Improvement of Livestock Production in Crop-Animal Systems in ...

Goats outnumber sheep and are found mainly in the rainfed lowlands and uplands of central Myanmar,where they are valued as a source of income and for meat. The indigenous goats have also been influencedby imports of Indian breeds, mainly the Jamnapari from northern India. The goats are mostly sold bymiddlemen to meet the demand for goat meat in the cities of Yangon and Mandalay. Sheep are found in theupland areas of northern Myanmar. The Corriedale breed was introduced from Australia for crossing withthe indigenous sheep, but with little success.Pig and poultry production is based on exotic breeds such as the large white, landrace and Berkshire(pigs); and the Rhode Island red and white leghorn (chicken). For fattening, the large white and Berkshirecrosses are favoured by farmers and animals are slaughtered at about 100 kg liveweight.The diverse animal resources have not been characterised adequately in genetic terms and, as aconsequence, the productive potential of individual breeds remains largely unknown. This is an area that isfundamental to animal improvement in Myanmar.Animal production systemsRuminants are managed mainly in extensive systems. The only exception to this is dairy production on statefarms, where stall feeding of improved grasses and concentrates is practised. Pig and poultry production systemsare intensive state-farm operations, mainly in the peri-urban areas. These commercial units are large and arebased on imported breeds, concentrate feeds and disease control. The state farms have the objectives of supplyingweaners to farmers for breeding purposes and producing animals for pork. Manure is a valuable output fromanimal production and is used by farmers for fertilising crops. Poultry litter is also used for aquaculture.Feed resourcesNative grasses and crop residues form the main roughage sources for ruminants. On state farms, Brachiariaspp are commonly grown, but inadequate use is being made of other more productive species such as Napierand Guinea grass. Little use is made currently of herbaceous legumes or multipurpose trees.The most important crop residues for ruminants are rice straw, maize stover and mungbean stover. Inaddition, several important protein sources are produced such as sesame cake, peanut meal, coconut cake,cottonseed cake and rice bran. The latter is used for all species, including fish, and is the main protein sourcefor pigs, poultry and dairy cattle. Broken rice is also important and is used for both ruminants andnon-ruminants.There are five feed mills in the country which produce concentrate feeds for pigs, poultry and dairycattle. However, all these mills are producing at 50% below capacity, and no clear quality-control measuresexist to protect the purchaser.Animal health and diseasesAnimal diseases are not considered to be the major constraint to production. Foot-and-mouth disease andhaemorrhagic septicaemia are the most important diseases in large ruminants. Anthrax also occurs in cattle.The need for more vaccines for foot-and-mouth disease and haemorrhagic septicaemia was emphasised.Disease-free zones in the western part of the country are being contemplated. Rinderpest was reported lastin 1957. Chicken are regularly vaccinated against Newcastle disease.There is limited research on Gumboro, microplasmosis and infectious bronchitis in poultry, andtransmissible enteritis in pigs. It was interesting to note that an effective live vaccine for haemorrhagicsepticaemia has been developed locally as a nasal spray. Tests have indicated clearly that the nasal route isa more effective pathway than the systemic one and, more importantly, its effectiveness can last for up to oneyear compared to six months for the latter. In addition, vaccines are produced for redwater, anthrax andfoot-and-mouth disease in cattle and buffaloes, swine fever in pigs, anthrax in goats and sheep, and Newcastledisease, fowl pox and Gumboro in poultry.