Characteristics

Inventory and national policy for the development of large, small ruminants,pigs,Poultry and rabbits breeding

Characteristics

Flock size in time Population in millions Augmentation de la production 1990 1999 1990/1999 Cattle 1.08 1.34 +24% Goat 0.87 0.63 -28% Sheep 1.02 1.09 + 7% Pigs 0.46 0.47 + 2% *Poultry 23.00 29.00 +26% *Poultry (chicken, guinea fowl, turkeya and ducks)

The resources • From the natural resources standpoint, the genetic and food resources are not very studied and the indigenous animal resources are rustic . • Food resources are dominated by the natural pasture with a variable productivity according to the different agro-ecological zones. • Crop residues, agricultural and agro-industrial by-products

Sheep and goat breeds of Benin The Sahelian (big size) and the Guinean or Djallonké (Small size) Guinean sheep: small size, lively weight rarely more than 30 kg, with a high quality of meat and yield about 48% Sahelien sheep: big size rather heavy (80kg) butcher shop animal (40 to 50% of yield) Goats weighing 15 to 20 kg but less dairy Sahelian goat of the cuts with an adult weight of 35 kg NB: All animals are sensitive to pest but the Guinean are sensitive east ?? than the race of the Sahel. As for the sheep, they are more or less resistant to pest but very sensitive to the gastro-intestinal parasites.

Husbandry techniques • Picket and fold for the animals during the cultivation (lacks or sheltersvery rudimentary) • Breeding in permanent liberty in certain area • Lodging of the animals in the rooms of the owners

Productivity parametersgoats & sheep

Reproduction parametersPoultry

National livestock development policy

The vision of the present government is in line with general policy in Benin, i.e. liberalisation if markets in 1991 Policy was defined more precisely by the strategic orientations in the areas of diversification , Key elements are Management of the health control Training of farmers’ Land legislation Conservation and sustainable management of natural resources

How Research intervenes Initial diagnosis (1988) supported by a permanent diagnosis of the constraints of breeding for the small ruminants in farms

Actors A lot of people to save my offspring

Contributionof research

Trainingof farmers

Nutrition • Principalconstraints : • Lack of quality feed  weight loss , mortality, abortion • Pressure on the land and proximity of the fields to the hamlets  mortality of the animals because of the mortal blows given by the farmers • Solutions : • Leguminous production on hedges or gardens to complement animals’ rations with leaves or seeds from Cajanus cajan, Moringa oléifera, Mucuna pruriens … • Constitution food reserves in flood zones • Increased fodder production by the association of food crops & leguminous • Use of crop residues and by-products of food processing (e.g. peelings of cassava and ananas, rice straw, fresh Corn leaf) • Mineral complement (licking blocks) on the basis of local products • Program for the improving of milk production (ongoing) • Lactogenic plants & well-balanced rations (ongoing)

Habitat • Principal constraints : • Lack of habitats or rudimentary habitats Solutions : • Improvement of traditional habitat • Habitat adapted for flood zones Selection • Principal constraints : • Degenerescence of the size • Weak performances of local race Solutions: • Increase of the small ruminant size in local area

Health • Principal constraints High mortality , ignorance of dominantes pathologies Solutions : • Improvement of vaccination process in the farm • Scabies treatment with local products (50-60ml palm oil + 20 to 30 ml kerosene : cost of the treatment = 55-70 fcfa) • Tests on effectiveness of the medicinal plants e.g. Seed of papaya for the treatment of the gastro-intestinales parasitism with the sheep at (200 mg/kglively) • Future actions of Research Improve the format of the small ones ruminaning;

Futur actions ruminants Improve small ruminant size by strategies avoiding negative selection by the farmers Develop the use agricultural by-products in nutrition of small ruminants Improve extension of existing technologies Improve the breeding flock Improve management of reproduction Help the breeders to select the good breeding animals Husbandry of breeding animals

Futur actions Poultry • Use the approach kind, provided education for better supporting the other members at the time of the training • Develop training strategy and curricula • Evaluate the various existing chicken ecotypes to promote the most productive ones

Reports Financial efforts and other forms of support of the government aiming at development of this sub-sector as a source of income for the farmers rather, in the past, summer directed, towards a negligible minority (more or less 10 %) of the cattle breeders Urgent need to re-examine this option in favour of the major breeds

Conclusion We need policies and resources to develop livestock

Thank you for listening

Characteristics