Global Journal of Animal Scientific Research
Volume:11 Issue: 4, Autumn 2023

This comprehensive review delves into the intricate landscape of contemporary animal breeding and genetic technologies, with a specific focus on enhancing cattle production and productivity. The analysis encompasses critical issues such as management challenges, animal welfare considerations, environmental impacts, and socio-cultural nuances associated with genetic engineering in agriculture. The document offers insights into the economic hurdles faced by developing nations in adopting biotechnology and explores the ethical and cultural dimensions surrounding these advancements. Emphasizing the delicate balance required for leveraging the potential of genetic technologies, this review provides valuable perspectives on navigating challenges while harnessing the benefits of cutting-edge biotechnological approaches in the realm of animal agriculture.

Effect of dietary inclusion of Malted Barley Sprout (MBS) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens evaluated at Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center. The treatments were formulated with MBS inclusion 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. Three hundred unsexed day-old Cobb-500 broiler chicks with similar body weight (BW) (45.2±0.18 g) were randomly assigned to the five treatment diets each with three replications for 8 weeks (56 days). At the end of the experimental period, two chickens, male and female, from each replication were randomly selected and slaughtered. The slaughter weight was 1400 g, 1298 g, 1213 g, 1213 g, and 993.3 g head-1 (SEM=62.9) for T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5, respectively, and T5 poorly (P<0.05). The breast, thigh, and giblet weights, only birds that fed T2 non-significant (P>0.05) difference to that of birds under the control diet. No differences (P>0.05) were observed in the dressing and fat percentages among the treatments while drumstick difference (P<0.05) among the treatments. The average mortality rate was 3.3, 5.0, 5.0, 3.3, and 6.67% (SEM=1.83) for T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5, respectively, and had no significant (P>0.05) difference among the treatments. Therefore, from this study, it could conclude that MBS inclusion in the diets of Cobb- 500 broiler chickens up to the levels of 10% did not affect the health of the chicks, growth performance, and most carcass traits that indicate the cheap and potential of MBS as an alternative feed ingredient in the broiler chicken diets.

A study was conducted in Raya Azebo and Raya Alemata districts of the southern zone of the Tigray region to demonstrate and evaluate the comparative performance of the dual-purpose Potchefstroom Koekoek and red-barred chicken breeds. Participant households (HHS) were selected purposely based on their interest in constructing a chicken house, covering chicken-rearing costs, and recording the required information. Training on chicken husbandry and health management was provided for the participants hhs, livestock experts, and development agents. A total of 1000-day-old chicks were provided to 20 participants in the Raya Azebo and Raya Alemata districts, with ten hhs receiving Potchefstroom Koekoek chicks and the remainder receiving Dominant Red barred chicks. Starter-formulated rations were also given for the first 30 days of feeding and by then the chickens were scavenged and provided with hh leftovers and other supplements. The survival rates of Potchefstroom Koekoek and Dominant Red barred chicks for the first eight weeks of age were found 90.4 and 88.87%, respectively. The average body weights (BW) at twenty weeks of age were found 1.3 kg and 1.25 kg for Potchefstroom Koekoek and Red barred chicken breeds, respectively. The age at first egg drops were 166 and 159 days for Potchefstroom Koekoek and Red barred chicken breeds, respectively. The average egg weight for the Potchefstroom koekoek chicken breed at first egg drops, 50%, and peak production was 42.0 g, 47.0 g, and 48.60 g, respectively. While 40.2 g, 46.6 g, and 47.8 g were the average egg weights for the Dominant Red barred chicken breed at the same egg production stages. The annual egg production of the Potchefstroom koekoek and Dominant red-barred hen in the present study were 146 and 153 eggs, respectively. It can be concluded that the promotion of improved dual-purpose chicken breeds in rural areas has been an advantage for smallholder farmers as a source of supplementary income that can be added to their livelihoods. Thus, it could be recommended that a step forward should be made for the access of these improved breeds through scaling up and providing appropriate veterinary services and supplemental diets.

Beef cattle fattening is one of the newly incipient activities. It is a common practice in Ethiopia and special attention was given by the government to boost red meat supply through cattle fattening. In addition to its important, little is known about its fattening practices, constraints and opportunities in various parts of Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to review beef cattle fattening practice, constraints and opportunities in Ethiopia. Cattle fattening is an increasing business at different scales in Ethiopia. Traditional fattening system, Hararghe fattening and by product-based fattening system are the three common types of beef cattle fattening system in Ethiopia. Farm gate, purchased, own herd, local market and local farmers are the major source of animals for fattening in Ethiopia. River, tap water, Pond, Rain fall, well water, spring and piped are the key water sources for beef cattle fattening. However, watering frequency is typically depending on feed type, temperature of the environment, age of the animal and usage of the animal for different purposes. Smallholder and commercial producers in the country used multiple selection criteria for fattening of cattle, which includes breed type, physical appearance, castration, sex, age, health and initial price, body condition, coat color and horn size as the major ones. The duration of fattening period varies according to the type of agro-ecology, breed, feeding type, age of animals, sex. Diseases, shortages of feed and water, lack of veterinary services, droughts, market problem and infrastructure, health problems, lack of capital, feed price increment, land Scarcity and genetic factor are among the constraints that hamper efficient beef fattening in the country. However, the major opportunities that enhance beef cattle fattening were demand of meat by consumers, the availability of customers, weather condition, and better housing system, society to be part of the sector, irrigation practices, and breed availability, indigenous beef cattle fattening knowledge and managements, cultural medication of fattening cattle. Therefore, it can be concluded that to improve and motivate beef cattle fattening in the country, the constraints must be solved through focusing on credit provision, strategic disease control, solve feed shortage, market problem and infrastructure, health problems, lack of capital, feed price increment, land Scarcity and genetic improvement.

Performance evaluation for economically important first lactation reproductive traits is the basis for genetic evaluation, planning breeding programs, and selection for dairy cows. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the first lactation reproductive traits of the Jersey breed at the Adea-Berga dairy research farm. The data collected from 1986 to 2020 from a herd maintained at Adea-Berga dairy research farm was used to evaluate performance for first lactation reproductive traits (age at first service (AFS), age at first calving (AFC), first calving interval (FCI), first days open (FDO), and first number of services per conception (FNSPC)). A general linear model procedure of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) was used to analyze the first reproductive performance data. The result of the fixed-effect analysis revealed that the influence of year caused significant (p<0.0001) variation in all first reproductive traits. The overall least squares mean (LSM±SE) for AFS, AFC, FCI, FDO, and FNSPC were 23.08±0.22 months, 32.70±0.19 months, 466.84±15.60 days, 182.25±16.34 days, and 1.67±0.12, respectively. In conclusion, the results of this paper suggest that the improvement of first lactation reproductive traits of the pure Jersey cattle population at the Adea-Berga dairy research farm is possible through improving the level of feeding, breeding, and health management rather than through genetic selection.