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In the last decade, community-based animal breeding programs have gained attention for the genetic improvement of small ruminants in the tropics. Nevertheless, implementing such programs remains challenged by the issue of smallholders' participation. To shed light on this issue of participation, a goat genetic improvement project has been assessed for its socioeconomic relevance through participatory methods, taking account of goat multifunctionality. We quantified the gross margins per flock and per animal as indicators of viability. We assessed then the correspondence between the goat functions defined through a proportional piling tool with the relative share of these functions in the gross revenue. For that purpose, 160 smallholders were surveyed and 77 among them were monitored for one year. A cluster analysis of factors linked to the dynamic of goat farming identified three groups of farmers. The first group gathered farmers with the smallest goat flocks, who were goat oriented in the future. Their sustainable participation in goat breeding project was impeded by the excessive sales of goats. The second group involved farmers with the highest farm size, who planned to buy cattle to replace part of their goats. The third group included farmers who were members of the project with the largest goat flocks. This group emphasized the importance of goat for their future but showed weak abilities to manage large flocks. The gross margin per animal was the highest in the third group. The relative importance of goat functions as defined through participatory tools did not correspond to the relative share of these functions in the composition of the gross revenue from goats. Participatory tools and economic calculation then appear as complementary to understand farmers' priorities. Consolidating breeders' associations and supporting farmers to diversify their sources of income are two ways proposed here to ensure an enabling environment to goat husbandry and farmers' well-being., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Many breeding programs have been implemented in developing countries, many of which have been unsuccessful. To better understand the failure of these breeding programs, it is proposed to analyze their adequacy with innovations that are actually adopted by smallholders. The proposed methodology takes account of these innovations, the reasons for their adoption and the objectives of livestock keeping. The N'Dama cattle-breeding program in Senegal was used as a case study. Surveys were carried out among 54 farmers: 27 breeders who participated in this program, 17 of whom recently resigned, and 27 breeders who have never participated. Feeding was the most frequently cited area of innovation, followed by infrastructure. Genetics, animal health and reproduction held the third rank. Milk production appeared as an important objective of breeders, although the context remains one of strong multifunctionality. Principal component analysis highlighted three categories of breeders according to the innovations they adopted: institutional, modernizing, and integrating innovators. The groups of institutional and modernizing innovators dominate, gathering each 41% of the farmers. In the first category, breeders have organized themselves in an association and use N'Dama sires, livestock aiming at an insurance objective. In the second category, artificial insemination with exotic breeds and other technical innovations (cowshed, vaccination, urea treatment of straw) are used to improve production of milk and meat. The third group is termed 'integrating innovators,' since their innovations aim at integrating livestock and crop production. Gathering 18% of the sampled breeders, this group presents intermediate features between the two previous groups, using animals as draught power and for manure production. These results indicate that a process of intensification is at play and that the genetic improvement through the selection of N'Dama cattle for production criteria does not meet the breeders' demand. However, the N'Dama's adaptive traits justify its use as part of the breeding strategy of farmers, either in pure-breeding or in crossbreeding. The study thus tends to show the interactive link between genetic improvement and other innovations. It suggests that the success of a breeding program depends on its adequate positioning within the set of innovations adopted by breeders and proposes a method to inform breeding programs accordingly.

This study's aim is to inventory antibiotics used in cattle in North-East Benin and assess risk practices that could be the cause of both food chain contamination by antibiotic residues and selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in animals and humans. A survey was conducted among 98 cattle breeders in the districts of Banikoara, Kandi, Bembereke, and Kalale in North Benin. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, covering breeder status, breeding system, and antibiotic use. Multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical classification analysis were conducted to establish a breeder typology. Breeders mainly belonged to the Fulani ethnic group (71.4 ± 8.9%) and almost all of them received "no formal education" (96.9 ± 3.4%). Cattle herds were mainly composed of a single breed, the Borgou (76.4 ± 8.1%) or the Fulani Zebu (16.0 ± 7.0%). Some herds were mixed. Antibiotics groups used in cattle breeding were tetracyclines, beta-lactams, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, and macrolides, used by respectively 100%, 69.4 ± 9.1%, 56.1 ± 9.8%, 44.9 ± 9.8%, and 34.7 ± 9.4% of breeders. These drugs were purchased in local markets (59.0 ± 15.4%) and veterinary pharmacy (41.0 ± 15.4%). They were mainly used against respiratory diseases, lameness, mastitis, omphalitis and neonatal enteritis, and skin diseases. Only 49.0 ± 9.9% of breeders seek veterinary services to treat animals and 92.9 ± 5.1% of them did not respect antibiotic withdrawal times. These practices suggest that both contamination of bovine meat with antibiotic residues and selection of resistant bacteria are to be expected, resulting in adverse health effects on consumers.

Farm animal genetic resources are threatened worldwide. Participation in markets, while representing a crucial way out of poverty for many smallholders, affects genetic management choices with associated sustainability concerns. This paper proposes a contextualized study of the interactions between markets and animal genetic resources management, in the case of sheep markets in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It focusses on the organization of marketing chains and the valuation of genetic characteristics by value chain actors. Marketing chain characterization was tackled through semi-structured interviews with 25 exporters and 15 butchers, both specialized in sheep. Moreover, revealed preference methods were applied to analyse the impact of animals' attributes on market pricing. Data were collected from 338 transactions during three different periods: Eid al-Adha, Christmas and New Year period, and a neutral period. The neutral period is understood as a period not close to any event likely to influence the demand for sheep. The results show that physical characteristics such as live weight, height at withers and coat colour have a strong influence on the animals' prices. Live weight has also had an increasing marginal impact on price. The different markets (local butcher, feasts, export market, sacrifices) represent distinct demands for genetic characteristics, entailing interesting consequences for animal genetic resource management. Any breeding programme should therefore take this diversity into account to allow this sector to contribute better to a sustainable development of the country.

Urbanisation in developing countries entails deep changes in the livestock sector and the management of animal genetic resources (AnGR). Sheep breeding around Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) illustrates these changes and the need to coordinate genetic improvement in general and the use of crossbreeding in particular. For this, it is important to understand breeders' choices and improvement strategy, to accompany them within a national plan for AnGR management. In a context of missing market for breeding rams, a stated choice experiment was conducted with 137 farmers, together with a characterisation of herd management practices. This survey analyses farmers' preferences for breeding rams, estimating their willingness to pay (WTP) for different traits (attributes). Their practices were characterised by a high reliance on natural pastures (82% of farmers) and a minority of crossbreeding (23%). The highest WTP was observed for disease resistance. However, the subgroup of farmers practicing crossbreeding showed a tolerance to high susceptibility. A strong preference for the white colour was revealed. Although significant, the influence of sheep body size on decision-making showed a lesser importance, again with a distinct behaviour in the subgroup practicing crossbreeding. These results illustrate the need to take account of the diversity of goals and preferences among smallholder sheep keepers to gain their adhesion to a coordinated genetic improvement framework.

A study was conducted between May 2013 and August 2014 in three provinces of Vietnam to investigate financial impacts of swine diseases in pig holdings in 2010-2013. The aim of the study was to quantify the costs of swine diseases at producer level in order to understand swine disease priority for monitoring at local level. Financial impacts of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), foot and mouth disease (FMD), and epidemic diarrhoea were assessed for 162 pig holders in two Red River Delta provinces and in one Mekong River Delta province, using data on pig production and swine disease outbreaks at farms. Losses incurred by swine diseases were estimated, including direct losses due to mortality (100% market value of pig before disease onset) and morbidity (abortion, delay of finishing stage), and indirect losses due to control costs (treatment, improving biosecurity and emergency vaccination) and revenue foregone (lower price in case of emergency selling). Financial impacts of swine diseases were expressed as percentage of gross margin of pig holding. The gross margin varied between pig farming groups (P < 0.0001) in the following order: large farm (USD 18 846), fattening farm (USD 7014) and smallholder (USD 2350). The losses per pig holding due to PRRS were the highest: 41% of gross margin for large farm, 38% for fattening farm and 63% for smallholder. Cost incurred by FMD was lower with 19%, 25% and 32% of gross margin of pig holding in large farm, fattening farm and smallholder, respectively. The cost of epidemic diarrhoea was the lowest compared to losses due to PRRS and FMD and accounted for around 10% of gross margin of pig holding in the three pig farming groups. These estimates provided critical elements on swine disease priorities to better inform surveillance and control at both national and local level., (© 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Despite its importance in Mali's economy, camel breeding in the country remains poorly documented, impeding effective policy-making in this regard. This study consisted in a 3-month survey and aimed at characterising camel breeding systems in Ansongo, in the region of Gao, Mali. It highlights the diversity of strategies adopted by breeders and their evolutions. Supplementary feeding and veterinary care were seldom practised. In zones close to the Niger River, cattle were substituted to camels. Transhumance routes also are modified but mobility keeps its vital role in the breeding system. Important differences within the study region in the classification of camel breeds have been reported that will influence the implementation of a collective action for animal genetic improvement. The improvement goals should take the actual management, including mobility and the mixed nature of the herds into account.