Characterization, Evaluation and Conservation of ... Genetic Resources... · Low milk yield;...
Transcript of Characterization, Evaluation and Conservation of ... Genetic Resources... · Low milk yield;...
Animal Genetic Resources in the Sultanate of Oman
Osman MahgoubAnimal & Veterinary Sciences
College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences
Animal Resources in Oman: Livestock Statistics
Species Population
Goats 1,619,990
Cattle 313,580
Sheep 380,000
Camels 124,520
Donkeys 28,500
Total 2,466,590
FAOSTAT (2008-9)
Animal Resources in Oman: Cattle
North Oman Cattle Batina coastal planes Interior; Sharqiyah; Dhahira
Characteristics: Brown – dark brown Small size; Short horns Low milk yield; Disease
tolerant Systems of production
Small farms House keeping Zero grazing Dairy animal
Challenges Small herds; Traditional rearing Lack of characterization AI with Jersey
North Oman bull (Rumais)
North Oman cow (Interior)
Animal Resources in Oman: Cattle
South Oman Cattle (Dhofari) Jabal (Hills) Salalah plains
Characteristics: Black color dominant Small to medium size Short horns Low milk yield Disease tolerant Aggressive
Systems of production Range grazing (monsoon) Zero grazing (dry season) Dairy/beef animal Calves marketed in the north
Challenges Lack of characterization AI with Friesian
South Oman bull (Rumais)
South Oman cows grazing khareef range (Dhofar)
Animal Resources in Oman: Goats
Breeds: Batina Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar Dhofari Sharqiyah Desert
Characteristic Distinct breeds
Systems traditional
Economical value Meat High prices
Challenges Exportation Cross breeding
Animal Resources in Oman: Sheep
North Oman Dominant black Small – medium size Poor on range Better with Improved
management Less important
South Oman Hairy Small numbers
Systems: Mixed flocks with goats Traditional
Challenges Crossing
Animal Resources in Oman: Camels
Distribution: South Oman Sharqiyah Dhahira Batina
Systems Production (Dhofar) Racing (Sharqiyah, Batina, Dhahira) Traditional
Challenges Product quality Marketing Misconcepts (Desertification ?) Governmental policies Cross breeding (Gulf)
Animal Resources in Oman: Chicken
Numbers and distribution Characteristics
Mixed types No distinct breeds or strains Naked neck
Uses (meat, eggs) Systems (traditional) Production
Poor Preferred
Challenges Cross breeding (Fayoumi,
Indian, etc.)
Animal Resources in Oman: Donkeys
Numbers and distribution Unknown Hills (JA, Hijr, Sharqiyah
Feral Characteristics Uses
Animal Production Systems in Oman Traditional:
Nomadic Transhumant Shawawi Village Small farms Hill rearing
Commercial (cattle, poultry)
Livestock marketing in Oman
Traditional: Auction Well-organized system High prices
Transportation Open trucks Welfare Meat quality
Impact on genetic resources Mixed breeds Foreign breeds
Current Situation in ANGR in Oman
Ministry of Agriculture Rumais Station
North Oman cattle Sharqiyah goats
Wadi Qurayat Station Goats (Batina, Dhofari & Jabal
Akhdar) Omani sheep (north)
Salalah Station South Oman cattle Dhofari goat Dhofari sheep ? Native chicken
Research Programs: North Oman; Small Ruminants;
Poultry Breed evaluation
Facilities and human resources Good infrastructure Short of staff - training
Current Situation in ANGR in Oman
Sultan Qaboos University Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) Omani sheep Goats (Batina, Dhofari, Jabal Akhdar) Selection
Meat production Genetic material donation (WQ) Native poultry Improvement (meat and egg)
AVS; CAMS Breed evaluation Mahgoub et al. (1994-2010) Kadim et al. (2000 – Dhofari cattle, Omani sheep; goats
(Batina, JA, Dhofari); Native poultry Well equipped and staffed
laboratories
Diwan Royal Diwan Court Diwan Affairs Royal Camel Corps
Omani camel herd Breeding, competition
Laboratories and Animal Research Center Expertise in genetic material
collection Semen collection Computer assisted semen
evaluation Embryo collection In vitro fertilization Embryo sexing
Current Situation in ANGR in Oman
Ministry of Agriculture ANGR and improvement management program Conservation of indigenous genetic resources for
sustainability SQU HM Genetic Resources Project
Identification of major breeds (cattle, goats, and chicken)
Phenotypic characterization (weight, linear measurements, male vs. female)
Breed characteristics (color, horns, skin cover, ears, etc.) Genetic characterization Conservation
Reproduction BSE Collection Preservation
Royal Diwan Affairs Semen collection, processing and storage In vitro Native camel breeds identification (molecular)
Research in ANGR
Morphological and Phenotypic characteristics SQU/MA
GoatsBody weight and body linear
measurements will be taken from both sexes
ToolCodeParameters
Hanging scale-Body weight (kg)
Measuring tapeL1Body length (cm)
Wooden caliperL2Withers height (cm)
Measuring tapeL3Heart girth (cm)
Wooden caliperL4Rump height (cm)
Measuring tapeL5Sacral pelvic width (cm)
Measuring tapeL6Tail Length (cm)
Measuring tapeL7Ear Length (cm)
Measuring tapeL8Flank girth (cm)
Wooden caliperL9Withers width(cm)
Wooden caliperL10Hip width (cm)
Measuring tapeL11Horn length (cm)
Measuring tapeL12Diagonal body length (cm)
Measuring tapeL13Neck Length (cm )
Measuring tapeL14Loin length(cm )
Measuring tapeL15Head length (cm )
Measuring tapeL16Chine length(cm )
Measuring tapeL 17Length of rump
Males and females Linear measurements
Head Body length, height Dewlap
Color Head Body Special markings
Scrotal circumference
Morphological and Phenotypic CharacteristicsCattle:
Genetic characterization
Genotyping of indigenous breeds Comparison with genetic
background of foreign breeds entered Oman over the past 30 years
Sampling: Blood (300 of each breed) High quality genomic DNA
extracted (standard protocols and kits)
Purification and concentration PCR DNA Analyses
Microsatellite analyses Statistical analyses Allele frequency;
Heterozygosity; phylogenetic tree, etc.
Fragment analysis for primers
Type of breed SexNo. of sample SizeMarkerSample File Name
Dye/Sample Peak
Jebal Akdar Female804181180.76frag_002_A08.fsaG,32
Jebal AkdarFemale405179178.84Universal Gfrag_003_B07.fsaG,33
Jebal AkdarFemale203181180.5frag_004_B08.fsaG,30
Jebal AkdarFemale803179178.62Universal Gfrag_005_C07.fsaG,36
Jebal AkdarFemale703179179.32Universal Gfrag_006_C08.fsaG,32
Jebal AkdarFemale502180179.96frag_007_D07.fsaG,32
Jebal AkdarFemale403178177.65Universal Gfrag_008_D08.fsaG,35
Jebal AkdarMale805180180.1Universal Gfrag_009_E07.fsaG,32
Jebal AkdarFemale801178177.87Universal Gfrag_010_E08.fsaG,33
Jebal AkdarFemale702179178.61Universal Gfrag_011_F07.fsaG,31
Jebal AkdarFemale605178178.05Universal Gfrag_012_F08.fsaG,28
Jebal AkdarMale402178177.75Universal Gfrag_013_G07.fsaG,31
Jebal AkdarFemale807179179.36frag_014_G08.fsaG,31
Jebal AkdarMale404178178.33Universal Gfrag_015_H07.fsaG,30
Jebal AkdarMale604179178.69Universal Gfrag_016_H08.fsaG,29
Conservation of native breeds
Breeding Soundness Examination (BSE) Objective
Establish BSE criteria for native Omani breeding sires
Hypothesis Native Omani breeding males would
have the same BSE findings as established for Zebu/Zebu-cross in arid region
Methodology Physical examination Semen collection:
artificial vagina electrical ejaculator
Artificial vagina
Electro ejaculator
Breeding Soundness Examination (BSE)
Semen Evaluation Sperm mass activity Sperm motility Sperm concentration Sperm morphology Etc. Manual and automated Semen evaluation
Semen evaluation Computer assisted semen evaluation
Collaboration
• SQU • College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences• College of Medicine (Dept. of Biochemistry)
• Ministry of Agriculture– Plant & Animal Research DG– Animal Wealth DG
• Royal Diwan Affairs• Laboratories and Animal Research Center
• Albano Beji Pereira• University of Porto, Portugal
– Genetic characterization of cattle with a set of microsatellites”
• Mushtaq Memon– Washington State University– Clinical reproduction
Threats to Indigenous Genetic Resources
• Introduction of exotic animal breeds for:– Slaughter – Production– Bull fighting– AI
• Najdi and Chios sheep• Somali, Indian, Yemeni, etc. sheep and goats • AI:
– A large-scale program using Holstein and Jersey semen
– infusion of exotic genes in local animal herds
• AI History:– AI Unit in Rumais (1990), Salalah
(1993); Nizwa (1994); Ibri (2001); Sohar (2002)
• No follow-up for F1• No performance testing
Omani cattle (Jersey influence)
Omani sheep (Najdi)
What to do?
breed characterization Phenotypic Genetic
National breeding programs: Identification Breeding Societies
National policies Live animal importation and exportation
Artificial Insemination Government policy
Full utilization of local resources Animal & Plant Genetic Resources Center Pooling resources Coordination and collaboration
Conservation In situ (animal stations and labs at SQU, MA, RDC, RDA) Increase herds and flocks Human resources Budget