Presented by Azage Tegegne at the IPMS Workshop on Alternatives for Improving Field AI Delivery System to Enhance Beef and Dairy Production in Ethiopia, ILRI, Addis Ababa, 24-25 August 2011

1. Experiences in Community-based genetic improvement using oestrus synchronizationAzage Tegegne IPMS Workshop on Alternatives for Improving Field AI Delivery System to Enhance Beef and Dairy Production in Ethiopia ILRI, Addis Ababa, 24-25 August 2011

2. Background Increasing urbanization Increasing income Increasing demand for meat, milk and milk products – prices of meat , milk and milk products has sky rocketed globally Excellent pre-conditions GoE – favourable enabling environment, GTP, AGP, LGP Suitable agro-ecology Large livestock population Tradition of livestock keeping Culture of consumption of animal products Large labour force Huge market opportunity, etc

3. But, hindered by Weak AI delivery system and low pregnancy rates Inbreeding?? High prices for improved dairy animals About 50% - male calves in dairy system Low level of promotion of indigenous breeds Weak targeted technological interventions

4. Cow♀ Bull♂ Joining/Mating Conception Calving Weaning Simple requirement for cattle reproductive performance

5. Involution/breeding season Critical 75-90 days Parturition Conception Gestation 280 days Reproductive cycle

6. Some technological options Conventional artificial insemination (AI) Hormonal oestrus synchronization plus AI Sexed semen Sex fixer Embryo transfer and sexed embryos In-vitro fertilization plus sexed semen

7. Stages of bovine oestrous cycle

8. What is oestrus synchronization? Occurrence/induction of estrus in all females in a group at the same time; or simply…

9. Natural hormones for oestrus synchronization Prostaglandins PRID Syncromate B Ear Implant

11. Estrus interval - heifers ~50 hours; cows ~72 hours

12. Estrus response - about 60-65% of treated herd

14. Options to improve use of human resource for AI services Use of Regional/Zonal mobile teams; AI large numbers of animals in a two weeks period through: Community mobilization to bring animals with the desired characteristics to a central point with good animal handling facility Use of hormonal synchronization and subsequent insemination within 2-5 days of treatment In a dairy system, use of sexed semen or sex fixer to increase the number of female

15. Performance of existing AI system (National data; Dessalegn et al., 2010) One AI technician inseminates about 300 animals per year Pregnancy rate to first AI is about 27% = 81 calves/year 50% female = 41 calves/year

16. Mobile teams - preliminary data from Tigray and SNNPR Oestrus response to hormonal treatment = 90% Two AI technicians working in as a team can inseminate about 200 synchronized cows in a 2 week period – 100 cows/AI technician Result of pregnancy testing - 60% (due to increased precision and effectiveness of AI)

17. A Possible Scenario

18. Assumptions on annual output of a mobile team Two person team work 40 weeks in 10 villages/year (2 weeks/village) synchronize & inseminate 200 cows/village = 2000 cows 1000 cows/AI technician Pregnancy rate of 60% = 600 calves/AI technician Use of sex fixer/sexed semen = 90% female Number of female calves per AI technician = 540/year

19. Applying this to the proposed plan - Oromia Existing plan Sixty (60) Woredas/year involving 60 technicians 300 AI x 60 technician = 18,000 AI/year 50% pregnancy rate = 9,000 (improved performance) 50% female calves = 4,500 female calves/year Alternative approach This would result in: 60 technicians x 540 female calves = 32,400 calves/year (7.2 times higher)

20. Management factors affecting conception Animal handling facility A.I. technicians Body condition score, health and cyclicity of cows/heifers Semen quality and handling techniques Heat detection accuracy and time of insemination Heat stress

21. Just do the right thing and do it right – No silver bullet!!

22. Attempts to solve the problem IPMS Experience Tigray, Amhara, SNNPR

23. Hands-on training - regional teams @ EMDTI

24. Community Mobilization – Mekelle-AdigratMilkshed, Tigray and Dale, SNNPR

25. Good site, lots of space and good animal handling facility! Poor animal handling facility

26. Good conditioned animals

27. Poor conditioned animals Pre-mature heifer calves

28. An old man asked by his wife to take the cows…no clue about the cow..when asked about the cow, he says ‘let me check with my wife first…’ School children with no clue about the cow!!

29. Women know better about their cows!!

30. Many on-lookers affect efficiency!!

31. Support from administration and PA officials… KEY

32. Explain properly and set clear expectations

33. Agree on clear roles and responsibilities

34. Practice, practice, practice - Key

35. Team work and multi-tasking – Key and critical

36. A little experience and record keeping!

37. Poor animal handling facility – causes stress, is high risk, creates inefficiency!!

38. Be prepared for on the spot insemination and treatment of some sick animals

39. Exhausted…….some break! Carry enough water and some food...

40. Beef System – Metema, Amhara Good export market – live animals & meat High cattle population and large holdings Large underutilized feed resource Mainly highland zebu brought with settlers Mismatch between genotype and environment High environmental stress, particularly heat Lower fertility and calving rate High pre-weaning calf mortality Slower growth rate, low market weight Lower milk production

41. Highland Zebu, Transhumance & Heat Stress

42. Young Boran bulls at Andassa Ranch, Bahir Dar

43. Supplemented with synchronization and AI

44. Boran crossbred calves…

45. THE FUTURE (for discussion)

46. Introduction and testing other dairy breeds for fluid milk and butter systems Guernsey Jersey Ayrshire Norwegian Red Brown Swiss

47. Beef system - Our own Boran….in Kenya South Africa USA Australia

50. Bahir Dar

51. Debre Markos

52. Dessie

54. Adama

55. Jimma

56. Ambo

57. Arsi

58. Wellega

60. Arbaminch

62. Dire Dawa

64. Sperm sexing technology First commercial sexed semen 1999. Flow cytometers are used to sort female sperm cells from the male sperm cells. The female (X bearing chromosome) contains 3.8% more DNA than the male (Y bearing chromosome). It is this difference in DNA content that is detected by the sensors when the sperm cells pass by a laser beam, one at a time in a fluid stream.

65. On average sexed semen straw contains over 90% female sperm cells In dairy system, almost doubles the number of heifer calves produced Sex fixer with active constituent blocks the H-Y antibody receptor site on ovum; effectively blocking chance of Y chromosome from binding with ovum

66. Mid to long-term – ET and in-vitro fertilization

67. Training EIAR researchers – in-vitro fertilization technique

68. Thank You! ♀ ♂