The Alternative breeds approach involves substitution of breeds, introducing a new (alternative) breed with a current breed to potentially increase production levels in a farm. Breed substitution involves genetic improvement of cattle and goats especially in dairy farming and meat production. Alternative breeds are introduced in order to ascertain competition between breeds based on health, fertility, performance, profits and management requirements. The substitution breeds are picked because there some traits that may be lacking in current breeds at the farm. For example, some farmers in Malawi who have introduced the Black Australop breed of chicken, either by crossbreeding with local chickens or replacing the local chicken altogether. This breed produces much more meat and lays more eggs, which increases farm production and income. This is a climate smart option as it introduces breeds that may require less water or can manage with lower quality feed – thereby reducing costs, and risks.
To effectively leverage alternative breeds:
- Step 1: Consult with national agricultural research and extension services to identify adaptable breeds available in the country/region, noting type of traits suitable for the particular ecological zone, and how to access stock. Traits to focus-on include health, milk production, disease tolerance, fertility, economic performance and adaptation to climate change and climate variability. Assisting with sourcing potential alternative breeds is a key role for Extension Officers.
- Step 2: Before selecting a substitution breed, the current breed must be evaluated to identify traits that are lacking, as well as compatibility. This will help in identifying traits that need to be improved.
- Step 3: Determine the cost effectiveness of the new breed to the area and or farmer, in terms of feed conversion rates, disease resistance, environmental conservation etc.
- Step 4: Consistently keep record of the livestock performance and behaviour for discussion with other farmers and extension officers.
- Journal of Animal Breeding Genetics, 2011. Community based alternative breeding plans for indigenous sheep breeds in four agroecological zones of Ethiopia. Ethopia.
- The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 2010. Breeding strategies for sustainable management of animal genetic resources. Rome, Italy.
Benefits
- Alternative breeds are used to improve the genetic qualities of livestock.
- This agricultural practice improves biological diversity, ensures food security, increases farm income and most importantly reduces risk as cross breeds in future will be more resilient to climatic variations.
Drawbacks
- Requires research to identify suitable breeds.
- Livestock will require frequent monitoring to ensure cross-breeding is yielding required results.
- Replacement breeds should also be monitored to ensure they are adjusting to the local conditions.
