Abstract

Abstract This chapter describes the contributions of the International Livestock Research Institute's (ILRI) to animal breeding. The specific topics include the genetic characterization and history of livestock, breeding technologies, genetic improvement of indigenous livestock, tools and methods for conducting breed surveys, classification of African livestock populations, molecular genetic characterization, the genetic history of cattle in Africa and linking livestock to human history, genetic history and geography of African sheep, genetic history and geography of African chickens, genetic history and geography of the African dromedary, establishment of a joint laboratory with CAAS in Beijing and expansion into Asia, ILRI's genetic characterization as a catalyst for international interest, genetics of trypanotolerance and genetics of resistance to gastrointestinal parasites.

Highlights

  • Scientific understanding of African and Asian livestock has improved remarkably since ILRAD and International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA) were established in 1973–1974

  • Tumaini (Kiswahili for ‘hope’) is the result – a Kenyan Boran bull born on International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)’s research facility in Nairobi. This cloning success has opened up the possibility of genetically engineering African livestock using ­foreign genes for desired traits through genome editing at the fibroblast level followed by somatic cell nuclear transfer

  • ILRI scientists and collaborators made the first report of multiple introduction routes of chicken on the African continent and documentation of a directional gene flow from domestic chickens into free-ranging wild red junglefowl

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Summary

Livestock Genetics and Breeding

J.E.O. Rege1, Joel Ochieng2 and Olivier Hanotte3 1Emerge Centre for Innovations-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya; 2College of Agriculture & Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya; 3International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and School of Life Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

Executive Summary
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