Demographic data describe the size, structure and distribution of livestock populations and how these change over time. They are fundamental to determining the risk status of breed populations both on a national and a global scale. Currently, no population data are available for 36 percent of the breeds recorded in the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS), and for many other breeds data are updated so infrequently that monitoring trends in risk status is difficult or impossible. Data on the geographical distribution of breeds are also generally inadequate. A baseline survey of the breed population needs to be followed by periodic monitoring. The required frequency of the monitoring activities will depend on the generation interval of the species in question. Data may be collected via breed-level censuses or surveys, or estimated based on species level data. It is important that national decision-making takes account of the global demographics of the breed; a classification system distinguishing breeds present only in one country from those present in several countries has been developed. Much remains to be done to improve the availability of demographic data. Moreover, methods need to be developed that account for the risks of genetic erosion associated with indiscriminate cross-breeding. A further key requirement is the development of methods for representative sampling of national animal populations to allow estimates of their total population size and other demographic data to be obtained in a cost-effective manner.

Improved understanding of the adaptation of livestock breeds to their production environments is important for many decisions in the field of AnGR management, ranging from genetic improvement to conservation. However, adaptation is complex and difficult to measure. One approach to this problem is to characterize adaptation indirectly by describing the production environments in which a breed has been kept over time, and to which it has probably become adapted. Comprehensive and comparable descriptions of the production environments in which animals are kept are also needed to make meaningful evaluations of performance data and to enable comparative analysis of the performance of different breeds. To address these requirements and in accordance with the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources, it has been proposed that a recognized set of “production environment descriptors“ should be established and used throughout the world as a common framework for describing breeds' production environments. An important aspect of the process will be the georeferencing of breed distributions, which will allow them to be linked to a range of existing georeferenced data sets (e.g. climatic data). The link between a breed and a specific production environment may offer a basis for the development of a niche market; examples in include the Bresse chicken of France and the Abondance and Tarentaise cattle breeds of the northern Alps. Such niche markets represent important opportunities for keeping traditional breeds in use.

This paper describes and analyses the process of implementing participatory community-based management (CBM) towards sustainable management of goat genetic resources in two rural communities in Southern Benin from November 2005 to February 2007. The process started with the selection of the communities. This was followed by a participatory situation analysis, identification of problems and of possible solutions, and the provisionof relevant information and training to interested farmers. It was facilitated by a multidisciplinary research team composed of a specialist in livestock production systems, a socio-economist and an agronomist. The interaction between the research team and the farmers aimed to develop and implement community led strategies towards better management and conservation of the local resources of goat. The approach adopted to facilitate the creation of representative, accountable and legal local institutions and the efforts made in ensuring their empowerment are described. It has been shown that once local people recognise the benefits of such community-based activities and are offered the relevant information and technical support, they can organize themselves effectively and take appropriate actions to better manage and conserve their local resources. The interactive nature of thisapproach allows its rapid adjustment to different local conditions and thus its replication elsewhere.

There are mainly three locally developed meat type goat breeds in South Africa namely the South African Boer goat, the Savanna and the Kalahari Red. In order to maintain the characteristics of these breeds and to ensure that their unique traits are not lost through continuous selection and cross-breeding, it has become important to revisit current breed standards and introduce genetic characterization to obtain genetic diversity parameters. Both the Boer goat and Savanna breeds have established breeders associations while a breeders club was founded for the Kalahari Red goats. These associations have set breed standards and the breeds' morphometric traits have recently been described. The differences in morphometric traits among the breeds are fairly insignificant. Preliminary data on genetic diversity report heterozygosity values above 50% for each of the three breeds and they can be distinguished as separate breeds based on genotyping results with eighteen ISAG recommended microsatellite markers. There is however a need for a genetic characterization of both meat type and indigenous goats to ensure sufficient diversity within the breeds for long term conservation of the unique genetic resource.

Genetic diversity and Zebu genetic introgression have been assessed in five subpopulations of cattle along the coastal region of Togo, Benin and Nigeria using 15 autosomal and one Y- specific microsatellite markers. Mean observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranges from 0.55 to 0.61 and the mean number of alleles (MNA) from 5.47 to 6.47. Genetic differentiation indexes (Fst), were significant between the five subpopulations (P< 0.01). Some possible population diagnostic alleles are identified with allele 254 at locus ILSTS033 and allele 182 at locus ILSTS005 found only in the population from Togo with frequencies of 5.41% and 12.82% respectively. Allele 226 of locus ILSTS103 is fixed in the Togolese population (100%) and almost fixed (98.75%) in the Benin-Valley population. Y chromosome analysis reveals male Zebu introgression in all five populations with a frequency of indicine Y chromosome ranging from 37.5% in Benin-Valley and Benin Plateau East to 100% for Benin Plateau West. Admixture analysis using the programme STRUCTURE (k = 2) confirms phenotypic observations suggesting different level of taurine background and therefore Zebu introgression amongst the populations. Within populations, variations in levels of Zebu admixture between herds were also detected. Whereas the valley population from Benin shows low level of Zebu introgression, it is the population from Benin Plateau East which is the purest.

El presente trabajo presenta un análisis de la variabilidad y el potencial genético de las poblaciones de bovinos criollos utilizados en un Programa Nacional de Fomento, desarrollado por organimos gubernamentales (Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural, Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario y Corpoica). Se hizo el análisis de la información productiva de poblaciones de las razas Romosinuano, Costeño con Cuernos, Sanmartinero y Blanco Orejinegro, mediante el uso de la metodología BLUP, se calcularon los valores genéticos directos para peso al nacimiento, destete, 16 meses y ganancia de peso al destete y se realizó el análisis de la distribución de los animales por sus valores genéticos. Se encontró que en cada una de las razas existe una alta proporción de animales con valores genéticos positivos, siempre superior al 50%, lo cual indica una amplia variabilidad genética y posibilidad de selección de individuos mejoradores, que asegurarán el progreso genético en el programa de fomento que será desarrollado.

In previous studies, significant differences in Mycobacterium bovis infection prevalence was reported between two Chadian cattle breeds. Those findings and the established differentiation due to phenotypic characteristics suggest that the two breeds (Arab and Mbororo) are genetically different. To evaluate the genetic structure and the differences between these breeds, the genetic diversity within and between breeds was evaluated based on a total of 205 multilocus genotypes (21 microsatellite loci).

All of the loci under investigation were polymorphic and the number of alleles ranged from 4 to14 within the two populations. The analysis of population fixation resulted in a FST value of 0.006. Further the population assignment of the individual genotypes and the exact test of population differentiation did not support the hypothesis that the samples drawn from the two populations are genetically different. Population admixture and sample collection are discussed as possible reasons for the rejection of the hypothesis. Finally, recommendations for sample collection in extensive systems are given.

The Banni buffaloes distributed in the Kachchh region of Gujarat state in western India are medium to large in body size with a compact body and typical coiled horns. Mean body length, heart girth and height at withers estimated during the survey were 153.7±0.4 cm, 205.5±0.6 cm and 136.7±0.2 cm, respectively. Data on 397 adult milking buffaloes from Banni area based on interviews with farmers, revealed the mean age at first calving to be 39.7±0.4 months, a mean service period of 66.4±1.3 days, a mean lactation length of 293.3±1.5 days and a mean peak yield of 15.7±0.1 litres. Genetic diversity analysis of Banni buffaloes using a set of 15 heterologus bovine microsatellite markers revealed a high degree of allelic polymorphism with a total of 81 alleles and a mean of 5.4. The observed heterozygosity was found to be moderate with a mean of 0.506 and ranged from 0.125 (ILSTS 045) to 0.795 (ILSTS 008). The mean F value (0.181) across 15 microsatellite loci was significantly positive indicating heterozygote deficiency in the population. The test for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium revealed seven of the 15 microsatellite loci analyzed showing significant deviations.

There is an increasing concern about losing genetic diversity in farm animals, and poultry genetic resources are considered to be one of the most endangered (Crawford, 1990). A large number of local dual-purpose breeds used at the beginning of the last century have been replaced with highly specialised lines. Market orientated intensive livestock breeding programs tend to concentrate on just a limited number of breeds, and the proportion of low-input, low-output breeds used in agricultural production in developed countries has been decreased almost to zero. Decreasing numbers of breeds results in reduced genetic variability, and limits the flexibility of future breeding programs. On the other hand, an increase in income in these countries leads to a rise in demands for specialised food, diversification in the product supply, and changes in preferences of production conditions.