-The study investigated the population structure, diversity and differentiation of almost all of the ecotypes representing the African Ankole Longhorn cattle breed on the basis of morphometric (shape and size), genotypic and spatial distance data. Twentyone morphometric measurements were used to describe the morphology of 439 individuals from 11 sub-populations located in five countries around the Great Lakes region of central and eastern Africa. Additionally, 472 individuals were genotyped using 15 DNA microsatellites. Femoral length, horn length, horn circumference, rump height, body length and fore-limb circumference showed the largest differences between regions. An overall F ST index indicated that 2.7% of the total genetic variation was present among sub-populations. The least differentiation was observed between the two sub-populations of Mbarara south and Luwero in Uganda, while the highest level of differentiation was observed between the Mugamba in Burundi and Malagarasi in Tanzania. An estimated membership of four for the inferred clusters from a model-based Bayesian approach was obtained. Both analyses on distance-based and model-based methods consistently isolated the Mugamba sub-population in Burundi from the others.Ankole Longhorn cattle / microsatellite / geometric morphometric / genetic distance / spatial distance

Due to the absence of accurate pedigree information, it has not been possible to implement genetic evaluations for crossbred cattle in African small-holder systems. Genomic selection techniques that do not rely on pedigree information could, therefore, be a useful alternative. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of using genomic selection techniques in a crossbred cattle population using data from Kenya provided by the Dairy Genetics East Africa Project. Genomic estimated breeding values for milk yield were estimated using 2 prediction methods, GBLUP and BayesC, and accuracies were calculated as the correlation between yield deviations and genomic breeding values included in the estimation process, mimicking the situation for young bulls. The accuracy of evaluation ranged from 0.28 to 0.41, depending on the validation population and prediction method used. No significant differences were found in accuracy between the 2 prediction methods. The results suggest that there is potential for implementing genomic selection for young bulls in crossbred small-holder cattle populations, and targeted genotyping and phenotyping should be pursued to facilitate this.

No abstract

-The study investigated the population structure, diversity and differentiation of almost all of the ecotypes representing the African Ankole Longhorn cattle breed on the basis of morphometric (shape and size), genotypic and spatial distance data. Twentyone morphometric measurements were used to describe the morphology of 439 individuals from 11 sub-populations located in five countries around the Great Lakes region of central and eastern Africa. Additionally, 472 individuals were genotyped using 15 DNA microsatellites. Femoral length, horn length, horn circumference, rump height, body length and fore-limb circumference showed the largest differences between regions. An overall F ST index indicated that 2.7% of the total genetic variation was present among sub-populations. The least differentiation was observed between the two sub-populations of Mbarara south and Luwero in Uganda, while the highest level of differentiation was observed between the Mugamba in Burundi and Malagarasi in Tanzania. An estimated membership of four for the inferred clusters from a model-based Bayesian approach was obtained. Both analyses on distance-based and model-based methods consistently isolated the Mugamba sub-population in Burundi from the others.Ankole Longhorn cattle / microsatellite / geometric morphometric / genetic distance / spatial distance

5University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria and has benefited greatly from the fact that developed country animal genetic resources are well characterized and relatively freely exchanged. Where proper steps have been followed by careful assessment of demand, execution, delivery, impact and cost-benefit analyses, successful within-breed improvement has been realized within indigenous populations in developing countries. Breeding objectives and programmes for subsistence oriented and pastoralist systems are likely to be entirely different from conventional programmes. Crossbreeding has been most successful where it is followed by a rigorous selection programme involving livestock owners' participation and substantial public sector investment in the form of technical support. In any genetic improvement programme, inbreeding needs to be monitored and controlled.Within-breed genetic improvement is normal practice in the developed world, and has become a highly technical enterprise, involving a range of reproduction, recording, computing and genomic technologies. Emerging genomic technologies promise the ability to identify better, use and improve developing world animal genetic resources in the foreseeable future. Useful systems can, however, be established without the need for application of advanced technology or processes. RésuméOn propose une utilisation durable des ressources génétiques animales pour l'agriculture et l'alimentation comme meilleure stratégie pour la conservation de la diversité. Atteindre l'utilisation durable permettra d'améliorer la qualité de vie et diminuera le risque à long terme de la survie des populations animales. L'amélioration génétique peut entraîner le choix de races plus appropiées, races plus pures adaptées ou un système de croisement de races et l'application de l'amélioration génétique à l'intérieur de la race elle-même. Le choix de la race et des systèmes de croisement de races dans les pays en développement a été un des facteurs qui a influencé le plus l'augmentation de la productivité et a bénéficier largement le fait que dans les pays développés les ressources génétiques animales soient bien caractérisées et puissent bénéficier d'un mouvement relativement libre. Là où les démarches appropriées ont été suivies à travers des évaluations correctes sur la demande, l'exécution, la remise, l'impact et l'analyse de coût-bénéfice, le succès de l'amélioration à l'intérieur de la race a tout de suite été atteint avec les population indigènes dans les pays en développement. Les objectifs d'amélioration et les programmes pour la subsistance et les systèmes de pâturage seront différents des programmes conventionnels. Les croisements de races ont eu plus de succès lorsqu'un programme de sélection rigoureux a été suivi et quand la participation des éleveurs et une partie du secteur public a été présente en forme d'investissement et appui technique. Dans tout programme d'amélioration génétique il est nécessaire de contrôler et faire un suivi de la consanguini...