CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/114640

SAPLING will work with research, development and private sector actors to support sustainable growth of the livestock sector in LMICs, developing market-driven solutions to incentivize small- and medium-scale producers to invest in sustainable productivity and capture growing demand, while enhancing social inclusion, supporting improved nutrition, and contributing to environmental protection. More information

Part of the CGIAR Action Area on Resilient Agrifood Systems

Primary CGIAR impact area: Poverty reduction, livelihoods and jobs

https://www.cgiar.org/initiative/17-sustainable-animal-productivity-for-livelihoods-nutrition-and-gender-inclusion-sapling/

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Near-infrared spectroscopy and wet chemistry dataset for forage nutritional quality assessment in Urochloa humidicola
(Data Paper, 2025-05-13) Camelo, Rodrigo Andres; Mazabe, Johanna; Espitia-Buitrago, Paula; Jauregui, Rosa Noemi; Cardoso, Juan Andres
Assessing the nutritional quality traits of pastures is crucial for germplasm and breeding evaluations, enabling the selection of high-quality forages to enhance livestock productivity. However, traditional laboratory analytical methods are logistically demanding and costly, particularly in large-scale trials, underscoring the need for rapid, precise, and high-throughput evaluation methods. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) optimizes the estimation of forage nutritional quality parameters by developing chemometric models that predict these parameters with high accuracy and precision, based on the association between NIRS data and wet chemistry analyses. This dataset, collected over ten years by the Tropical Forages Program at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia, comprises 1112 samples. It includes 995 measurements of Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), 996 of Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), 995 of In Vitro Dry Matter (IVDMD), and 469 of Crude Protein (CP), all obtained through wet chemistry methodologies. Additionally, the 1112 samples contain absorbance data spanning 400 to 2498 nanometers (nm) in 2 nm intervals, generating 1050 spectral data points per sample. Finally, this dataset is a valuable resource for predicting forage nutritional quality beyond conventional parameters, incorporating plant reflectance attributes to enhance selection strategies for optimized forage selection.
Comparative genomics reveals common diversity and adaptation to harsh environments in the Arabian Peninsula indigenous chickens
(Journal Article, 2025-06) Assiri, A.; Vallejo-Trujillo, A.; Al-Abri, M.; Bahbahani, H.; Almathen, F.; Ahbara, A.; Al Marzooqi, W.; Tijjani, A.; Lawal, R.; Hanotte, Olivier H.
Identifying genomic regions under selection is crucial for comprehending the evolutionary history of the domestic chicken. Arabian Peninsula (AP) indigenous chickens are mostly found outdoors, being reared alongside other livestock for production purposes. These birds show high resilience to extreme temperatures (hot and cold), typical of the desert environment. The selection pressures responsible for unique local adaptations in these birds remain largely unidentified. Here, we aimed to investigate the genome diversity and structure of 15 indigenous chicken populations including 13 populations from the AP (n = 5), Ethiopia (n = 6), and the People's Republic of China (n = 2). We also included two commercial chicken populations, Fayoumi (selected for heat tolerance) and Chantecler (known for its cold tolerance). Principal component (PC) analysis separated all the populations based on their geographic areas of origin. PC1 separates the Ethiopian populations from the Chinese and AP populations, while PC2 separates the AP populations from the Chantecler, and the Ethiopian populations from the Dulong and Chantecler. The genome-wide signatures of analyses identified many candidate regions under positive selection. They include genes that may be associated with thermotolerance. These are involved in energy balance and metabolism (SUGCT, HECW1, MMADHC), cells apoptosis (APP, SRBD1, NTN1, PUF60, SLC26A8, DAP, SUGCT), angiogenesis (RYR2, LDB2, SOX5), skin protection to solar radiation (FZD10, BCO2, WNT5B, COL6A2, SIRT1) as well as growth (NELL1). Our findings suggest that Arabian chicken populations have a distinct gene pool polymorphism in relation to their adaptation to the harsh climatic environments of the AP.
BrRacemeCounter: An AI-based desktop tool for counting racemes in Urochloa spp.
(Journal Article, 2025-05-08) Arrechea-Castillo, Darwin Alexis; Espitia-Buitrago, Paula; Arboleda, Ronald David; Gallego-Muñoz, Ana Marcela; Moreno-Domínguez, Valeria; Gaviria-Valencia, Juan Manuel; Bravo, Valeria Andrea; Ruiz-Hurtado, Andres Felipe; Jauregui, Rosa Noemi; Cardoso, Juan Andres
Seed yield prediction in forage plants involves the detection and counting of individual racemes that comprise an inflorescence. However, this task is labor-intensive to perform manually across large numbers of plants and overly complex for classical machine learning techniques due to challenges such as high raceme overlap, large variations in raceme numbers per image and spectral signature similarities between the racemes and the vegetative parts of the plant. To address these challenges, a deep learning-based desktop tool was implemented to count individual racemes in RGB images of Urochloa genotypes, showing different phenological stages and wide variation in number of racemes per plant.
Enhancing community awareness of antimicrobial use and resistance through community conversations in rural Ethiopia
(Journal Article, 2025-05-06) Lemma, Mamusha; Alemu, Biruk; Amenu, Kebede; Wieland, Barbara; Knight-Jones, Theodore J.D.
Background: Enhanced availability of veterinary drugs in Ethiopia has led to a growing use of these drugs in food-producing animals. However, the use of drugs in livestock is not commonly supervised by trained veterinarians. In addition, smallholder livestock producers often lack sufficient education and information about antimicrobial use to achieve the intended impact. Methods: We used Community Conversations to raise awareness and knowledge about antimicrobial use and resistance within rural communities. We used single-sex and mixed-gender discussion groups to explore community members’ perceptions and practices regarding antimicrobial use and resistance. Results: The data revealed knowledge and behavioral patterns in antimicrobial use and resistance, which vary between communities based on gender roles and information sources. Initially, antimicrobial resistance was poorly understood, but gradually, frequent drug use, poor-quality medications, poor regulatory system, and poor veterinary service emerged as key contributors. Although communities recognized the importance of preventive measures to reduce antimicrobial use, knowledge gaps and resource constraints limit their implementation. Conclusions: Raising awareness and knowledge within rural communities is an effective approach to promoting behavior change about antimicrobial use and resistance. The insights gained from understanding community perceptions and practices can help develop targeted education and training programs for stakeholders involved in the antimicrobial supply chain.
Dataset on Effect of clonal integration on drought and waterlogging response in Urochloa humidicola
(Dataset, 2025) Cardoso Arango, Juan Andres; Mayorga Cobos, Mildred Julieth
Clonal integration enables the translocation of resources such as water, nutrients, and photosynthates among individual subunits of clonal plants, facilitating adaptation to diverse environmental conditions, including drought and waterlogging. Urochloa humidicola CIAT 679 (cv. Tully) exhibits strong adaptation to these abiotic stresses and propagates efficiently through stolons, maintaining clonal integration among shoots across different generations. The dataset corresponds to a study aimed to evaluate whether clonal integration is one of the strategies that confers tolerance to drought and waterlogging in CIAT 679. This dataset includes response data from donor and recipient ramets of Urochloa humidicola CIAT 679 (cv. Tully). Recipient ramets were exposed to six treatments, representing interactions between three stress conditions—drought, control (no stress), and waterlogging—under two clonal integration conditions: with and without integration. Each treatment had six replicates. The dataset comprises weekly measurements over three weeks for stomatal conductance, transpiration, and SPAD values. Additionally, final measurements include relative water content, aboveground biomass, root biomass, total biomass, root-to-shoot ratio, and non-structural carbohydrate content. This dataset provides valuable insights into the mechanisms by which Urochloa humidicola cv. Tully responds to drought and waterlogging stress. The findings may support plant breeding efforts by identifying traits associated with improved resilience in this species. Methodology: Plant Material, Experimental Design, and Site Description: The planting material consisted of Urochloa humidicola CIAT 679 (cv. Tully) tillers weighing 70–80 g, measuring approximately 4–4.5 × 4–4.5 cm, with at least two actively growing shoots (donor ramet). The tillers were planted in pots containing 2.3 kg of vertisol soil with a sandy-loam texture, high fertility, and a pH of approximately 7.5. After three weeks of growth, the longest stolon was selected, and two nodes were buried in an adjacent pot to generate a new plant (recipient ramet), while all other stolons produced by the donor ramet were removed.The experiment followed a completely randomized factorial design (3 × 2). One factor was water stress condition: drought, control (no stress), and waterlogging, while the second factor was clonal integration between the donor and recipient ramet (with and without integration). The experimental unit consisted of a donor-recipient ramet pair, and each treatment (water stress × clonal integration interaction) had six replicates. The experiment was conducted in a glasshouse at the Las Américas campus of the Bioversity & CIAT Alliance, located in Palmira, Colombia. During the plant growth period, the environmental conditions within the glasshouse were as follows: temperature of 31.7/24.7 °C (day/night), relative humidity of 56.3/63.2% (day/night), and photosynthetically active radiation of 559.5 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Gas Exchange and SPAD Index: Stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were measured weekly using an LI-600 porometer (LI-COR, Lincoln, NE, USA). The SPAD index was assessed at the same frequency using a SPAD 502 Plus chlorophyll meter (Spectrum Technologies, Aurora, IL, USA). All measurements were taken on the third youngest fully expanded leaf in optimal nutritional and phytosanitary condition. Relative Water Content, Biomass Distribution, and Non-Structural Carbohydrates: A final destructive sampling was conducted 21 days after treatment initiation. The shoot and root were separated and dried in paper bags at 60 °C for 72 hours. The root-to-shoot ratio was calculated using the obtained biomass data. Relative water content was determined as the percentage of water present in a sample at a given time relative to the water content in a fully saturated leaf (Turner, 1981). Non-structural carbohydrates in leaf and stem tissues were quantified using the anthrone method described by Borrero Tamayo et al. (2017).
CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity: Annual Technical Report 2024
(Report, 2025-04-15) CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity
Genetic relationships among resilience, fertility, and milk yield in dairy cattle performing in sub-Saharan Africa
(Thesis, 2025-02-25) Oloo, Richard Dooso
Despite the relevance of dairy production in the fight against food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the negative effects of climate change and general changes in the production environment pose tremendous challenges to its profitability. Genetic improvement of resilience, the capacity of animals to be either minimally affected by an environmental disturbance or rapidly recover from a disturbance in their environment, is deemed as a part of the solution to low dairy productivity and poor cattle adaptability in SSA. However, to breed for resilience, reliable and practical methods for quantifying and analyzing resilience in SSA need to be described and undertaken. This thesis explored the measurement of resilience using different indicators and examined the relationships of resilience with fertility and milk production in dairy cows performing in SSA. Chapter two of this thesis reviewed potential solutions to enhance the sustainability and productivity of the dairy sector in SSA with an emphasis on breeding for resilience. It described the dairy production in SSA, and environmental challenges cattle have to weather in this region. The chapter further discussed different forms of resilience (general resilience and specialized resilience), indicators for measuring resilience, and provided insights into the data that can be utilized to quantify resilience in SSA’s dairy production systems. It is concluded that improving resilience of dairy animals in SSA would contribute to poverty alleviation, animal welfare improvement, and better preparedness in lieu of climate change in this region. In chapter three, the potential of quantifying general resilience using indicators based on deviations in milk yield was examined. Three indicators of general resilience were defined: variance (LnVar), lag-1 autocorrelation (rauto), and skewness (Skew) of deviations in milk yield based on actual and standardized deviations of observed milk yield from predicted milk yield. The heritability estimates of all resilience indicators except Skew were significant and ranged from 0.05 to 0.19. Weak to moderate genetic correlations were observed among indicators of general resilience, suggesting that these indicators captured different aspects of resilience. LnVar indicators indicated that resilient cows are genetically associated with better longevity. The use of actual deviations and standardized deviations to define indicators yielded identical traits except in LnVar. Standardization of deviations or correcting for the milk production potential of animals ensures that the resultant LnVar indicator does not inaccurately categorize low-producing animals as inherently resilient. The study concluded that LnVar holds a significant potential as a robust resilience indicator for dairy animals performing in SSA. The fourth chapter investigated the response of milk production at varying heat loads as an indication of heat tolerance, which is a specialized resilience. Random regression models, including reaction norm functions, were fitted to derive two resilience indicators: the slope of the reaction norm (Slope), and its absolute value (Absolute), reflecting changes in milk yield in response to varying heat load. Heritability estimates for these indicators ranged from 0.06 to 0.33 and were mostly significantly different from zero. The correlation analysis between these indicators and average milk yield revealed that high- producing cows are more vulnerable to heat stress and have less stable milk production under heat-stress conditions. The study demonstrated the possibility of using the slope of the reaction norm and its absolute value to measure the specialized resilience of dairy cattle to heat stress conditions in SSA. Chapter 5 examined the genetic parameters and relationships among resilience, fertility, and milk production traits. The heritability estimates of age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), and test-day milk yield (MY) were 0.17, 0.06, and 0.35 respectively, and were all significantly different from zero. AFC was negatively correlated with both CI and MY, showing that animals that attain sexual maturity earlier exhibit longer calving intervals and higher milk production. A positive correlation between CI and MY showed that high-yielding cows faced challenges in maintaining shorter calving intervals. There was a generally positive correlation between resilience and fertility, implying that resilient animals might have better fertility. All indicators, except the variance of actual deviation corrected for milk production and variance of standardized deviations, revealed an antagonistic relationship between resilience and milk production. This thesis showed the potential for quantifying and breeding for resilience in dairy cattle performing in SSA. Cows with more than 50% Zebu genes and those performing in semi-arid environments had higher resilience, higher AFC, shorter CI, and lower MY. This suggests that zebu genes confer resilience advantage to animals and exposure of animals to various disturbances in semi-arid environments improved their resilience capacity. Different directions of relationship observed among the traits studied imply that developing a multi-trait selection index that combines all these traits could strike the right balance among resilience, fertility, and milk production. The implications of these findings are valuable in improving the productivity of dairy cattle through selective breeding for resilience to environmental stressors, particularly in low-income countries situated in tropical regions.
Flexible assessment of biosecurity in small- and medium scale poultry farms in low and middle income countries
(Journal Article, 2025-02-08) Nielsen, S.S.; Kemunto, Naomi P.; Muloi, Dishon M.; Bojesen, A.M.; Knight-Jones, Theodore J.D.; Ayebare, Dreck; Dione, Michel M.; Ibayi, Eugine L.; Poulsen, L.L.; Moodley, Arshnee
Background: Biosecurity measures are essential for mitigating the risk of pathogen introduction and spread in farms. While standardised tools for monitoring biosecurity implementation exist, they are often not tailored to the specific needs of low and middle income countries (LMICs), where pathogen occurrence and farming practices can be highly variable compared to intensive high income country settings. The aim of our study was to develop a flexible risk assessment tool for evaluating biosecurity practices on small and medium-scale poultry farms in LMICs. The methodology described here allows local experts to adapt the tool to current conditions. Results: The development process began by combining two existing questionnaires. These were evaluated by nine experts with expertise in diverse farming systems in LMICs. The experts conducted a knowledge aggregation process to assign weights to the different areas and individual questions within the questionnaires. The median scores from the final expert elicitation informed the weighting of questions in the newly developed questionnaire. These weights are adaptable and can be adjusted to reflect population-specific conditions, which may vary in pathogen load and farming practices. Conclusions: We have developed a flexible biosecurity assessment tool tailored to small-and medium-scaled poultry farms in LMICs. This tool can be used as presented or adapted to local conditions through the input of local experts, allowing for effective and context-specific biosecurity monitoring.
Dairy farmer extension services model: a successful research trial in Kenya's dairy sector
(Blog Post, 2024-11-04) Kimani, Judy; Rao, E.J.O.; Slater, Annabel
Livestock and Climate Change: Outlook for a more sustainable and equitable future
(Report, 2024-12-25) Thornton, Philip K.; Wollenberg, Eva K.; Cramer, Laura
The livestock sector will need to simultaneously meet future consumer demand while supporting net zero targets by 2050, survive increasing frequency and severity of climate change hazards, and achieve outcomes for water, biodiversity, social resilience and economic development. 2. Climate change therefore requires a new trajectory for the development of the livestock sector. The economic role of livestock may shift significantly, and we need to anticipate a just transition of livestock farmers to other livelihood activities. 3. Trends in livestock demand and supply under climate change are likely to become more uncertain and equity and productivity gaps are likely to intensify in the coming decades. Although industrialised systems can better invest in the feed and adaptations and mitigation measures needed under climate change than smallholders’ systems, livestock are critical for smallholders’ livelihoods and food security, and we need to anticipate the wider range of interventions that may be needed to increase resilience in such systems. 4. Future livestock and climate development needs to be planned and implemented in a cross-sectoral way. The multi-dimensional importance of livestock to the livelihoods of at least 1.3 billion people globally has not yet been reflected in development or climate assistance, research focus or the data landscape. 5. Under climate change, there are no one-size-fits-all policy and technological responses, nor are there any silver bullets. There are multiple, often competing discourses around the climate-livestock-livelihood nexus and responses need to be appropriate for local contexts while contributing to national and global targets. 6. Many management options are available to help livestock farmers in lower-income countries adapt to climate change, including diversification of livestock species and breeds; integration of livestock with forestry, crop and aquaculture production; improving livestock diets; modifying animal health and heat stress management strategies; and changing the timing and location of farm operations. 7. Institutional, policy and technological opportunities for increasing livestock farmers’ adaptive capacity include preserving livestock mobility traditions in pastoral lands; assistance with destocking and restocking before and after drought; developing new product markets to satisfy consumer demand; promoting wider use of index-based insurance products and other risk transfer mechanisms; and enhancing farmers’ effective use of extension information using social media and digital platforms. 8. The viability of options to adapt and increase adaptive capacity is highly dependent on local contexts that are often characterized by capital, land and labour constraints and limited accessibility and knowledge. And in the face of longer-term climate change, the limits to the effectiveness of such options are often unknown. 9. Additional management options are available to help livestock farmers in lower-income countries mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon, including intensified production with fewer animal numbers, managing herd composition, shifting to lower-emission types of livestock, silvopastoralism, grassland restoration, avoided burning of grasslands, and low-emission breed selection. Along the supply chain, more efficient and renewable energy in the cold chain is a major option for mitigation. While additional measures such as feed additives, manure management or alternative proteins also can reduce methane, these technologies are not yet available, affordable or relevant to many lower-income farmers. Vaccines and manipulation of the rumen microbiome are promising technologies for the future.
Expanding the use and impact of the CLEANED tool for assessing environmental impact assessments of livestock enterprises
(Brief, 2024-12-30) Notenbaert, An Maria Omer; van der Hoek, Rein; Mwema, Emmanuel; González, Ricardo; Cardoso, Juan Andrés
CLEANED, an acronym for Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessment for improved Nutrition, a secured Environment and sustainable Development along livestock value chains, is a multi-dimensional modelling tool designed to produce rapid environmental impact assessments in mixed crop-livestock farming systems in developing countries. The use of CLEANED has been expanded and further developed under the Initiative on Livestock and Climate through three pathways. In Pathway 1, training events and workshops were conducted to teach new users how to use it effectively. In Pathway 2, more assessments were conducted using the tool to promote wider uptake in specific countries. In Pathway 3, the tool has been updated and improved.
SAPLING gender research: Alessandra Galie, gender team leader, ILRI
(Video, 2024-11) International Livestock Research Institute
SAPLING gender research in Uganda: Minisa Namukose Kirya, gender officer, Mukono District
(Video, 2024-11) International Livestock Research Institute
SAPLING gender research activities in Mukono and Masaka districts, Uganda
(Video, 2024-11) International Livestock Research Institute
Local veterinarians in Nepal use ultrasonography (USG) to better diagnose and treat reproductive disorders in buffalo
(Brief, 2024-12) Nepal, Yanamani; Varijakshapanicker, Padmakumar
Smallholder farmers in Kenya applied integrated nutrition education promoted by SAPLING
(Brief, 2024-12) Soi, Mercy C.; Ouko, Ochieng; Geremew, Kumlachew; Yemane, Tsion; Esatu, Wondmeneh; Ochieng, Laurence; Yitayih, Mulugeta; Dessie, Tadelle
Dynamic duo: Exploring mortality rate shock effects in integrated livestock models
(Report, 2024-12) Maruta, Admasu Asfaw; Bahta, Sirak T.
Assessment of vaccination impact in PPR-control Programme implemented southern States in India: A system dynamics model approach
(Poster, 2024-08-04) Govindaraj, Gurrappanaidu; Naveen, Kumar G.; Wanyoike, Francis N.; Bahta, Sirak T.; Reddy, Yeswanth R.; Balamurugan Vinagayamurthy, Bardhan D.; Kennady, Vijayalakshmy; Rahman, H.
Report on the Livestock Dynamics and Economic Resilience: A Comprehensive Modelling Framework Symposium at the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE)
(Report, 2024-08-03) Bahta, Sirak T.
The International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) 2024 Symposium hosted a dedicated session on "Livestock Dynamics and Economic Resilience: A Comprehensive Modelling Framework." This session focused on recent innovations in livestock sector modeling, highlighting their role in evaluating threats to livestock populations, market access, livelihoods, and economic growth. The session presented findings from seven studies across different countries, employing diverse modeling approaches to improve livestock sector policies and investments. The session addressed some of the recent innovations made in livestock sector modeling. It highlighted how they can better evaluate the threats confronting livestock populations, market access, livelihoods, and economic growth. The session drew from and synthesized research from seven studies conducted across various countries using a range of complementary modeling approaches. The studies highlighted obstacles in livestock production, ranging from vulnerabilities to animal diseases to climate-induced shocks such as droughts and fluctuations in feed availability. These models aimed to improve the policy planning process, helping policymakers identify relevant investment options, animal health interventions (vaccination, quarantine, surveillance), and enabling policies and giving guidance to stakeholders in the various livestock chains on appropriate management and marketing that raise resilience.
On-farm chicken performance testing in Ethiopia (OCPT): Overview of activities and progress update
(Presentation, 2024-12-15) Getachew, Fasil; Talore, D.G.; Zeleke, G.; Bogale, A.; Geremew, Kumlachew; Yitayih, Mulugeta; Dessie, Tadelle

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