Abstract:

The Borana cattle have their origin in Southern Ethiopia where they are kept by the Borana-Oromyfa clans because of their outstanding traits that make them suitable for the harsh environment in this region. Borana cattle are also the main source of the livestock-keepers’ income and the local people’s cultural identity is formed on the husbandry of these animals. Nowadays the existence of this breed and hence its cultural heritage is threatened due to genetic erosion and dwindling number of pure Borana animals. The conservation of Borana genetic material and of animal genetic resources in general is crucial for future use and enhancement of biodiversity, globally as well as locally, but financial aid for conservation purposes is scarce. Hence, this study seeks to classify important aspects of the total economic value of the Borana cattle, and secondly, to quantify the relevant values. A discrete-choice ranking approach is used to estimate local livestock-keepers’ willingness to pay or willingness to accept compensation for different attributes of cattle. A mixed logit model with individual characteristics is applied, revealing heterogeneity in livestock-keepers’ preferences for cattle attributes. The results highlight the high economic value of Borana cattle attributes to local livestock-keepers.

KEYWORDS: animal genetic resources, Borana cattle, mixed logit model, random utility model, pastoralism