Full Length Research Paper
ABSTRACT
Data on characterization of animal genetic resources are valuable in the development of breeding and conservation schemes to ensure their sustainable use. A survey was conducted to collect baseline data on the phenotypic characteristics, production system, traits of economic importance and challenges faced by goat farmers in Liberia. The survey was carried out in the 15 counties of Liberia and covered 1314 animals in their production environments. 1267 respondents participated in this study. A pre-tested structured questionnaire, group discussions and in-depth interviews were used in the data collection. Phenotypic descriptors were directly measured using a measuring tape and weighing scale. Results indicated that Liberia goats are predominantly West Africa dwarf (WAD) breed (99%) and either docile or moderate in temperament. Majority of WAD goats have solid/uniform/plain coat colour pattern (68%) and black or white coat colour (63%). Most goats are horned (70%) and have curved horns (50%). The main motivation for keeping local goats is their relative adaptation to the environment, fast growth and efficient meat production. Average body weight, body length, chest girth and height at withers were 39 kg, 65, 79 and 51 cm, respectively. Government should address the issue of feed, access to veterinary care and medicines, disease control and also assist goat farmers to put up housing and fencing for their animals. There is a need for the government to improve policies on AnGR management in Liberia. In particular, the recently adopted NSAP on AnGR which provides a clear framework for the development of the livestock sector should be validated and implemented by the MOA/CARI and other stakeholders. In situ and ex situ conservation strategies including establishment of national breeding and conservation centres and community-based breeding programs for goat farmers are viable options which should be pursued.
Key words: Liberia, phenotypic characterization, West African dwarf goat, production system, AnGR.
INTRODUCTION
Goats have multi-purpose roles, providing food, hides, and manure, generating income directly as cash or as goods for bartering and thus benefiting the world’s poorest people (Richards, 2002; Perry et al., 2002; Ershaduzzaman et al., 2007). Goats show higher survival rates than cattle under drought conditions (Ndikumana et al., 2000). Their relatively short reproductive cycle and prolificacy coupled with their small size and early maturity make them suitable for use on small farms. Goats perform better than cattle under low input conditions and climatic stress. They are also tolerant to infectious diseases and parasites as well as heat stress (Philipsson et al., 2006; Kosgey and Okeyo, 2007). These traits enable them to cope with the stressful nature of the unproductive and marginal lands in which they are often kept. On the other hand, and as indicated by Hanssen et al (2012), indiscriminate crossbreeding of indigenous goats can cause genetic erosion, loss of genetic diversity, reduction of adaptive values and opportunities for their efficient utilization.
Goat meat is a popular livestock product in Liberia whose consumption rates has been rising rather quickly in recent years (FED, 2016; MOA, 2008) and with a huge market potential as it is eaten by all ethnic and religious groups. Other NGOs such as BRAC International and Food and Enterprise Development (FED) in Liberia are promoting goat production through restocking following years of civil unrest. The hardiness of the local goats has made it a ruminant of choice among many households. Despite the importance of goat production, there is practically no information in Liberia on goat production and research. Investment in livestock research and animal production is a key factor in increasing livestock productivity, stimulating growth, and reducing poverty, enhancing incomes for the poor and alleviating childhood malnutrition. Goat populations from different sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa have remained relatively genetically distinct, with considerable variation in terms of size and coat colours (Chenyambuga et al., 2004; Seidu et al., 2016). Morphometric data are key information to evaluate the characteristics of breeds of animals and provide key insight on the suitability of animals for sustainable breeding and their conservation (Nesamvuni et al., 2000; Mwacharo et al., 2006; FAO, 2012) to ensure food security. The objective of this study is to carry out phenotypic characterization of the local goats in Liberia, including their morphology, production system and challenges confronting goat farmers and make appropriate recommendation to address them for increased productivity and wealth creation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study area and data collection
Liberia is a Sub-Saharan nation in West Africa with an estimated human population of 4 million. It is located on latitude 6°N and longitude 9°W, borders the North Atlantic Ocean to the southwest and three other African nations. In total, Liberia comprises 110,000sqkm dominated by flat to rolling coastal plains that contain mangroves and swamps (MOA, 2008). Those plains slope into a rolling plateau and rainforest-covered hills central, and into relatively low mountains in the northeast (CASS-Lib, 2007). The methodology followed in data collection has been described by Karnuah et al. (2018). Briefly, a survey was conducted in 15 counties in Liberia – Bassa, Bomi, Bong, Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee and Sinoe (Figure 1). Based on FAO’s Guidelines for phenotypic characterization of AnGR (FAO, 2012), a checklist and questionnaires for phenotypic characterization of goats were developed. Training of supervisors and enumerators for the survey and characterization of Liberia’s AnGR took place in February 2016 before the data collection using an electronic data capture system with the EpiCollect application (EpiCollect, 2009) (http://www.epicollect.net/).
The data collected included general information on household characteristics from 1267 goat farmers, goat production and management practices, as well as the phenotypic characteristics of the goats. Linear and morphological measurements of 293 male and 1021 female goats including heart girth, whither height and body length were measured using measuring tape; body weight was determined with a weighing scale.
Data analysis
Data were analysed using Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS) software (SAS, 2012) and the Survey Package in R (R Core Team, 2016). These software tools have very flexible options for summarizing categorical and quantitative variables as well as producing clear figures and were used complementarily in this study. Analysis carried out included categorical analysis of qualitative data using chi square, descriptive analyses of quantitative data, regression analysis to determine the effect of linear body measurements on body weight and correlation between the parameters. Relative frequencies of various characterization parameters and the results are summarized in tables and figures.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Background of respondents
A total number of 1267 respondents were involved in the study. The number of farmers interviewed by gender, ages, household sizes and educational status are shown in Table 1. The largest number of respondents were from Grand Gedeh County (146), followed by Maryland county (140) and River Gee County (114), respectively. Goat farming in Liberia is very much a male-dominated activity (67% of respondents). Chi square values indicated no significant association between gender of farmer and educational status or membership of farmers’ association. About a third of the goat farmers surveyed had no formal education (Table 1). Such a situation can negatively affect the adoption of innovative animal husbandry practices. Education is an approach to help farmers in making informed decisions, solving problems and learning new technologies (IFPRI, 2010).
The vast majority of goat farmers in Liberia are not members of any livestock associations. Only 13% of farmers keeping goats belong to livestock associations. This is a common phenomenon in West Africa region where such associations for livestock farmers are weak or non-existent. The reason for this may be that farmers are not organized or do not see the benefits of belonging to such groups. The absence of well-organized farmer/ breeder associations to support governmental initiatives has hindered efforts to develop an appropriate and integrated livestock recording system for Liberia’s AnGR (MOA, 2008). The larger numbers of goat farmers in Grand Gedeh, Maryland, River Gee and Nimba Counties suggest that these may be the most logical places to establish goat farmer associations or breeder associations. Such associations can safe guard breed conservation and utilization of animal genetic resources.
Phenotypic characterization
The total number of goats characterized were 1314 which were almost 99% of all West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. This corroborates a report by Koikoi (2011) and confirms the WAD as the predominant goat breed in Liberia which should be targeted for improvement and conservation. The WAD has different names across the different counties including Bablee, Weleebla, Welee, Blabee, and Gborkolor. Goats in the mixed crop livestock production system were characterized by small flock size than the agro-pastoral system. Goats are kept in the areas for multiple production objectives contributing to household income and food security (Fantahun et al., 2016). Summary statistics and correlation coefficients of some key quantitative characterization variables on the goats are shown in Tables 2 and 3. In general more variation was observed in body weight, horn and ear length than the other variables. The results obtained on the quantitative variables are higher than those reported by Oseni and Ajayi (2014). These differences could be due to age differences and environmental factors such as the availability of forages, good nutrition, adaptation and ecotype. There are two major WAD ecotypes, corresponding to the humid zone and the savanna zone. Liberia WAD goats are of the savannah type which is generally heavier with larger body size (Chiejina et al., 2009; Rotimi et al., 2017) and some degree of trypanotolerance (Geerts et al., 2009). The body weight and linear measurements obtained in the current study are comparable to those reported for Benis Arrous goats (Hilal et al., 2013).
According to Cam et al. (2010), morphometric measurements and how they relate to one another can describe roughly the animal’s production status and breed characteristics. The highly significant correlation (86%) between chest girth and body weight indicates that chest girth can be used to predict body weight of WAD goats using appropriate regression models (Table 3). In addition, correlation between body length and body weight was moderate (57%), but highly significant. Regression of these phenotypic measurements on the body weight of animal indicated that body length and chest girth can significantly predict weight of goats (Figure 2) with chest girth being the best predictor of body weight (R2 = 74%). Oseni and Ajayi (2014) observed that chest girth accounted for over 77% of total variability in the weight of WAD goats. This confirms that the best prediction model for live weight of WAD goats should include chest girth and body length. Morphological characterization results indicate that WAD goats in Liberia have solid/uniform (68%), patchy/pied (22%) and spotted (10%) coat colour patterns (Table 4) with no effect of sex of animal on coat colour pattern. The main coat colour types of the WAD goats (Table 5) were black and white (40%), white (14%), black (9%) and black and brown (5%) and several other mixtures which gives a strong indication of admixture as a result of the uncontrolled random mating in the free range extensive husbandry systems. Although most of the goats were black and white in colour the significant chi square value indicates that more female goats than males were brown, fawn-black or dark red. Black and white coat colours accounted for 63% of the coat colour. This result is not in agreement with Odubote (1994b) who reported that the predominant colour observed among WAD goats in Nigeria is black (53%). The frequency of the spotted coat colour pattern was not high (10%) among the goats. Coat colour may vary through adaptation of animals to climatic zones and may influence the performance for other traits (Odubote, 1994a). Coat colour plays an important role in the evolved adaptation of goat type. Reproductive fitness as manifested by prolific breeding is a major factor of adaption (Daramola and Adeloye, 2009).
Table 6 shows that the Liberia WAD goats are mostly horned (70%) with significantly more females lacking horns than males. This result is in agreement with those of Odubote (1994a) and Abebambo et al. (2002). Ozoje (2002) also reported high presence of horns (87%) among WAD goats in Nigeria. Kolo et al. (2015) reported 100% horn among local goats in Niger State in Nigeria. Female shows higher frequency of horn (69%) compared to the male (31%). Rodero et al. (1992) found very high frequency of both populations (horned and polled) in Blanca Serana goat breeds. The WAD goats of Liberia were characterized as having mostly curved (50%), straight (35%) horns with some scurs (damaged horns 12%; Table 7). With the exception of the cockscrew horn shape a higher proportion of female goats had curved, straight spiral or scurs. The vast variety of horn shapes in the population may indicate the presence of sexual dimorphism in horn shape as confirmed by the significant chi square value. This finding is in agreement with that reported by Sykes and Symmons (2007) that horn shapes are sexually dimorphic.
WAD goats in Liberia have straight facial profile (82%), followed by concave (17%) with a few goats having convex facial profiles (1%). The backline profile of the goats was either straight (72%), sloping up (20%) and slopping down (7%). WDG goats in Liberia also showed variation in their rump profile. Flat rump accounted for 47%, followed closely by slopping rump (44%) and roofy rump (9%). Male goats showed 38% flat rump and female goat, 9%. Goats have mostly smooth hair (65%), glossy (12%) and curly hair (11%) with the rest having straight or dull hair types. This finding is in agreement with that of Ozoje (2002) who reported that the predominant coat type found among goats in Nigeria is smooth hair. The wide variation in goat hair types seems to suggest polymorphism among WAD goats on hair types. Hagan et al. (2012) also reported smooth hair as the predominant hair type among WAD goats in the Coastal Savannah and Forest Eco-zones of Ghana. It was shown from the survey that the WDG goats in Liberia have erect ears (59%), followed by horizontal (21%) and semi-pendulous ears (16%) (Figure 3). This finding agrees with that of Hagan et al. (2012) who reported erect ears (40%) and horizontal ears (48%) among goats in Ghana. It is well known that West Africa Dwarf goats have erect ears and it is the predominant goat breed in Liberia.
Majority of the WAD goats in Liberia are docile and moderate in action (Figure 3). This is not surprising given the fact the WAD goat, which is not known to be wild in action is the major breed in Liberia. Common to local animal genetic resources of the tropics, goat farmers in Liberia reported disease, drought and heat tolerance as the major adaptive traits of their animals. Over forty percent of goat farmers (41%) reported diseases tolerance as an important adaptive trait followed by drought tolerance (33%) and heat tolerance (26%) as shown in Figure 3. This result agrees with the report of Adedeji (2012) that heat tolerance is the attribute of WAD goats reared extensively. Odubote (1994b) reported that heat tolerance is directly related to the degree of coat pigmentation. The adaptive features of WAD goats such as disease and heat tolerance, efficiency of feed use enable them to thrive on natural resources left untouched by other domestic ruminants (Daramola and Adeloye, 2009).
Production system characterization
The production system for goats in Liberia is basically subsistence. Goats are kept by peasant farmers and close to half of the farmers (46%) reported ranching, the grassland-based management system, tethering (27%) with pastoralism accounting for 25%. Majority of farmers kept their goats on free range (82%) or shepherd (10%), while only 8% of farmers practiced zero grazing, referred to as cut and carry (Figure 4). Oseni and Ajayi (2014) also reported such production system, mainly extensive, among goat farmers in Nigeria. In Liberia 87% of the farmers indicated that income generation is the main motivation for raising goats, followed by source of meat (8%) and socio-cultural values (5%). This strengthens the need to purposely develop pasture and grasslands for the genetic resources in Liberia. This finding is not in agreement with that of Oseni and Ajayi (2014) who reported that WAD goats are raised principally as a source of meat. This result is in disagreement with that reported by Webb and Mamabolo (2004) that the principal reasons for raising goats by farmers in the Moutsi District of Mpumalange, South Africa, are for prestige and status. The determination of markets price for goat in Liberia depends on many factors (Figure 4). The farmers indicated that the price of goat depends either on the market value because they sell when the animal is ready for market or when there is financial need. The determinants of price for goats were financial need (49%), market readiness (33%) and problem/trouble (18%). The WAD goats of Liberia have very high reproductive efficiency with the ability to produce twins and triplets in the litter, but due to poor housing (Figure 4) and kid management, mortality can reach as high as 50% in some situations and this negatively affects productivity (FED, 2016). Webb and Mamabolo (2004) reported high mortality (40.6%) in goats in communal systems in South Africa.
Challenges of goat production in Liberia
The main challenges of goat farmers in Liberia include cost and availability of feed, housing and fencing, and disease conditions (Table 8). Goat farmers indicated feed cost and availability (42%), diseases (28%), housing and fencing (16%) and cost of veterinary medicines (6%) as the major challenges in their production. This finding confirms that of Ademosun (1987) that lack of veterinary care also raises problems of diseases and parasitic infestation leading to heavy mortality and low productivity.
The problem of feed availability and costs is more acute with livestock farming in Liberia and these challenges need to be addressed not only to increase productivity but motivate more farmers to go into livestock production. The cost and accessibility of veterinary services and medicines is a huge challenge to livestock farming (MOA, 2008).
Animal diseases are a major constraint to livestock development and there is little information available on major diseases of goat. In addition, there is limited or no research programs on animal diseases or on the improvement of animal productivity in Liberia. Lack of veterinarian medicine and farm inputs also need to be addressed urgently (MOA, 2008). The Liberian goat production is also beset with the poor housing and fencing facilities resulting in theft of goats on one hand and damages to crop farms on the other hand. An improvement in the housing and fencing infrastructure for goats will help curb these challenges. Record keeping was also a great challenge as most of the respondents could not supply the basic production data and this may require building up their capacity through training workshops and regular monitoring.
CONCLUSION
The WAD goats of Liberia are kept in subsistence husbandry systems. Family labour is the main source of labour and the main reasons for raising goats are for income and as source of meat. Goats in Liberia are docile to moderate in temperament, with black coat colour pattern and black and white coat colour. Most of the goats are horned with curved horn morphology. The goats are also known to have productive traits such as fast growth and meat production and are disease and drought resistant in terms of adaptive traits. WAD goats have straight facial profile, followed by concave, with mostly straight back profile and smooth hair type.
The MOA should address the issue of feed, access to veterinary care and medicines, disease control and also assist farmers to put up housing and fencing for their animals. There is a need for the government to improve policies on AnGR management in Liberia. In particular, the recently adopted NSAP on AnGR which provides a clear framework for the development of the livestock sector should be validated and implemented by the MOA/CARI and other stakeholders. To ensure that Liberia’s valuable local AnGR are never lost, both in situ and ex situ conservations should be pursued. On transboundary breed like WAD, there is a need to have national breeding and conservation centers to ensure that these breeds are maintained. In terms of breeding programs, community-based breeding program for small ruminants is a viable option.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
The authors have not declared any conflict of interests.
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