Animal Science Publications Animal Science 4-2019 Feasibility of utilizing advanced reproductive technologies for sheep breeding in Egypt. Part 1. Genetic and nutritional resources A. G. Elshazly Iowa State University Curtis R. Youngs Iowa State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ans_pubs Part of the Agriculture Commons, Biotechnology Commons, Genetics Commons, Nutrition Commons, and the Sheep and Goat Science Commons The complete bibliographic information for this item can be found at https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ ans_pubs/793. For information on how to cite this item, please visit http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ howtocite.html. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Animal Science at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Animal Science Publications by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Feasibility of utilizing advanced reproductive technologies for sheep breeding in Egypt. Part 1. Genetic and nutritional resources Abstract Sheep are a valuable livestock species because of their ability to convert forages, as well as feedstuffs not suitable for human consumption, into meat and milk that are important sources of human dietary protein. Sheep are the most abundant ruminant livestock species in Egypt, and great opportunity exists to enhance their productivity though implementation of a genetic improvement program utilizing the advanced reproductive technologies of artificial insemination and embryo transfer. These two reproductive technologies permit the production of more offspring from genetically superior animals in a shorter amount of time than would be possible through conventional breeding. It will be important to match the appropriate breeds of sheep with the proper nutritional and production environments that will enable animals to express their full genetic potential for enhanced production of meat, milk and fiber. Disciplines Agriculture | Biotechnology | Genetics | Nutrition | Sheep and Goat Science Comments This article is published as Elshazly AG and CR Youngs. 2019. Feasibility of utilizing advanced reproductive technologies for sheep breeding in Egypt. Part 1. Genetic and nutritional resources. Egyptian Journal of Sheep & Goat Sciences 14(1):39-52. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ans_pubs/793 Egyptian Journal of Sheep & Goat Sciences, Vol. 14, No. 1, P: 39 52, April 2019 Feasibility of utilizing advanced reproductive technologies for sheep breeding in Egypt. Part 1. Genetic and nutritional resources. A.G. Elshazly1 and C.R. Youngs1,2 1 Iowa State University, Department of Animal Science, 2356B Kildee Hall, 806 Stange Rd, Ames, Iowa 50011-1178 USA 2Corresponding author: E-MAIL: [email protected]; VOICE: 1-515-294-5541; FAX:1-515- 294-4471 SUMMARY Sheep are a valuable livestock species because of their ability to convert forages, as well as feedstuffs not suitable for human consumption, into meat and milk that are important sources of human dietary protein. Sheep are the most abundant ruminant livestock species in Egypt, and great opportunity exists to enhance their productivity though implementation of a genetic improvement program utilizing the advanced reproductive technologies of artificial insemination and embryo transfer. These two reproductive technologies permit the production of more offspring from genetically superior animals in a shorter amount of time than would be possible through conventional breeding. It will be important to match the appropriate breeds of sheep with the proper nutritional and production environments that will enable animals to express their full genetic potential for enhanced production of meat, milk and fiber. INTRODUCTION areas and 8.8% in urban areas), and food The Arab Republic of Egypt (more insecurity is highest in rural Upper Egypt where commonly known as Egypt) spans the 38.7% of the population has poor access to food northeastern corner of Africa and the (World Food Programme, 2018). southwestern corner of Asia; its population is Recommendations to improve food security for estimated at 100 million (World Population Egyptians include further development of their Review, 2018), ranking it among the top 15 most livestock production systems (Soliman, 2018). populous nations of the world. In 2017, the gross The most abundant animal (excluding national income (GNI) per capita (Atlas method) avian species) raised for food in Egypt are sheep was $3,010 (World Bank, 2018a), and its GINI (FAOSTAT, 2018). As a small ruminant, sheep index (a measure of equality of wealth can convert low-quality roughages into meat and distribution within a country) was 31.8 (World milk for human consumption (in addition to Bank, 2018b). Egypt’s 2017 human producing fiber and hides). Sheep are well- development index (HDI) rank, which is based suited to foraging on marginal grazing lands that on factors such as life expectancy at birth and are unable to support grazing of larger livestock average years of education of its citizens, is 115 species such as cattle and buffalo. Therefore, out of 189 countries (United Nations sheep represent a wonderful opportunity for Development Programme, 2018). Egypt to increase the production of animal- Agriculture is important to the economy source foods thereby reducing problems of Egypt. It contributes approximately 14.5% of associated with food insecurity. the nation’s’ gross domestic product (GDP) and accounts for approximately 28% of all jobs – Sheep production in Egypt: including jobs for nearly 45% of all women in Sheep are an essential component of the workforce (USAID, 2018). Despite Egyptian agriculture, and livestock production agriculture’s importance, food insecurity is a accounts for approximately 30% of the country's problem in Egypt. Approximately 16% of its total agricultural income. Sheep production is citizens have poor access to food (21.3% in rural being encouraged in Egypt as a means of ISSN : 2090-0368 - Online ISSN : 2090-0376 (Website : https://ejsgs.journals.ekb.eg) 39 Feasibility of utilizing advanced reproductive technologies for sheep breeding in Egypt. Part 1. Genetic and nutritional resources. improving the daily dietary protein intake of the most pressing problems of the country. Thus, humans. Sheep, therefore, constitute an sheep are able to produce meat and milk without important component of Egypt’s food security consuming large quantities of feed concentrates plan. In 2017, more than 2.34 million head of (that are in short supply in Egypt) when sheep produced 72,296 tons of red meat compared with large ruminants. representing approximately 7.4% of all red meat The current number of sheep in Egypt is production in Egypt (FAOSTAT, 2018). 5.69 million head, and this number exceeds that Average carcass weight was approximately 30.9 of cattle (5.06 million head), goats (4.35 million kilograms. Total production of sheep milk was head), and buffaloes (3.37 million head). Figure 99,322 tons. 1 shows that the number of sheep (as well as Sheep occupy an advanced position cattle) has been increasing over the past two within the Egyptian livestock sector because of decades, whereas the number of buffaloes has their suitability to the different agricultural been decreasing in the past decade. The number conditions in the country, especially in the of sheep has increased due to their ability to reclaimed and desert lands. Sheep are highly graze and their need for less concentrate, while efficient in converting non-dense pastures to the number of cattle has increased because of meat, milk and wool; they also possess the their greater utilization of feeds to produce milk ability to travel long distances during grazing (when compared with buffaloes) especially in F1 and to withstand harsh environmental Friesian X local crossbreds which now represent conditions. Sheep meat and sheep milk can the majority of the cattle population (E.I. contribute significantly to the goal of reducing Shehata, personal communication). human dietary protein deficiency which is one of Sheep, cattle and buffalo populations (in millions of head) in Egypt 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1995 2000 2005 2010 2016 Buffaloes Cattle Sheep Figure 1. Temporal changes in populations of three major ruminant livestock species in Egypt during the time period 1995 through 2016 (data from FAO). Egyptian sheep breeds are characterized governorates outside the valley (North and by high fertility rates, an extended breeding South Sinai, Marsa Matruh, New Valley, Red season, but low prolificacy (Gabr et al., 2016). Sea and Nubaria). The governorates of Gharbia, The breeds have adapted over time to their local Matrouh, Sharqiya, Minya and Sohag are among environmental conditions, and sheep are the most densely populated provinces for sheep distributed geographically in Upper Egypt, (Elshennawy, 1995). Central and North Upper Egypt, and 40 A.G. Elshazly. and C.R. Youngs, 2019 Egyptian Journal of Sheep & Goat Sciences, Vol. 14, No. 1, P: 39 -52, April 2019 Egypt lies predominantly between 22° producing regions of Egypt are characterized in and 32° N latitude, and 25° and 35° E longitude. Table 1. A visual depiction of regions where Climatic conditions in three of the major sheep- sheep are commonly raised is shown in Figure 2. Table 1. Annual precipitation rate, humidity level, and temperature ranges in three geographical regions of Egypt where the most common breeds of sheep (Rahmani, Ossimi, and Barki) are raised. central and south delta and northwestern coast northern delta central Egypt and the desert areas Annual precipitation rate (mm) 100-200 0-80 120-300 Humidity (%) 56-75 48-68 40-80 o Temperature range ( C) Maximum 18-33 19-37 29-39 Minimum 6-19 5-21 9-18 Most common sheep breed Rahmani Ossimi Barki Figure 2. Geographical distribution of a diverse group of local Egyptian breeds of sheep.