BIODIVERSITY STATE OF ALGERIAN SHEEP BREEDS

The richness of the variability of the sheep genetic resources is untapped. We have noted the presence of 12 sheep breeds in Algeria such as Ouled Djellal, Rembi, Hamra, Berber, Barbarine, D'man, Sidaou, Tadmit, Tazegzawt, Ifilene, Srandi and Daraa, which are well adapted to the conditions of the environments. Unfortunately, anarchic crossings lead to dispersion and an erosion of the genetic capital of the breeds, the increase of consanguinity in the herds and a decrease of the returns of the farms. The medium-term risk is the absorption of certain «breeds" by others, and the loss of certain characters that make the specificity of our breeds. In addition, the documentation on the diversity of sheep breeds in Algeria is minimal or absent, so several breeds require a phenotypic and zootechnical description to know their performance. This document describes the sheep genetic resources present in Algeria and the diversity between them based on surveys that have been carried out for more than 17 years, in 40 wilayas, based on the phenotypic characterization of these "breeds" in their cradles, in order to make an updated breed distribution map and a new breed classification.