A three-day workshop on regional sustainable management for livestock yesterday, kicked off at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Kololi.

Four countries are participating in the workshop - The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Conakry and Mali. The workshop is aimed at making sure that countries which are participating in this project have a plan of action as to how to implement it. According to a report on genetic improvement programmes for Ndama Cattle, Djalonke sheep and West African Dwarf goats in The Gambia, earlier attempts to improve the productivity of Ndama cattle in The Gambia, are dated back to the early 60s, with the establishment of a breeding herd at Yundum farm in the Western Region.

With funding from the government of The Gambia (GOTG), superior breeding cows, heifers and bulls were purchased from the villages for the establishment of a herd comprising 300 animals. Over the years, through careful selection and retention of the best performing animals in the herd, its reputation grew in the sub-region and beyond and thus many pure breed Ndama cattle were sold and exported to other Western and Central African countries.

However, due to the implementation of the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) in the early 80s, all the best Ndama cattle from the herd in Yundum were sold and exported to Gabon. The report added that currently the ITC breeding herd at Keneba in Kian, Lower River Region, is composed of 370 cows, the performances of which are monitored and recorded. The animals at the research station are monitored closely, with the routine management of the herds and flocks entailing monthly weighing, milk measurement, data recording in mating, clinical treatment, breeding value estimation, selection and distribution of breeding stock to multipliers.

The report continued that the first attempts at genetic improvement and improvement of productivity of endemic small ruminant were made in the 80s, with the establishment of a breeding flock at Yorro Berri Kunda (YBK) in the Central River Region (CRR).  Development of sheep and goat production was a UNDP-FAO funded project that was executed in Fuladu West District in CRR from 1987 to 1993.

According to Dr Mustapha Diaw, the regional coordinator of PROGEBE, this project is designed to preserve the genetic expenses of the Ndama cattle and sheep to improve their productivity, as they play important role.