3 - An overview of the African trypanotolerant livestock network

G.D.M. d'IETEREN and J.C.M. TRAIL

References

The ATLN coordinates the activities of scientists studying the health and production of livestock in tsetse-affected areas of tropical Africa. The emphasis is on the most promising of the potential solutions to the problem of trypanosomiasis, namely the increased utilization of trypanotolerant livestock.

ILCA/FAO/UNEP's "Trypanotolerant Livestock in West and Central Africa", Monograph 2, 1979, emphasized the importance of trypanotolerance by indicating that trypanotolerant breeds were at least as productive as other indigenous African breeds in areas of zero to low tsetse challenge. In areas where tsetse challenge was substantial, only the trypanotolerant breeds could survive. However it was clearly illustrated that as tsetse challenge increased, the productivity of trypanotolerant livestock diminished. Therefore it was apparent that more definitive data would have to be obtained regarding the factors affecting the productivity of these animals.

It was considered that optimal progress could be made by utilization, over a five-year period, of the information potential from a selection of locations identified in the country visits of the study. In the eighteen countries, preliminary discussions were undertaken with personnel from government stations and institutions, universities, commercial ranches, village groups, etc. which had suitable facilities and programme intentions. The discussions concerned their possible willingness to collaborate in further work on the use and potential of trypanotolerant livestock. Many localities were identified where relevant work was in progress, but in nearly all cases additional input was needed before they could produce conclusive results.

The joint report (ILCA/FAO/UNEP, 1979) was used to interest donor agencies in the possible support of situations which could handle specific aspects of the overall research requirements. Thus, between 1980 and 1984, sites in Zaire were established through Administration Generale de la Cooperation au Developpement (AGCD), Belgium; in Gabon through partial funding from France; in Cote d'Ivoire and Togo through Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Federal Republic of Germany; in The Gambia and Senegal through the European Development Fund (EDF); in Kenya through partial funding by May and Baker Ltd; in Tanzania through partial funding by the Overseas Development Agency (ODA), United Kingdom; and the Swiss Multilateral Cooperation, Switzerland, (through FAO).

An extensive Network of research sites has been established in different trypanosomiasis-risk areas throughout tropical Africa in order to study the complex interactions that affect trypanotolerance, to provide baseline data for livestock development in tsetse-affected areas and to evaluate different methods for controlling trypanosomiasis.

The objective of the research is to improve livestock productivity in tsetse-affected areas of Africa, first by achieving a better understanding of genetic resistance, acquired resistance, environmental factors which affect susceptibility and the efficacy of present control measures, and second by ensuring optimal application of both existing knowledge and recent research findings.

The reason for developing a Network was that it was impossible to cover the many components involved in a single or a few research situations. Selection of sites for the Network was based on their complementarily in terms of disease level, tsetse challenge and livestock breed; on the desire of the institutions concerned to cooperate; on the availability of basic research infrastructure; and on the willingness of donor agencies to provide supplementary funds. The different Network situations all have very definite strengths in certain components of the overall research area. The successful attraction of donor funding into many of the Network situations has occurred because of their clear suitability for the research components being tackled.

The sites contributing to the research operation in 1987 are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Tsetse and livestock populations at the Network sites, 1997.

Site	Country	Tsetse group	Livestock
			Species	Type	Management System
Kolo	Zaire	palpalis	Cattle	Trypanotolerant	Ranch
Avetonou	Togo	palpalis	Cattle	Trypanotolerant and	Ranch and Village
			Sheep	Non-trypanotolerant	Village
Sokode	Togo	palpalis	Sheep and Goats	Trypanotolerant	Village
Tengrela	Cote d'Ivoire	palpalis	Cattle and Sheep	Trypanotolerant and non-trypanotolerant	Village
Boundiali	Cote d'Ivoire	palpalis	Cattle and Sheep	Trypanotolerant and non-trypanotolerant	Village
Idiofa	Zaire	palpalis and fusca	Cattle	Trypanotolerant	Village
OGAPROV	Gabon	palpalis and fusca	Cattle	Trypanotolerant and non-trypanotolerant	Ranch
Mushie	Zaire	fusca	Cattle	Trypanotolerant	Ranch
Muhaka	Kenya	morsitans and fusca	Cattle	Non-trypanotolerant	Village
Mtwara	Tanzania	morsitans and fusca	Sheep and Goats	Non-trypanotolerant	Village
Ghibe	Ethiopia	morsitans and palpalis	Cattle	Non-trypanotolerant	Village
ITC/ISRA	The Gambia Senegal	morsitans and palpalis	Cattle	Trypanotolerant	Village

In order to produce results which can be compared between different sites, all field operations require standardized research protocols on animal productivity, animal health and level of tsetse challenge. Training has always been a vital component of network activities, it being necessary that all participants have sufficient training and expertise to make major contributions. Two courses per year have been held since 1982, each of seven weeks duration, alternatively in English and French (Murray et al., 1983). Field support in all aspects of the protocols has been provided when requested by individual sites, or when data collection problems were detected by the coordinating team. The scientists who carried out the training are the scientists servicing the sites. The expertise of national colleagues is growing as a result of these efforts, and many are now presenting their component results at international meetings.

ILCA and ILRAD have been collaborating with National Agricultural Research Services (NARS) for several years in the ATLN, studying livestock breeds that show tolerance to the disease, and trying to find ways in which effects of trypanosomiasis can be reduced through breeding or chemical control. The well-established Network in 1987 operated in nine countries of sub-Saharan Africa, mainly covering the humid and sub-humid zones.

Following the recommendations of the major meeting of researchers from all Network sites in November/December 1985, detailed analyses were carried out at the eight sites having data covering at least the two-year period, 1 January 1984 to 31 December 1985. Initial results from the studies are presented in the December 1986 report entitled, "The African Trypanotolerant Livestock Network, Indications from Results 1983-1985."

The results obtained in 1986 have been used to redeploy some resources, modify or redesign some protocols and justify commencement of further in-depth studies. Areas of specific research and studies of intervention possibilities already started include: production of milk for human consumption, definition of selection criteria for trypanotolerance, maximization of the rate of genetic progress through selection, improvement of reproductive performance, tsetse control, nutritional interventions, and trypanocidal drug use.

At this meeting, internationally recognized specialists will review their fields of interest and contribute to Network development through evaluations of the results presented by Network scientists. These results are based on work carried out over the past three years. The meeting will focus on themes in the major research areas of:

- trypanosomiasis epidemiology, including estimates of tsetse challenge, diagnosis of trypanosomiasis, factors affecting susceptibility, interactions with other diseases and tsetse control and trypanocidal drug interventions;

- trypanotolerance criteria and their genetic parameters relative to genetic improvement of trypanotolerant livestock; and

- effects of trypanosomiasis on animal performance, reproductive cycle and milk extraction and possibilities for strategic nutritional supplementation.

So, in summary, we have a Network of national research situations throughout Africa, where scientists are tackling components of trypanotolerant research that their situations are best equipped to handle in a cost-effective manner. They are using standardized approaches to the practical field measurements, analyses and interpretation of matching data in the tsetse, animal health and animal production fields in an attempt to contribute towards halting the increasingly alarming decline in food production per head of human population in Africa.

References

ILCA/FAO/UNEP. 1979. Trypanotolerant Livestock in West and Central Africa. Monograph 2. Addis Ababa; ILCA.

ILCA. 1986. The ILCA/ILRAD Trypanotolerance Network: Situation Report, December 1985. Proceedings of a Network Meeting held at ILCA, Nairobi. Addis Ababa; ILCA.

ILCA. 1986. The African Trypanotolerant Livestock Network, Indications from results, 1983-1985. Addis Ababa; ILCA.

Murray, M., J.C.M. Trail, D.A. Turner and Y. Wissocq. 1983. Livestock Productivity and Trypanotolerance. Network Training Manual. Addis Ababa: ILCA.