Review on current status of Bonga, Afar, Menz, and Horro sheep breeds genetic improvement: Breeding program and progress

Abstract

This working paper reviews the research and development in genetic improvement and breeding strategies of Bonga, Menz, Afar and Horro sheep in Ethiopia. This review aims to provide structured information regarding the Ethiopian indigenous sheep breeds (Bonga, Afar, Menz, and Horro) breeding programs and its progress. Genetic diversity is an essential element for genetic improvement, preserving populations, evaluation and adapting to variable environmental situations. Sustainable breeding techniques and sensible use of indigenous breed have been developed as result of recent research approaches to the conservation of sheep genetic resources. However, there is still growing interest of the government and of farmers in different breeding program to improve indigenous sheep breeds. There is no comprehensive study showing the performance of indigenous sheep breeds (Bonga, Afar, Menz, and Horro) genetic improvement under different breeding program and its progress, both biological and economic, to substantiate the argument on the benefit of different breeding programs for smallholders farmers. Programs for the sheep breeds Menz, Afar, Horro, and Bonga have now been developed at the community level. The idea behind the nucleus breeding program is to develop elite breeding animals by gathering the finest male and female breeding participants from the population in one central location. The first stage in creating a breeding program is defining the breeding goals. Planning breeding programs requires a thorough grasp of the farmers' (beneficiaries') breeding goals and production objectives. Therefore, this review makes it evident that numerous instruments and techniques, including choice experiments, participatory rural assessment procedures, and rating animals from flocks, have been used to define and ascertain the breeding aim of Afar, Horro, Bonga and Menz sheep breeds in Ethiopia.