Genetic improvement of indigenous Greek sheep and goat breeds

Abstract

The objective of the study was twofold: (i) to review the genetics of production and resilience traits of indigenous Greek small ruminant breeds as well as the evolution of national breeding programs, and (ii) explore innovative and feasible approaches to overcome the challenges and constraints towards improving these breeds and enhancing the sustainability of the small ruminant sector. Previous studies on the genetic basis of production and resilience traits of indigenous breeds revealed high improvement potential. However, the lack of follow-up action has failed to produce applicable results. Thus, implementation of scientific findings in existing breeding programs for these breeds is extremely limited. The latter has contributed to the overall poor success of such programs. Furthermore, due to the fact that most farmers do not comprehend the strategic importance of genetic improvement and lack motivation for self-funding, breeding programs have mostly relied on European or government funding; the latter has resulted in intermittent implementation. Therefore, most programs failed to improve performance of indigenous Greek breeds, many of which were consequently replaced by foreign breeds of higher productivity and documented merit. In order to facilitate the design of breeding schemes and overcome the challenges towards improvement of indigenous breeds, an integrative approach is necessary. The latter should be based on identification of specific breeding objectives, reflecting the priorities and needs of the sector, as well as the capacity of the indigenous populations. Scientific advances exemplified by genomic selection and novel reproductive technologies will enable faster and more effective genetic improvement. The overall approach is expected to enhance the competitiveness of indigenous Greek small ruminant breeds and the sustainability of the sector.

Efficiency Analysis as a Tool for Revealing Best Practices and Innovations: The Case of the Sheep Meat Sector in Europe

“…Accurate pedigree information and collection of on-farm performance data of individual animals are essential for accurate genetic selection [52]. Moreover, using high breeding value rams from elite flocks ensures efficiency and speeds up the genetic improvement process [53]. Nowadays, breeding innovations are associated mainly to the advances in molecular genetics and DNA analysis, which have boosted the development of new tools in breeding programs and to the formation of selection indexes which combine productional and functional traits [54][55][56].…”

Relationship between Vaccine Application and Climate Factors in Sheep and Goat Farms in Greece

“…: 22.6% of all herds; Skopelos: 2.5%; and indigenous Capra prisca: 25.6%) [24]. In general, indigenous breeds of sheep and goats are considered to be less susceptible to disease threats than many mainstream, high-production breeds [25,26], and relevant findings have also been reported regarding Greek breeds [27,28]. Moreover, indigenous breeds of sheep and goats are considered to be more tolerant to adverse weather conditions; previous studies have reported genetic differences in adaptation to temperature stress and, thus, resilience to extreme temperatures [29,30], which are mediated through a complex network of genes [31,32].…”

Association of Breed of Sheep or Goats with Somatic Cell Counts and Total Bacterial Counts of Bulk-Tank Milk

“…The predominant type of production is dairy, with over 95% of animals in the country being milked. Many reports are available, presenting morphological characteristics of sheep and goat breeds in Greece (e.g., for sheep: [1][2][3][4][5], for goats: [6,7]).…”