Conservation and utilisation of indigenous chicken genetic resources in Southern Africa

Abstract

The opportunities for sustainable utilisation and conservation of chicken genetic resources in Southern Africa need to be addressed. Indigenous chickens are an important animal genetic resource amongst resource-limited rural communities of Southern Africa. They play an important socio-economic role in traditional and religious ceremonies of rural households. They are important in customary rites, such as gift payments. Although the productivity of indigenous chickens in terms of growth and number of eggs per hen per year is low, its production is attained with minimal labour and rearing inputs. The low inputs and, consequently, low risk is one of the major advantages of indigenous chickens production. The conservation of these valuable chicken genetic resources is necessary in the light of the rapid loss of indigenous breeds and strains through commercial dilution and breed replacement. All varieties of domestic species and species with potential for domestication are considered to be important candidates for conservation. Indigenous chicken populations with economic potential, scientific use and cultural or aesthetic interest are of particular importance but all indigenous chickens which are unique and endangered should be incorporated into conservation efforts. This phenotypic information could be useful to standardise the different phenotypes within a region or country and design some criteria for characterisation and description of the indigenous chicken populations into breeds. Molecular markers are an indispensable tool to understand the genetic structures of populations. The assessed phenotypic coupled with genetic information could be a powerful tool towards the promotion of conservation and utilisation of indigenous chicken genetic resources.