Hi Isabelle,

With the advent of cheap electronics, Internet of Things and internet connectivity this will become more of a norm and a reality rather than the exception. It also expected that the related cost will plummet too.

Such kind of technologies will assist in better understanding the African livestock in the different management systems.

HI – yes we are indeed promoting a combined on-farm and on-station approach, as you suggested.

the joint combination of Karen and Okeyo convinces me every time!!!

Thanks Yumi. This is a great example of what I am trying to promote!

Thanks Amos! With the recognition that the cost of obtaining genomic information on livestock is rapidly decreasing, but the cost of obtaining performance information on livestock is not (or even becoming more expensive), the major effort on this has been in developed countries. However the same arguments apply to our production systems! In developed countries phenotypic information (both from traditional phenomic approaches e.g. scale-based weight measurement, to new phenomic approaches e.g. using pedometers to predict feed intake from grazing patterns) has driven genetic gain and also be used heavily in optimizing farm management. From our side, even relatively modest facilities would enable us to do great work!

This is a good idea and recognition should be made to many earlier attempt that were made, but later abandoned in favour of the perceived quick fixes. It should be understood that it is not only in Africa where indigenous livestock diversity exist with great potential. South Asia is a wash with very interesting indigenous livestock genetic resources, most of which are being raised under similar conditions as in Africa, so being a global center the proposed center should be replicated in Asia, and may be this the opportunity for ILRI to have some significant presence in India and Pakistan besides Africa, by have such 2 centers-one each in the 2 continents.

Kihara Absolomon has been working to develop a system collecting data from live animals in the farm by using sensors attached to the neck and data (parameters regarding the animals’ health and behaviour) sent by radio and received by mobile phone. Currently, this system is being tested at ILRI farm. With this system and collected data, it could help a lot to understand the relationship between the animal performance and their conditions of reproduction cycle, diseases and in different environment.

Research is never cheap or easy. If the data is necessary, then we have to do it, but doing it in a smart way.