282 J
. Hodges Livestock Production Science 38 2000 271 –310
to the responsibility of farmers’ association in recording unit instead of the herd. This allows
Bulgaria. farmers to compare with each other and helps them
to make better husbandry, management and culling From the discussion, the following conclusions were
decisions. outlined: Animal recording is a prerequisite for any
Provision of incentives to smallholders: free con- serious effort to develop livestock production at
centrates, vaccines, semen doses, is also a good means to promote recording activity
a farm level b industry level
2. At national level
c national level Policy makers should be made aware that no
improvements in genetic, production or health can be Data collected through the recording activities can be
pursued in any country or region without milk used for:
recording activity. The government should provide the financial support for the implementation and
a extension services feeding requirements, re- maintenance of recording systems, at least initially.
productive patterns, pathologies at farm and Financial support for the initiation of the recording
industry level activity might be also requested from International
b estimation of breeding values, selection of Agencies and through International Development
bulls and bull mothers at farm level and national Programmes. Farmers should be asked to pay for the
level recording and selection services only after they have
c once entered in a national database, these data been made aware of the benefits to them. In any
are good tools for understanding the production case, direct payment by farmers is a hard expecta-
systems and can contribute to making national tion. The optimal solution is proposed by India,
strategies for buffalo. where the farmers that participate in the recording
activity sell all their milk to a co-operative of milk Five major recommendations coming out from the
producers for which the costs of the recording and Buffalo Workshop are listed:
selection activity are retained from the milk sold.
1. At farmer level: 3. Recording systems
Farmers need to be made aware of the benefits Simplified, low frequency recording systems are
deriving from recording activities meetings and essential to reduce costs; research trials can be
discussions with the farmers can be organized by the proposed and verified.
government, co-operatives, research institutions. Farmers may be made aware that through the regular
4. Artificial insemination
visit of the milk recorders, farmers can receive AI is fundamental to guarantee the distribution to
technical advice and extension services in manage- the farmers of the semen of bulls that must be
ment, feeding, reproduction and health. Farmers evaluated and to distribute the genetic merit of
should be made aware also that no effective culling proven bulls; the organization must therefore estab-
or selection decision can be done without milk lish a clear working programme with the AI Centre.
recording. Because the great majority of buffalo farmers
5. Nucleus herds
