Genetic Improvement of Local Cattle Breeds in West Africa: A Review of Breeding Programs

Dominique Ouédraogo, Albert Soudré, Bernadette Yougbaré, Salifou Ouédraogo-Koné, Bienvenue Zoma-Traoré, Negar Khayatzadeh, Amadou Traoré, Moumouni Sanou, Gábor Mészáros, Pamela Anna Burger, Okeyo Ally Mwai, Maria Wurzinger and Johann Sölkner
Additional contact information
Dominique Ouédraogo: Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Nazi Boni (UNB), BP 1091 Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Albert Soudré: Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences et Technologies (UFR/ST), Université Norbert Zongo, BP 376 Koudougou, Burkina Faso
Bernadette Yougbaré: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural System, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel Street 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria
Salifou Ouédraogo-Koné: Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Nazi Boni (UNB), BP 1091 Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Bienvenue Zoma-Traoré: Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Nazi Boni (UNB), BP 1091 Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Negar Khayatzadeh: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural System, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel Street 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria
Amadou Traoré: Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), BP 8645 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Moumouni Sanou: Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), BP 8645 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Gábor Mészáros: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural System, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel Street 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria
Pamela Anna Burger: Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
Okeyo Ally Mwai: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Maria Wurzinger: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural System, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel Street 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria
Johann Sölkner: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural System, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel Street 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: Cattle are one of the most important livestock species in West Africa, providing multiple services to farmers and contributing to national economies. Various breeding strategies have been implemented to enhance their productivity and have improved farmer livelihoods. This review describes cattle breeding experiences across West Africa, spanning the N’Dama breed in Mali, Senegal, and The Gambia to the breeds Azawak Zebu, Fulani Zebu, and taurine Baoulé in Burkina Faso. The main objectives of most breeding programs have been to optimize meat and milk performance of taurine and Zebu cattle as well as trypanotolerance of taurine cattle. In some cases, “closed nucleus” schemes have proven limited and so have evolved into “open nucleus” schemes. Recent community-based breeding programs have shown promise. The major challenges of breeding programs remain defining realistic breeding objectives and securing the involvement of stakeholders. All the strategies reviewed here have been funded externally within development or research projects that are often too short to yield tangible genetic improvement, and whether they will continue beyond those projects is uncertain. This review highlights the need for continuing government support to ensure the sustainability of local cattle breeding programs.

Keywords: breeding strategies; cattle; local breeds; West Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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