neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Interesting levels of lysine were found in Cratylia argentea (14 g kg-1 DM) and Leucaena diversifolia (13 g kg-1 DM), whereby the latter was also high in tannic acid concentration (49 g kg-1 DM) thus limiting the amino acid digestibility. Vigna unguiculatapresented highest in-vitro enzymatic degradability (521 g kg-1 DM), which even increased in a 40:60 mixture with maize. Lowest degradation was obtained with Flemingia macrophylla (248 g kg-1 DM), while the median of the forages approached 390 g kg-1 DM. It is concluded, that Vigna unguiculata herbage meal has the highest potential to be successfully included in pig diets, while Cratylia argentea meal should equally be assessed in vivo.

The study was conducted to assess the reproductive performance of ewes under village management condition in south western part of Ethiopia. The study was a monitoring study which took place for three years (1995-1997). The overall least squares means for lambing interval (LI) and annual reproductive rate (ARR) were 262 ±53.4 days and 1.88 ± 0.44, respectively. The overall least squares means of age at first lambing and litter size were 404 + 65.40 day and 1.21+1.45 lambs, respectively. Lambing interval was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by parity of the ewe, type of birth and year of lambing. The ewes at their first, and six and above parity showed longer subsequent lambing interval than ewes at 2-5 parity. Ewes that suckled singles had shorter subsequent lambing interval than ewes which suckled twins (255+3.74 vs 283+5.72 days). Year of lambing and type of birth exerted a significant effect (P<0.05) on ARR. The ewes that dropped twins had higher ARR than ewes which dropped singles (1.52 Vs 2.56 lambs/ewe/year). Litter size was significantly (p<0.05) influenced by season of lambing and parity of the ewe. There was a tendency that, litter size increased with an increase of parity up to fifth parity and dropped at the sixth and more parities. The reproductive performance of ewes under village management condition is discussed in association with reports elsewhere in the tropics.

his study evaluated alternative breeding objectives and schemes for crossbred goats in a village/ community breeding program. A single-tier breeding structure was assumed in the optimisation of this breeding program. Considered were two selection schemes; within-group (WG) and across-groups (AG), and three alternative selection objectives; ALT I- defined based on relative weights (RWs) derived from producers’ preferences, ALT II- based on economic values (EVs) without risk and ALT III- based on risk-rated EVs, at different intensities of buck selection (proportion of bucks selected, P = 0.02 and 0.04) and selection criteria (mass and BLUP). The genetic gains (ΔG) in the breeding-objective traits, aggregate responses (RH), total economic response (TER) and the rate of inbreeding (ΔF) per generation varied depending on the scenarios ALT I, II and III, P and the selection criteria. A selection index considering ALT III (Risk-rated EVs) in derivation of ΔG for individual traits, RH and TER, and ΔF would be appropriate and optimal in both WG and AG selection schemes. However, these responses were higher in the AG scheme compared to the WG selection scheme, and the ΔF more favourable with increase in the number of groups co-operating. Responses under mass selection were also comparable to BLUP with the same rate of inbreeding, restricted to an acceptable level of 0.01. These imply that an AG selection scheme under mass selection would be optimal and logical for implementation in the smallholder low-input goat production systems. However, a minimum of 14 co-operating farmer groups would be required to produce considerable levels of responses and at acceptable levels of inbreeding.

This study was conducted in four Peasant Associations in Jamma district, with the objectives of assessing village chicken production situation and their characters. A total of 120 households from four PAs were involved in the study. A single-visit and multi-subject type of survey was conducted using structured questionnaires between November and December 2005, which was complemented by one arrival survey in August 2005 aiming at assessing seasonal variation in village chicken production. The survey work indicated that, the overall average flock size was 5.6±0. 8 per household. Flock size was significantly higher (p<0.05) for rich households than medium and poor households. Average flock size was not significantly (P>0.05) affected by PAs and agro ecologies. Major phenotypic appearance of chicken flock was white (28.9 %) followed by gray (25.9%). The mean of age at first lay, number of clutches per hen per year and number of eggs laid per clutch per hen were 5.05±1.34 months, 5.06±1.65 and 15.39±5.05, respectively. The mean hatchability was 84% per hen per household. The ratio of male to female was around 1:3. The purpose of keeping poultry was mainly for sale (38.11) followed by home consumption (31.56%). Of all classes of chicken, significant (P<0.05) variation between seasons and prices were observed for cockerels, which were 10.5 in winter and 9.0 Birr in summer seasons while season had significant (P<0.05) effect on the body weight of local cockerels and the body weight of cross bred hens was also affected by agro ecology. For better productivity, changing traditional management would be the first priority.

Surveys were made of rural artisan cheese factories located in the region of Olancho, Catacamas, and Juticalpa in Honduras (n=10) and in Esquipulas and Muy-Muy in Nicaragua (n=13). The objective was to analyze the milk market of small rural artisan cheese factories in livestock watersheds of Honduras and Nicaragua to determine if there is a market for higher milk production; how much additional milk can the market absorb in each season of the year; there is a market for milk of higher hygienic quality. The main buyer of the milk from small and medium scale farmers in Honduras and Nicaragua is the rural artisan cheese industry, which absorbs almost 80% of the milk produced in both countries. Total milk production during the rainy season is about twice that during the dry season, causing an over-supply and scarcity of milk, respectively. The shortage of fluid milk during the dry season leads to an unsatisfied market. The artisan cheese factories in Honduras and Nicaragua would be willing to buy 76% and 55% more milk during the dry season, but this supply is not available due low milk productivity. This fact suggests that an aggressive program for the promotion of shrub legumes with sugarcane to supplement the herd during the dry season would have more impact that the promotion of grasses or legumes for the rainy season when there is little market for additional milk produced. In addition, rural artisan cheese factories in Honduras and Nicaragua, that consider the milk they collect is of bad quality, would be willing to pay a higher price if the option to collect milk of better hygienic quality exists. In Honduras this price would be about 9 % higher during the dry season and 11% higher during the rainy season. In Nicaragua the cheese factories would be willing to pay a milk price which is 17% higher, but only during the rainy season. As a result, large incentives exist in both countries to increase milk production during the dry season and to improve the hygienic quality of milk in the studied areas.

The feed resources base, the feeding systems and feed values of three indigenous trees Girawa, Anfare and Kelewa (Local (Amharic), Ethiopian names ) were studied for sheep in sub humid, mid altitude area of south western Ethiopia. The study involved a survey of the feed resources base and assessment of the feeding systems, chemical analysis and in vitro dry matter digestibility. In addition, Girawa was selected to study its effect on growth performances using 32 lambs. The levels of Girawa used for the growth performance study in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively were 100 g/d, 200 g/d, 300 g/d and 400 g/d. The main feed resources for sheep in Jimma area were found to be natural pasture, crop residues, crop aftermaths and indigenous multipurpose trees. Grazing on natural pasture constituted the main feeding system. The indigenous trees were cut and fed occasionally. The levels of CP ranged from 186.2 to 244.4 g/kg DM with minimum level in Anfare. Higher values were recorded for Girawa. Organic matter content was higher for Anfare (924.3 g/kg DM) and lower for Girawa (877.9 g/kg DM). In vitro dry matter digestibility values were 0.448, 0.422 and 0.458 for Girawa, Anfare and Kelewa, respectively. Supplementation of Girawa had an effect (p<0.01) on live weight gains of lambs. Lambs that were offered 400 g/d of Girawa had a higher daily live weight gain (95.1 g/d) compared to those supplemented with 200 (43.3 g/d) and 300 g/d (50.5 g/d) of Girawa as well as the control group (34.0 g/d). Weight gains were not different between the control group and those supplemented with 200 and 300 g/d of Girawa. It was concluded that these feed resources represent a great potential for sheep production in areas where the resources are available. It is also suggested that more studies are needed on higher level of Girawa than the present study on animal performances along with its anti-nutritional effects.