The FAO-CIHEAM Inter-Regional Cooperative Research and Development Network on

Sheep and Goats, founded in 1979, aims at improving the cooperation amongst

European and Mediterranean experts and at spreading knowledge on specific subjects

related to small ruminants, particularly those which may offer useful applications for

farmers. This network has backed important progress as regards methods applied to

small ruminants, practical applications, laboratory research results and improvement of

the quality of sheep and goat products (cheese, carcass, etc.). It also has an important

mission of spreading technical and scientific information as well as helping technology

transfer.

This publication originated from a meeting of the Sub-Network on Genetic Resources

of the FAO-CIHEAM Inter-Regional Cooperative Research and Development Network

on Sheep and Goats, one of the sub-networks belonging to this network, held in

Sassari, Italy, on 9-11 May 2002. The main objective of the meeting was to present the

scientific, organizational and economic aspects to be taken into account by the

breeding programmes for improving the quality of products. Topics such as QTL

detection, selection for scrapie resistance, selection for nematode resistance, selection

for udder health and udder traits, selection for milk and meat quality, breed change

and alternatives to the use of hormones in sheep and goat breeding programmes were

presented and discussed trough 26 theatre presentations. All these papers gave an

overview of the present situation in breeding for disease resistance in sheep and goats

and in the scientific and technical possibilities to undertake breeding programmes on

milk and meat quality products. After each presentation a few specific questions were

debated and a more general discussion was carried out at the end of the sessions.

Several topics came out through these discussions mainly concerning methods, results

and possible applications in the field.