Genetic and economic evaluation of a basic breeding programme for Kenya Boran cattle

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Quantitative Genetics
• Livestock Breeding

Background:

• The Boran cattle breed is crucial for beef production in many regions.
• Existing breeding structures may not fully optimize genetic potential.
• Deterministic modeling offers a structured approach to breeding program design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the current organizational structure of Boran cattle breeding.
• To develop a model breeding program for Boran cattle using a deterministic approach.
• To evaluate the potential genetic gains and economic impact within the Boran Cattle Breeders Society structure.

Main Methods:

• A deterministic model was used to simulate a breeding program.
• Assumed a breeding unit of 13,000 cows supplying bulls to 39,000 commercial cows.
• Selection criteria focused on growth and reproduction traits; objectives included growth, carcass, reproduction, survival, milk yield, and feed intake.

Main Results:

• Higher selection intensity in sires led to greater genetic gains than in dams, despite low selection accuracies.
• Positive annual genetic gains were observed for most traits, with exceptions in dressing percentage, cow survival, and age at first calving.
• A reduction in age at first calving by 9.5 days yielded a return of Ksh 49.76, with overall monetary gain of Ksh 84.89 per cow annually.

Conclusions:

• The developed deterministic breeding program model demonstrates positive economic returns for Boran cattle.
• The model indicates potential for expansion to larger Boran cattle populations.
• Optimizing selection strategies can enhance genetic progress and profitability in Boran cattle breeding.