Village production of West African dwarf goats and sheep in Nigeria

Results from a 41 month study of West African Dwarf goats and sheep under village conditions in south-west Nigeria are reported. Even at a very low level of management these trypanosomiasis-tolerant animals produced 2.01 kids or 1.51 lambs per dam per year. Mortality of young particularly kids and low growth rates limit production. Of these mortality is probably the first constraint to increased productivity and profitability. Control of peste des petits ruminants appears to significantly reduce mortality and should stimulate the further development of this production system.