Sheep genetic resource conservation experience in Turkey and future prospects in Ethiopia: A Review

Abstract

Conservation of native animal genetic resource is vital to maintain genetic diversity sustainably and to cope with the future challenging climate change. Thus, the aim of this paper was to review the experience of sheep conservation practice in Turkey and future prospects in Ethiopia. In turkey, fifteen sheep types are extinct and other native sheep population decreased by 47% due to an unplanned crossbreeding program. For these reasons, sheep genetic resource ex-situ in vivo conservation project started in 1995 with three sheep breeds. The animal breeding law regarding registration of new breed and conservation of animal genetic resources was enacted in 2001 in Turkey. In-situ conservation subsidies of sheep breeds near to extinction have been continued since 2005. Following these events, in vitro conservation of germplasm of 13 sheep breeds have been initiated in 2007 and two gene banks have been established and thereby sperm, embryo, cell, and DNA of from each sheep breed conserved in the gene bank. Although they were successful in both in-situ and ex-situ conservations with some limitations, in-situ conserved sheep breeds had better productivity than ex-situ in vivo conserved sheep in Turkey. In the case of Ethiopia, in-situ conservation will be compatible with the existing infrastructure. Through balancing the genetic gain and inbreeding level, it is possible to integrate the existing community-based genetic improvement programs (with in breed selection) with sustainable in-situ conservation of native sheep genetic resources in Ethiopia.