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Not so long ago, the only clues we had to animal domestication came from archaeological digs. If you were lucky, you could get a reasonably accurate date for bones that were definitely not from wild animals, although the origin stories they told were vague and unsatisfying. More recently, molecular biology has come to the rescue in the form of DNA sequences, which can even — again with a bit of luck — be extracted from very old bones. Better yet, it has become routine to sequence DNA from all manner of living creatures, and those sequences can shed light on ancient events even when there are no bones in the picture.
Olivier Hanotte is one of the foremost experts on livestock DNA, with a particular interest in indigenous African cattle. We spoke about research on chickens, sheep and cattle, and how understanding the history of domestication offers ideas for how to sustainably improve African cattle so that they can feed the growing African population.
This picture of a fat-tailed sheep comes from A new history of Ethiopia.: Being a full and accurate description of the kingdom of Abessinia. Vulgarly, though erroneously, called the empire of Prester John. In four books … illustrated with copper plates. by Hiob Ludolf, published in English in 1684. On the subject of “fat and ponderous“ sheep tails, Ludolf says:
the least of them weigh Ten and Twelve, the biggest of them sometimes above forty Pound, so the Owners are forc’d to tye a little Cart behind them, wherein they put the Tayl of the Sheep, as well for the convenience of Carriage and to ease the poor Creature, as to preserve the Wooll from durt and nastiness, and being torn among bushes and stones.
Notes
- The latest paper on African cattle is behind a paywall, but Olivier Hanotte wrote an excellent article about it for The Conversation.
- The chicken paper is not behind a paywall. Have fun.
- Nor is a paper on fat-tailed sheep from Ethiopia.
- A proper discussion of fat-tailed sheep will have to wait, but in the meantime, here’s a fascinating blog post (and comments to match) on Anissa Helou’s website.
- Here is the transcript.
- Banner photo of cattle in Mozambique by ILRI/Stevie Mann. Red junglefowl photo by budak.
https://media.blubrry.com/eatthispodcast/mange-tout.s3.amazonaws.com/2023/ccp.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:17 — 26.0MB)Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
Koen Van Mechelen (left) and Olivier Hanotte (right) sandwich a large marble bust of a crowing cosmopolitan rooster.In 1999, Koen Vanmechelen, a Belgian artist, decided to cross a Belgian rooster with a French hen. The union of the Mechelse Koekoek and the Poulet de Bresse gave rise to a clutch of chicks that thrilled Vanmechelen with their diversity, and launched him on a path to create the Cosmopolitan Chicken Project. One breed at a time, the CCP accumulated a huge amount of genetic diversity from chickens around the world. That diversity is now reversing out into the world through the Planetary Community Chicken, which uses the accumulated diversity to increase the resilience and productivity of village chickens in Africa. Olivier Hanotte, who triggered the PCC, joined me and Koen to talk about chicken diversity and what it means for art, for science, and for people.
Notes
You can find out more about Koen Vanmechelen’s many projects on his website and follow him on Instagram.
Olivier Hanotte talked to me about the past and future of African livestock, including chickens. He is on Twitter too.
More about ILRI’s partnership with Vanmechelen on the ILRI website and on Koen Vanmechelen’s own website.
Here is the transcript.
Banner chicken profiles from Koen Vanmechelen.
Huffduff it
Where did the chicken cross the road 🐓?
Or in other words: what does DNA tell us on the domestication of livestock?
If you want to know, listen to this podcast by Olivier Hanotte @ILRI👇
eatthispodcast.com/livestock/
When and where did chickens, sheep and cattle first become domesticated – and what does their DNA tell us about their past? Check out this brilliant @EatPodcast interview with @ILRI and CTLGH researcher @OlivierHanotte eatthispodcast.com/livestock/
.@ILRI principal scientist Olivier Hanotte explains how chickens, sheep and cattle were domesticated for #livestock in the latest episode of @EatPodcast. Listen here: eatthispodcast.com/livestock/
Learning about livestock by @OlivierHanotte @ILRI
In the latest episode, learning about the where and when of livestock domestication from @OlivierHanotte
eatthispodcast.com/livestock
In the latest episode, learning about the where and when of livestock domestication from @OlivierHanotte
eatthispodcast.com/livestock
In the latest episode, learning about the where and when of livestock domestication from @OlivierHanotte
eatthispodcast.com/livestock
Sorry look like self advertisement but forget about the guy with a French accent talking about livestock domestication and follow Eat This Podcast!
Want to review the state of knowledge on domestication of chickens, sheep and cattle in less than half an hour? Yes? Well then, Jeremy has a podcast for you. It’s an interview with Olivier Hanotte, who teaches livestock genetics at the University of Nottingham.
The beautiful chicken pic is from a book by photographers Moreno Monti and Matteo Tranchellini.
There’s also a stunning book on the diversity of African cattle from ILRI, where Dr Hanotte also has a position.
In the latest episode, learning about the where and when of livestock domestication from @OlivierHanotte
eatthispodcast.com/livestock
In the latest episode, learning about the where and when of livestock domestication from @OlivierHanotte
eatthispodcast.com/livestock