Tesfaye Getachew MSc Thesis Animal Genetics and Breeding oct 2008

159 Pages·2001·1.34 MB·English

CHARACTERIZATION OF MENZ AND AFAR
INDIGENOUS SHEEP BREEDS OF SMALLHOLDERS AND
PASTORALISTS FOR DESIGNING COMMUNITY-BASED BREEDING
STRATEGIES IN ETHIOPIA

M.Sc. Thesis

TESFAYE GETACHEW MENGISTU

October 2008
Haramaya University
CHARACTERIZATION OF MENZ AND AFAR
INDIGENOUS SHEEP BREEDS OF SMALLHOLDERS AND
PASTORALISTS FOR DESIGNING COMMUNITY-BASED BREEDING
STRATEGIES IN ETHIOPIA

A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Animal Sciences,
School of Graduate Studies
HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF
SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE (ANIMAL GENETICS AND BREEDING)

BY
Tesfaye Getachew Mengistu

October 2008
Haramaya University
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

As Thesis Research advisor, I here by certify that I have read and evaluated this thesis
prepared, under my guidance, by Tesfaye Getachew, entitled Characterization of Menz and
Afar Indigenous Sheep Breeds of Smallholders and Pastoralists for Designing
Community-based Breeding Strategies in Ethiopia. I recommend that it be submitted as
fulfilling the Thesis requirement.

(Dr.) A. K. SHARMA _________________ _______________
Major Advisor Signature Date

Dr. MARKOS TIBBO _________________ _______________
Co-advisor Signature Date

Dr. AYNALE M HAILE _________________ _______________
Co-advisor Signature Date

As member of the Board of Examiners of the MSc Thesis Open Defense Examination, We
certify that we have read, evaluated the Thesis prepared by Tesfaye Getachew, and examined
the candidate. We recommend that the Thesis be accepted as fulfilling the Thesis requirement
for the Degree of Master of Science in Agriculture (Animal Genetics and Breeding).

______________________ _________________ _______________
Chairperson Signature Date
______________________ _________________ _______________
Internal Examiner Signature Date
______________________ _________________ _______________
External Examiner Signature Date

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DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to:

My love
MESERET ABEBAW

And

Our son
YOHANNES TESFAYE

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STATEMENT OF AUTHOR

First, I declare that this thesis is my bonafide work and that all sources of materials used for
this thesis have been duly acknowledged. This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for an MSc degree at the Haramaya University and is deposited at the
University Library to be made available to borrowers under the rules of the Library. I truly
declare that this thesis is not submitted to any other institution anywhere for the award of any
academic degree, diploma or certificate.

Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission provided that
accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation
from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the Head of
Department of Animal Sciences or the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies when in his or
her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interest of scholarship. In all other
instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author.

Name: Tesfaye Getachew Signature: ------------------------------
Place: Haramaya University, Haramaya
Date of Submission: October 2008

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

The author, Tesfaye Getachew was born on November 12, 1972 in Wereilu town of South
Wollo Administrative Zone. He attended his elementary education in Wereilu Del-Beal
Elementary School from 1977 to 1983. He attended his junior and high school education
at Wereilu Junior and Senior Secondary School from 1983 to 1989.

He joined the then Awassa College of Agriculture (now Hawassa University) and was
awarded a Diploma in Animal Science and Technology in 1991. After his graduation, he
was employed by the then Sheno Agricultural Research Center (now Debre Berhan
Agricultural Research Center) as technical assistant in animal production research
division. He joined again Debub University (now Hawassa University) in advance
standing program and was awarded a B.Sc. Degree in Animal Production and Rangeland
Management in 2003. He again employed by the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute
(ARARI), Debre Berhan Agricultural Research Center, as a researcher in sheep and goat
genetic improvement division till he joined the School of Graduate Studies of the
Haramaya University for a Master of Science degree in Agriculture majoring in Animal
Genetics and Breeding in September 2006.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Above all I would like to thank my Almighty God for supplying me health, wisdom and
strength in my work and for his perfect protection and guidance of my life.

I would like to express my deepest and sincere appreciation to my advisor Dr. A.K. Sharma
for his guidance, sound advice, his encouragement at all stages of my work. His excellent
teaching and constructive criticism and comments from the initial conception to the end of
this work are highly appreciated. I am very grateful to Dr. Aynalem Haile my ILRI supervisor
as well as the coordinator of ILRI-ICARDA-BOKU sheep breeding program for his excellent
supervision, keen interest, perfect guidance and his kindness. His valuable comments, advice,
criticism make this work complete. I always admire and am grateful for his swift response in
reviewing the manuscript. He shaped me to be more analytical in many aspects. I have learnt
a lot from him. Thank you very much. I am greatly indebted to Dr. Markos Tibbo for his
kindness, positive thinking, precious comments and suggestion during proposal development
and thesis write-up. Special thanks and heart felt appreciation goes to Mr. Zerihun Tadesse,
Biometrician at ILRI for his unreserved assistance in data analysis. He was always generous
to clarify my query regarding data analysis and management.

I am grateful to the Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI) for providing
me study leave and guarantee my salary during the study time. I am grateful for the Austrian
Development Agency for sponsoring this study through the ILRI-ICARDA-BOKU
community-based sheep breeding program. I am indebted to the International Livestock
Research Institute (ILRI), Ethiopia for the provision of office, computer access and excellent
working environment during the data analysis and thesis write-up.

I am grateful for Dr. Tadelle Dessie, ILRI, Ethiopia, head of AnGR group for his
encouragement and all round support. The author would like also to express his appreciation
to the staff of AnGR Group of ILRI-Ethiopia Rahel Mesganaw, Yetinayet Mamo, Estheu
Zerihun and Michael Temesgen for their encouragement and technical support.

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I would like to thank Debre Berhan Agricultural Research Center (DBARC) and Melka Werer
Agricultural Research Center (MWARC) for facilitating the field work in Menz and Afar
areas, respectively. My special thanks goes to the present and the former center managers of
DBARC, Yeshitla Mernie and Semagne Asrede; and the head of administration and general
service Ato Tibebe Sahle for their support and encouragement during my study. I am also
grateful for the finance department of DBARC for their kind treatment. My special thanks due
to Asfaw Bisrat, Tesfaye Zewde and Aweke Yilma, for their assistance during data collection
in Menz area. I owe a great debt to Ayele Abebe Agraw Amane, Dereje Tadess, Tefera
Mekonnen for their co-operation and support in different aspects. I would like to extend my
special gratitude to the center manager of MWARC Ato Tadele Amde for his kind treatment
and support on my field work at MWARC. I also highly appreciate the help of Dr. Kidane
G/Meskel, W/Gebriel T/Mariam, Endeshaw Terefe, Ashebir, Zerihun, Esayas and Abraham
for their unreserved co-operation and help during data collection in Afar region. Endeshaw, I
thank you very much for your friendship and hospitality during my stay at Werer.

I would like to thank the Agriculture and Rural Development Offices of Menz Mamma, Menz
Gera and Amibara Woredas for their help during data collection. I am thankful for farmers
and pastoralists participating in this study for providing their time and their animal for free.

I also express my deepest and sincere appreciation to the researchers at DBARC Ato Sisay
Lemma and Dr. Solomon Gizaw for their advice and unreserved share of experience. I am
grateful for Dr. Ashalew Tsegahun, Dr. Abebe Mekoya, Beneberu Tefera, Kemlew Muhe,
Likawnt Yeheyis and Dr. Adamu Molla for their encouragement and help in different aspects.
I would like to thank several other people, too many to list all here for their help during my
study.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Department of Animal science,
Department Graduate Committee of the Animal Science and the School of Graduate Studies
of Haramaya University for their contribution in the process of developing the research
proposal and provision of various services. My special appreciation goes to Dr. Eyassu Seifu
head of Animal Science Department of Haramaya University for his kind treatment; and Dr.

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Solomon Melaku, Dr. Mengistu Ourge, Dr. Mohammed Yesuf and Belaynesh Debalke for
their valuable comment and help.

I would like to extend my appreciation to Abdisa and Andualem (my dorm mates), Gebreyes,
Anteneh, Zewdu and Fekerte (my class mates), Tesfaye Tsegaye, Ahadu, Kidus, Mengste,
Tadelle Mirkena and Gemeda for their friendship, for the time we had together and assistance
during our stay in the University and in ILRI campus.

I wish to express my deepest love and gratitude to my late mother Asnakech Tessema for
nursing me with love and for her exceptional care. My father, Getachew Mengistu deserves
thanks for his sustained encouragement. I have always believed on the support his prayer.

I am grateful to Ato Abebaw Tilahun and his wife W/ro Asmaru Asfaw for their help,
hospitality and kind treatment during my stay in Addis during thesis write up. I am very
grateful to Workwuha Abebaw for her amiable treatment and provision of digital camera for
taking pictures. I am thankful to Surafel Amare for his assistance in editing pictures and allow
me to use his computer out of office hours. I would like to extend my special thanks to my
brother Tsegaye Getachew for his assistance in data entry and his all round support to my
family in my absence. I am also grateful for my family; Anteneh, Abiy, Estifanos, Hiwot,
Yordanos, Serkie and Bizualem for their support and providing a loving environment for me.

Finally a very special appreciation is due to my wife Meseret Abebaw for her unreserved
encouragement during my study and for carrying the entire burden in leading our extended
family along with her office and field work. She was speedy to find solutions for problem I
faced during my study. Her special prayer helped me to have strength and endurance in my
work. You are a source of my happiness and well-being. Thanks God for giving me such a
brave wife. I am also greatly indebted to my lovely son Yohannes Tesfaye for his patience
and love.

“Lord, I am overflowing with your blessings, just as you promised.” Psalms 119:65

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ARARI Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute
BC Body Condition
BL Body Length
BOKU Austrian University of Natural Resource and Applied Sciences
BW Body Weight
CG Chest Girth
CSA Central Statistic Authority
DBARC Debre Berhan Agricultural Research Center
EIAR Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
EL Ear Length
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
GLM Generalized Linear Model
HL Horn Length
ICARDA International Center for agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
ILRI International Livestock Research Institute
MOA Ministry Of Agriculture
MSE Mean Square Error
OADB Oromiya Agricultural Development Bureau
PW Pelvic Width
r Correlation Coefficient
R2 Coefficient of Determination
SAS Statistical Analysis System
SC Scrotum Circumference
SPSS Statistical Package for Social Science
TC Tail Circumference
TL Tail Length
WH Wither Height

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