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Signature of artificial selection and ecological landscape on morphological structures of Ethiopian village chickens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 April 2013

T.T. Desta ,
T. Dessie ,
J. Bettridge ,
S.E. Lynch ,
K. Melese ,
M. Collins ,
R.M. Christley ,
P. Wigley ,
P. Kaiser  and
Z. Terfa
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T.T. Desta*
Affiliation:
Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
T. Dessie
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
J. Bettridge
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK
S.E. Lynch
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK
K. Melese
Affiliation:
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Research Center, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
M. Collins
Affiliation:
Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK
R.M. Christley
Affiliation:
Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK
P. Wigley
Affiliation:
Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK
P. Kaiser
Affiliation:
The Roslin Institute and R (D) SVS, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
Z. Terfa
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK Management School, University of Liverpool, UK
J.M. Mwacharo
Affiliation:
Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
O. Hanotte
Affiliation:
Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
*
Correspondence to: T.T. Desta.Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK. emails: plxtd@nottingham.ac.uk, takele_taye@yahoo.com
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Summary

Village chickens have been kept for millennia under patronage of smallholder farmers. Our study was intended at dissecting the signature of artificial selection and ecological variation on morphological structures of Ethiopian village chickens. This report was based on visual traits of 798 chickens and a concise one-to-one interview of 399 farmers for their preferences on chicken morphology. Significant population-specific differences in morphological counts were commonly found for rare morphological variants. Most of them were frequently seen in Jarso chickens, while some of them unique to Jarso chickens. This might be explained by the effect of location-specific evolutionary forces and differences in their breeding histories. The high within population variation in the frequency of morphological counts was observed among these panmictic chicken populations largely evolved under uncontrolled mating. Single comb was not (less) preferred by majority of the farmers (93.8 percent); it was thus present at a low frequency (26.7 percent). Farmers have shown high preference for yellow shank (42.3 percent), which was then frequently observed (61.1 percent). The reported reasons for morphological likeness were visual appeal, market demand and cultural and religious values. The absence of significant variation in preferences for chicken morphology among communities between the two study sites was attributed to their multifunctional needs.

Résumé

Les poules des zones rurales ont été maintenues depuis des milliers d'années sous les auspices des petits éleveurs. Notre étude a cherché à démêler les effets distinctifs que la sélection artificielle et la variation écologique ont eus sur la morphologie des poules des zones rurales éthiopiennes. Ce rapport s'est basé sur des traits visuels de 798 poules et sur une enquête concise, faite de façon individuelle, à 399 éleveurs auprès de leurs préférences en question de morphologie des poules. Des différences significatives, propres aux populations, ont généralement été décelées pour les mesures morphologiques chez des variantes morphologiques rares. La plupart d'entre elles ont été fréquemment observées chez les poules Jarso alors que certaines sont uniques aux poules Jarso. Ceci peut être expliqué par l'effet de forces évolutives propres à l'emplacement et par des différences historiques dans les pratiques d'élevage. Une grande variabilité intra-populationnelle a été observée pour la fréquence des mesures morphologiques parmi les populations panmictiques de poules qui, dans l'ensemble, ont évolué suivant des accouplements non contrôlés. La crête simple n'a pas été celle préférée par la plupart des éleveurs (93,8 pour cent); c'est ainsi qu'elle est présente à faible fréquence (26,7 pour cent). Les éleveurs ont montré une préférence prononcée pour les tarses jaunes (42,3 pour cent), qui sont fréquemment observés (61,1 pour cent). Les raisons signalées pour la ressemblance morphologique ont été l'attrait visuel, la demande du marché et les valeurs culturelles et religieuses. L'absence de variation significative, entre les communautés des deux lieux étudiés, pour les préférences sur la morphologie des poules a été attribuée à leurs besoins multifonctionnels.

Resumen

Las gallinas de las poblaciones rurales han sido conservadas durante milenios bajo el auspicio de los pequeños ganaderos. Nuestro estudio ha pretendido desentrañar el efecto distintivo que la selección artificial y la variación ecológica han tenido sobre la morfología de las gallinas de las áreas rurales etíopes. Este informe se basó en rasgos visuales de 798 gallinas y en una breve entrevista individual a 399 ganaderos sobre sus preferencias en torno a la morfología de las gallinas. De forma generalizada, se encontraron diferencias significativas, específicas de las poblaciones, para las medidas morfológicas en variantes morfológicas escasas. Por lo general, la mayoría fueron observadas en gallinas Jarso mientras que algunas fueron exclusivas de las gallinas Jarso. Esto se podría explicar por el efecto de fuerzas evolutivas específicas de la ubicación y por diferencias en sus respectivos procesos históricos de cría. Se observó una elevada variabilidad intrapoblacional en la frecuencia de las medidas morfológicas entre estas poblaciones panmícticas de gallinas que han evolucionado, en gran parte, siguiendo apareamientos indiscriminados. La mayoría de los ganaderos (93,8 por ciento) manifestaron que la cresta sencilla no era su preferida; por ello apareció en una baja frecuencia (26,7 por ciento). Los ganaderos mostraron una marcada preferencia por los tarsos amarillos (42,3 por ciento), que eran observados frecuentemente (61,1 por ciento). Las razones indicadas para la similitud morfológica fueron el atractivo visual, la demanda del mercado y los valores culturales y religiosos. La ausencia de variación significativa, entre las comunidades de los dos emplazamientos estudiados, para las preferencias acerca de la morfología de las gallinas se atribuyó a sus necesidades multifuncionales.

Keywords

village chickensmorphological structureMendelian inheritancefarmers' preferenceecological variationpoules des zones ruralesstructure morphologiquehérédité Mendéliennepréférences des éleveursvariation écologiquegallinas de zonas ruralesestructura morfológicaherencia Mendelianapreferencias de los ganaderosvariación ecológica
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Genetic Resources/Resources génétiques animales/Recursos genéticos animales , Volume 52 , June 2013 , pp. 17 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2013 

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