Research Results - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

Foreword
This 1989-90 Annual Report for the Small Ruminant Collaborative Research Support Program
covers the activities in research, extension eduction, and formal academic training conducted
by ten U.S. universities and research institutions and the four collaborating institutions overseas. It
is the last year of the second five-year grant from the Agency for International Development in
support of a development strategy with small ruminants. Another five-year program of work has
been planned, approved, and is in progress. The objectives are to increase the production, efficiency,
and sustainability of small ruminants (sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas) in lesser developed
countries and in the U.S. The collaborating organizations are listed on the inside covers of this
report.
The program and the report are organized uider five major broad categories or thrusts
within which the work is carried out. These are called components and are identified as follows:
I. Integration of Dual Purpose Goats into Kenyan Farming Systems
II. Breeding More Prolific Strains of Sheep
III. Animal Health Management
IV. AgTopastoral Systems on Marginal Lands
V. Socioeconomics of Crop and Livestock Production
Reports are by projects that are planned, budgeted, and carried out by the participating U.S.
institutions in collaboration with the overseas agencies. Each project report identifies the names
and affiliation of collaborating personnel, and a brief summary of the results for the past year. The
detailed reports for each project are as prepared by the indicated project leader or principal investigator.
Some of the highlights of the present report are detailed below.
" A considerable improvement in milk yield of Kenyan goats with the infusion of genes from the
dairy breeds Toggenburg and Anglo Nubian.
* In Kenya, where feed supplies for goats are short, sweet potato vines were found as the best
milk replacement for unweaned goat kids.
V