A selective breeding program was implemented to improve the performance of indigenous chickens in Ethiopia. Improved chicken from the 7th generation were compared with commercial layer, crossbred and unselected indigenous chickens both on-station and on-farm. Continue reading
Chris Jones joined the Feed and Forage Biosciences Program this week as program leader based in Addis Ababa. Continue reading
This project proposes a new strategy for creating resistance in cattle to African trypanosomiasis, a major disease that affects agricultural production in broad regions of Africa. The long-term aim is to generate genetically modified cattle, which carry a gene that imparts resistance to African trypanosomes. Continue reading
Disease in livestock is one of the main factors contributing to limited productivity and incomes among cattle farmers in Tanzania. This poster, prepared for the Tropentag 2014 conference, presents findings from a survey conducted by ILRI among cattle farmers in Tanzania to confirm the presence of well-known cattle pathogens and to investigate the presence of cattle pathogens rarely looked for in the area before. Continue reading
This poster explains the work of the Vaccine Biosciences group at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) which seeks to a hub of research excellence dedicated to developing vaccine-based solutions to reduce disease burdens that limit livestock productivity in smallholder and pastoral farming systems. Continue reading
‘Ng’ombe planner’ is designed to record milk production, fertility, calving, curative measures undertaken and general preventive treatment such as dipping or spraying. The tool will provide feedback to the farmer where necessary. Continue reading
A recent study has found that wildlife are an important source of tick-borne diseases of livestock, with 70% of emerging pathogens originating from wildlife. The study found evidence of previously unknown parasite genotypes that may be infective to both small ruminants and equids (horses). Climate change could fuel the spread of such pathogens through the spread of their tick vector further impacting livestock production. Continue reading
Denis Mujibi, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) geneticist is among the 13 winners of the $10,000 Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD) Ideas Challenge announced in July. Mujibi’s submission was among hundreds of submissions received from researchers from all over the world selected for articulating novel or under-studied scientific challenges facing smallholder farmers in … Continue reading
For the last four years, Mary Ndila has been studying the population structure of indigenous cattle for her PhD project titled, ‘Genomics diversity of East African Shorthorn Zebu cattle of Western Kenya’, a joint program between ILRI and the University of Nottingham and funded by Wellcome Trust. In this article we find out whether breed … Continue reading
DAGRIS (http://dagris.ilri.cgiar.org) Domestic Animal Genetic Resources Information System, a web-based electronic source of information on selected indigenous farm animal genetic resources (breeds/ecotypes of cattle, sheep, goats, chicken, pigs, buffalo and yak) with options to extend it further to cover camels, geese, turkey and ducks is moving to a new front and stature. This web-based electronic … Continue reading
The Kenyan ministries of livestock and development and public health and sanitation yesterday, 3 October 2012 officially launched the Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU) in Nairobi. ‘The ZDU is a One Health office in Kenya that was formed to address the gap that exists between animal and human health sectors in terms of prevention and control … Continue reading
The 13th conference of the International Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics (ISVEE) held in Maastricht, the Netherlands on 20-24 August 2012 saw many International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) scientists participating in various capacities. Annie Cook a PhD student with the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project won the prize for the best student poster. … Continue reading
T cell responses contribute to immunity against many intracellular infections. There is, for example, strong evidence that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play an essential role in mediating immunity to East Coast fever (ECF), a fatal lymphoproliferative disease of cattle prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and caused by Theileria parva. o … Continue reading
On 26 Jul 2012, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Park Hyun Chool, Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) administrator, and Jimmy Smith, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) director general. This memorandum of understanding signifies the beginning of more collaborative research, renewed partnership and the willingness and commitment from the two to jointly continue … Continue reading
On 2 July 2012 a new project was launched to develop a novel subunit cattle vaccine for the control of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), known as lung plague. This was announced by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) under the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF). ‘CIFSRF, … Continue reading
ILRI BioSciences 