Diversity and Resilience to Socio-Ecological Changes of Smallholder Lagune Cattle Farming Systems of Benin

Hill-placement of manure and fertilizer for improving maize nutrient- and water-use efficiencies in the northern Benin

Optimizing the use of organic and mineral fertilizer in rain-fed maize production is crucial for sustainable food production in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigates the effect of hill-placement of two nutrient sources (farmyard manure and synthetic fertilizer) on nutrient- and water-use efficiencies of maize crops i.e. recovery efficiency (NUEre), internal utilization efficiency (NUEie) and water use efficiency (WUE). A four-year trial was conducted in the tropical sub-humid zone of the northern Benin with a factorial combination of farmyard manure at three levels (0, 3 and 6 t ha^-1, hereafter NM, 3M and 6M, respectively) and three levels of fertilizer [0% (NF), 50% (50F) and 100% (100F) of the recommended rate (76 kg N + 13.1 kg P + 24.9 kg K ha^-1) by the national center for agricultural research. The NUEre decreased with increasing rate of manure and/or fertilizer, but the decreasing rate was lower under combined manure and fertilizer application. However, the NUEie increased with the increasing manure and fertilizer amounts. The WUE was significantly higher in 3M and 6M treatments than in NM treatment, and higher in 50F and in 100F than in NF treatments. The combination of 3000 kg ha^-1 farmyard manure with half recommended fertilizer rate (100 kg ha^-1) could be suggested as an optimal nutrient management practice for maize production in the Northern Benin. Future studies should target the other agro-ecological zones in Benin, and also consider other widely cultivated crops in the study area for reducing yield gaps and promote food security.

Productive and reproductive performances of smallholder West African shorthorn Lagune cattle herds under village conditions in Southern Benin

The West African shorthorn Lagune cattle has long been incriminated as of low productivity and subjected to gradual replacement or indiscriminate crossbreeding with zebu breeds. But there are still insufficient studies reporting the productive and reproductive performances of this breed under village conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the productive and reproductive performances of the Lagune cattle herds kept under village conditions in two agroecological zones in Southern Benin. Sixteen herds (seven in the Oueme Valley zone and nine in the Pobe zone), chosen from a previous retrospective survey, were regularly visited on a bi-monthly basis between January 2018 and February 2019. At the first visit to each selected herd, all animals present were identified, their ages determined through their dentition, and their breeding history recorded. At each subsequent visit, information on calving, birth weights, herd entries and exits, disease incidence, and changes in the physiological status of the animals were recorded. In addition, all suckling calves from birth to 6 months of age were weighted and measured. The average age at first calving was 37.2 ± 3.5 months and varied from 3 to 4 years. With no significant variations between agroecological zones, the parturition rate, fertility rate, fecundity rate, and abortion rate were, respectively, 74.3% ± 10.7, 77.0% ± 12.0, 68.9% ± 9.1, and 2.7% ± 1.4. The overall annual mortality rate and perinatal mortality rate were 8.4% ± 3.1 and 7.3% ± 2.7, respectively. The annual offtake rate was 12.9% ± 4.3 and varied significantly (P ≤ 0.05) between zones. The average birth weight varied significantly (P ≤ 0.05) between sex and was 10.2 ± 0.7 kg and 10.8 ± 0.9 kg for female and male, respectively. The average daily body weight gain of calves, calculated over the period from birth to 6 months of age, was 160.5 ± 8.5 g/day. In addition to environmental conditions, individual farmers' management practices varied significantly among herds and probably influenced the recorded reproductive and productive performances. The estimates of reproductive parameters obtained in this study suggest a good reproductive ability of the Lagune breed which could be improved with better management conditions.

Why and How European Farmers Are Dedicated to Breeding the Dwarf Dahomey Cattle

Simple Summary

The introduction of high productive cattle breeds in Africa is well known, but the contribution of African breeds to livestock biodiversity in Europe is generally overlooked. This study reports, for the first time, European farmers’ interests in keeping the Dahomey cattle, and characterizes their management practices. The Dahomey cattle from Benin (West Africa) are the smallest cattle in the world, and they were introduced to Europe in the early 1900s. The findings revealed that European farmers are increasingly interested in keeping Dahomey cattle, because of their suitability for grassland maintenance and meat production, as well as their low management requirements (with regard to feeding, preventive and curative health care and reproduction management). Overall, the study displays the agricultural importance and ecological utilization of Dahomey cattle in European countries. It shows how small-sized cattle can support the promotion of sustainable livestock production and the management of ecosystems, including faunistic and floristic diversity.

Abstract

This study investigates the motivations and breeding practices of farmers keeping Dahomey cattle in European countries. Data were collected using a web-based open-closed questionnaire survey targeting 55 farmers from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Descriptive analyses revealed that the earliest European Dahomey herds were established in 2005. Moreover, interest in the breed recently increased as 63.7% of the investigated farmers established their herds between 2016 and 2020. The average herd size comprises seven Dahomey cattle, kept for managing grassland (59.3%), for production of meat or as breeding stock (32.1%) and for a hobby (8.6%). The animals are mostly kept in grazing systems throughout the year, partly fattened with supplement feeds. The low disease incidence and no need for extra health care in the herds indicate the robustness of the breed. Furthermore, meat quality, calving ease, small size, calm character and low feed requirements of Dahomey cattle were valued by the farmers. For the preservation of these features, farmers confirmed their enthusiasm to support any breeding and conservation program of this smallholder breed in Europe and Benin. This study highlights the importance of small-sized cattle for sustainable breeding systems and with regard to ecosystem management practices.

Unraveling Admixture, Inbreeding, and Recent Selection Signatures in West African Indigenous Cattle Populations in Benin

The Dwarf Lagune and the Savannah Somba cattle in Benin are typical representatives of the endangered West African indigenous Shorthorn taurine. The Lagune was previously exported to African and European countries and bred as Dahomey cattle, whereas the Somba contributed to the formation of two indigenous hybrids known as Borgou and Pabli cattle. These breeds are affected by demographic, economic, and environmental pressures in local production systems. Considering current and historical genomic data, we applied a formal test of admixture, estimated admixture proportions, and computed genomic inbreeding coefficients to characterize the five breeds. Subsequently, we unraveled the most recent selection signatures using the cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity approach, based on the current and historical genotypes. Results from principal component analyses and high proportion of Lagune ancestry confirm the Lagune origin of the European Dahomey cattle. Moreover, the Dahomey cattle displayed neither indicine nor European taurine (EUT) background, but they shared on average 40% of autozygosity from common ancestors, dated approximately eight generations ago. The Lagune cattle presented inbreeding coefficients larger than 0.13; however, the Somba and the hybrids (Borgou and Pabli) were less inbred (≤0.08). We detected evidence of admixture in the Somba and Lagune cattle, but they exhibited a similar African taurine (AFT) ancestral proportion (≥96%) to historical populations, respectively. A moderate and stable AFT ancestral proportion (62%) was also inferred for less admixed hybrid cattle including the Pabli. In contrast, the current Borgou samples displayed a lower AFT ancestral proportion (47%) than historical samples (63%). Irrespective of the admixture proportions, the hybrid populations displayed more selection signatures related to economic traits (reproduction, growth, and milk) than the taurine. In contrast, the taurine, especially the Somba, presented several regions known to be associated with adaptive traits (immunity and feed efficiency). The identified subregion of bovine leukocyte antigen (BoLA) class IIb (including DSB and BOLA-DYA) in Somba cattle is interestingly uncommon in other African breeds, suggesting further investigations to understand its association with specific adaptation to endemic diseases in Benin. Overall, our study provides deeper insights into recent evolutionary processes in the Beninese indigenous cattle and their aptitude for conservation and genetic improvement.