Conservation of farm animal

genetic resources

Dr. K. ILAYAKUMAR M.V.Sc Scholar

Division of Animal Genetics

Introduction

India has rich and diverse genetic resources, with some of the best breeds of dairy,

draught and dual-purpose cattle being available.

Most of the indigenous breeds of cattle excel in draught capacity, longevity,

fitness and overall lifetime productivity than the temperate breeds.

Many indigenous breeds are on the decline.

Some are „insecure‟, some are „vulnerable‟

and some others are „endangered‟.

Contribution of livestock in Indian

economy

Milk; Draft power; Organic manure;

Dung as fuel ; Bones, hides &

skins ; Meat ; Employment

Production of Major Livestock Products

Milk 137.6 m.t.

Eggs 63,024 m.

Wool 46.1 m. kg.

Meat 5.9 m.t.

Livestock contribution to

National GDP and Agriculture GDP is 4.1 % and 25.6%

respectively.

India ranks First in world milk production

India contribute 43% of world carabeaf production

India ranks third in Egg production

Status of livestock genetic resources in

India and the World Species No of breeds

in world

Population No of breeds

in India

Population Rank

Cattle 1019 1.4billion 37 190 million 2(13%)

Buffalo 123 168 million 13 108 million 1(57%)

Goat 576 924 million 23 135 million 2(15%)

Pig 543 966 million 2 10 million 1%

Sheep 1155 1 billion 39 65 million 3(6.5%)

Horses 694 58 million 6 0.625 million 1%

Camel 85 19 million 8 0.4 million 2.1%

Donkey 157 53 million 1 0.319 million 0.26%

Poultry 15 729 million 5

Source: Statistics Division (FAOSTAT) & Ministry of Agriculture -India

Distribution of livestock in India

Cattle

37.28%

Goat

26.40%

Buffalo

21.23%

Sheep

12.71%

Pigs

2.01%

Others

0.37%

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY,DAIRYING AND FISHERIES

Why the indigenous animals are important???

Disease resistance in Indigenous

livestock Disease/parasite

Breed(s) or

genotype(s)

showing the

favourable

phenotype

Compared to

which breed(s) or

genotype(s)

Experimental

conditions

Results Reference

Theileria annulata Sahiwal cattle Holstein Artificial infection of

isolated monocytes

Less severe clinical

signs in the Sahiwal,

gene expression profile

of monocytes differs

between the two

breeds

Glass and Jensen,

2007

Tuberculosis Zebu cattle Holstein Natural and artificial

infection

Zebu have fewer

clinical signs and

decreased morbidity

Ameni et al., 2007;

Vordermeier et al.,

2012

Fasciola gigantica Buffalo Ongole cattle Artificial infection Buffalo have 1/5 the

number of flukes

Ongole cattle have

Wiedosari et al., 2006

Rhipicephalus

microplus

Nelore cattle Charolais Natural infection Fewer ticks carried by

the Braford, Brangus

and Nelore

Molento et al., 2013

Infectious bursal

disease virus

Aseel chickens Commercial Artificial infection TH1 immunity,

upregulation in the

Aseel

Raj et al., 2011

Newcastle disease Naked-neck chickens Frizzle- and

smoothfeathered

chickens

Artificial infection Naked-neck shows

lower mortality

Bobbo et al., 2013

Status of milk protein, b- caesin variants among

Indian milch animals

A2 milk does not contain A1 beta-casein protein (release the potent opioid BCM-7 on digestion)

- may affect gut motility and absorption processes which may affect digestive wellbeing.

Less incidence of allergies, diabetes, obesity and cardio-vascular diseases

Europe - A2 milk is now the fastest growing with a share of 8 per cent of the milk

market, the sales increasing by 57 per cent in a year.

Status of milk protein, b-casein variants among Indian milch animals. Mishra, B. P.et al Indian J Anim Sci, 79, 722-725.

Unique features in Indigenous breeds

Cattle:

Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Gir

Nagori

Vechur

Punganur

Umblachery

Siri

Sheep:

Changthangi

Garole

Mecheri

Chokla, Patanwadi

Mandya

Goat:

Barbari

Jamnapari

Black Bengal

Black Bengal, Surti

Chegu, Changthangi

Andaman

Buffalo:

Bhadawari

Jerangi

Poultry:

Kadaknath, Tellichery

Naked neck

Frizszle fowl

Brahman Cattle

It is a mixture of 3 Indian milch breeds. Gir, Kankrej and Ongole

Imported into the United States between 1854 and 1926.

It has been used to develop numerous other U.S. beef breeds including

Brangus, Beefmaster and Simbrah.

Gyr cows of Brazil

used in many parts of world thanks to Brazilians marketing

It produce 20 to 30 litres of Milk a day.

Brazil which took Gir in the 1890s, now has around 4,000,000,

Brazilians have showed their respect to Gir as a stamp

depicting the image of Gir cow was released in Brazil

Nellore Cattle(From Ongole)

1950s Argentina started its own breeding programme for the “Nellore

Argentino”

Uses of Indigenous breeds in foreign countries

But the scenario in India was different for

indigenous farm animal

Cattle Population Exotic/crossbred and Indigenous

population during 1992-2012

19 th livestock census (2012) MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY,DAIRYING AND FISHERIES

Factors affecting animal biodiversity

The major annual decline in indigenous cattle population.

Kerala (-6.88%), Punjab (-5.48%), Haryana (-3.96%),

Tamil Nadu (-2.32%), Madhya Pradesh (-3.19%),

Karnataka (-3.34%), Maharashtra (-1.33%),

Uttar Pradesh (-1.52%) and Rajasthan (-0.93%)

The indigenous cattle breeds population - not only declining fast, but are also being

subjected to genetic erosion.

• Fast changing socio-economic levels of farmers,

• Intensive and mechanized agriculture replacing draft animal power,

• Shrinking grazing areas,

• Overemphasis on crossbreeding with exotic cattle for increasing milk

production,

• Buffaloes making inroads into the traditional areas of certain cattle breeds as an

alternative dairy & draft animal.

Categories (Population status) FAO

Panel

Critical : Breeding female <100

Endangered: Breeding female 100-1000

Vulnerable : Breeding female 1000-5000

Insecure : Breeding female 5000-10000

Normal : Breeding female >10000

Breeds Need Conservation

Efforts

• Cattle breeds: Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar, Vechur and

Punganur

• Buffalo: Nili Ravi and Toda

• Goat: Barbari and Jamnapari

• Sheep: Magra, Pugal, Chokla, Mandya

• Poultry: Kadaknath and Naked Neck

Need for conservation

1. Genetic insurance

2. Scientific study

3. Economic potential

4. Environmental considerations

5. Cultural and ethical

requirements

6. Energy source

Principles of Conservation

• Population size:

Stock should be maintained with optimum population size

above the level of risk

• Characteristics of the stock:

Pure form

Having special traits

Select diverse stock

• Environmental conditions

Maintain and conserve the locally adapted breeds and that too

in the same location

• Breeding methods

The genetic merit and diversity should be maintained using

appropriate breeding programme

Methods of Conservation

In Situ

Farmer‟s herds/flocks

Organized herds in breed tracts

Ex situ

Organized herds outside breed tract

Cryopreserved germplasm

• Embryos

• Somatic cells

• DNA

• Spermatogonial stem cells

• Semen

In situ Conservation

• Involves the maintenance of live population of animals in their adaptive environment (original and natural conditions)

In situ conservation

Active Passive

Sufficient genetic variability in the breed

population can be maintained

Proper breeding plan

Breed can gradually adapt to changing

environment over time

Can be Done in a better and scientific way at

the organized farms under the control of Govt. to

ensure purity of the breed

Breed development through

animal breeding programme

Maintenance of live animal populations

Within their environments for breeds

which are at high risk of loss

Organized flocks/herds

Maintenance of small population at a place away from the main

breeding tract of the breed is the ex situ conservation of the live

animals. This may be in the form of organized herd maintained in

a research institutions, bull mother farm, state owned livestock

farm, zoo or breed park.

This population can be used in regeneration of endangered breed,

new breed development, DNA studies.

In situ conservation

Advantages - Animals are still being utilized

- The performance characteristics can be properly recorded and evaluated

- Breeds have the opportunity to evolve

Disadvantages - Animals are at risk from diseases and other natural disasters.

- Genetic drift may result in unfavorable genetic changes if the population is small,

- There is a risk of increasing inbreeding and hence homozygosity, which is associated with reduced fitness.

- The animals may be less productive and so more costly to maintain.

Ex situ conservation

In situ conservation may not feasible for the breeds which are economically not viable and hence they may lost due to economic pressure

Ex situ conservation can be done to handle this situation

Ex situ conservation

In vivo In vitro

Ex situ Conservation

In vitro method In vivo method

Cryopreservation of sperm and oocyte Organized herd of research station

Cryopreservation of embryos Bull mother farms

Storage of DNA Zoo and breeding farms

Embryonic stem cells

Somatic cell cloning

Cryopreservation of sperms and

oocytes

• Semen of all species suitable for deep freezing

• Technique of freezing, storing and thawing of semen is simple

and a routine one

• Cryogenic storage of oocytes as a portion of ovaries from

slaughtered animals can be done for most of species of farm

animals, except cattle

• The conservation of haploid genome as semen, but not the

oocytes, has great limitation of the requirement, for IVF of the

animals of the opposite sex or both type of cells(sperms and

oocytes) of the same breed

Cryopreservation of embryos

Applications:

Diploid and contain all genes, ideal for breed improvement,

conservation and revival of lost breed

Limitations:

Can not be produced in large numbers and require large number

of elite donors

Cost of production is too high to justify for conservation of breeds

which are low producing

Require very skilled manpower for production and transfer

Conservation Agencies

• Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Govt. of India.

• State Govt. Animal Husbandry Departments.

• State Agricultural Universities.

• Animal Science Institutes Of ICAR.

• National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)

• Non Governmental Organization(NGO).

• Private Companies.

• Gaushalas

Management of AnGR

i. Identification, characterization, evaluation, documentation and

conservation

ii. Training of manpower for successful completion of the above

activities

iii. To develop breed improvement programmes on national level for

proper management of AnGR

Management of AnGR

Livestock survey: – Census is conducted species wise

– The breed wise census data is essential

Breed descriptors:

• Information on habitat, physical and

morphological characteristics, performance

and genetic architecture of the breed

Identification:

– Country and source of data

– Species , breed or population and location

Characterization:

– Description of a breed in terms of breed

descriptors

Management of AnGR

Evaluation:

Its is contemporary comparison of performance records

of two or more breeds under the same environment

Documentation:

Collection of existing data

Methodology of characterization:

i. Macro: Phenotypic characterization, conservation

ii. Meta: Phenotypic characterization

iii. Micro: Phenotypic and genetic characterization

Animal Data Bank

• Collection of data on any aspect of life in well organized,

meaningful and easily accessible way

• First data bank was initiated by

European Association of Animal

Production(EAAP) in 1980‟s

• Established a data bank at Institute of

AB&G in Hannover, Germany

• FAO Established data bank in Rome

in 1991 to cover all non-European

(FAO Global Data Bank for domestic livestock

Source: FAO

Animal Data Bank

Types of information stored in data bank are:

• General information

• Origin and development of breed

• Breed description

• Use and qualities of breed

• Management condition

• Performance trait information

• Additional information

Cattle

22%

Sheep

25%

Pig

12%

Goat

12%

Horse

14%

Buffalo Asses

3%

Others

9%

Source: FAO

ICAR- National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources

(NBAGR)

• Established on 21st September, 1984 at Bangalore and then shifted to Karnal in 1985.

• This premier institute is dedicated to work with its mandate of identification, evaluation, characterization, conservation and utilization of livestock and poultry genetic resources of our country.

• Phenotypic and genetic characterization of majority (> 90%) of the registered breeds of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, equines, camel and poultry.

• Identification of more than 1600 SNPs for various major candidate genes related with production, reproduction, environmental adaptation and disease resistance traits in different species.

• VISION

Striving for excellence in innovative research to identify genetic potential of indigenous livestock for improvement and conservation

International Union for Conservation of Nature

(IUCN)

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural

Resources (IUCN) is an international organisation working in the field of nature

conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

• IUCN was established on 5 October 1948, in Fontainebleau, France

• It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy,

lobbying and education

• The organization is best known to the wider public for compiling and

publishing the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which assesses the

conservation status of species worldwide.

Government Effort

Indigenous Breeds Project

-Improve their self sustenance and conservation in the long run.

-covers four indigenous breeds, viz. Ongole, Gir, Kankrej and Sahiwal

-State Agricultural Universities and ICAR Institutes along with

associated herds kept by Government and Non-Government

organizations.

Rashtriya Gokul Mission

-Aims to conserve and develop indigenous breeds in a focused and

scientific manner

-Rs 150.00 crores will be allocated for development, preservation and

conservation of indigenous breeds.

Kamdhenu Dairy Scheme 100 animals (Cows) in milk :

To ensure production and availability of high quality milk producing animals

To develop high yielding milk producing animals` germ plasm center of excellence

To ensure availability of high milk yielding animals to the farmers in the State.

Government efforts

National Project for Cattle and Buffalo Breeding (2002)

• It is envisaged that all breedable females among cattle and buffalo

population, would be brought under organized breeding within a period of

10 years.

• Genetic qualities and availability of indigenous breeds will be improved

and important indigenous breeds will be preserved.

Central Cattle Breeding Farms

-objective produce at least 10 progeny-tested bulls in each farm by

maintaining about 300 breedable females.

-abandoned in 1988

Tenth Plan has suggested that the goals of these farms should be changed and

they should be used either for conservation of indigenous breeds which are at

the verge of extinction

Successful stories of animal genetic resources conservation

The Art of Living Goshala (Bangalore):

Houses the Ongol from Andhra Pradesh, Kangayan from Tamil Nadu,

the Gir from Gujarat and the Sahiwal from Punjab.

Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala:

Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala founded in 1915 by Mahatma Gandhi.

The organization is currently managed by NDDB Dairy Services, a wholly

owned subsidiary of NDDB.

Kamdhenu Gaushala (Punjab):

Indian Breeds of Cows mainly Sahiwal, Gir, Kankrej and Tharparkar.

Focused on Indian Breed Improvement as its primary object.

Conclusion

“ The Treasure is here Don’t search somewhere ”

The hardy and disease-resistant Ongole breed saved the South American

country when the “mad cow disease” wiped out all the other American and

European breeds.

Deccan Herald,

May4, 2015