Science and Technology for Sustainable Livestock Development

Abstract

Over 98% of National herds in Sub-Saharan Africa are kept traditionally. The animals are left to wander about in search of water and pasture and do not have demarcated area for grazing. This is unlike wildlife which has vast areas reserved as Game Parks, Game reserves, National Parks etc. Sub-Saharan Africa with 168 million livestock units (162 million   cattle,   127 million sheep, 147 million goats, 13 million camels, 11 million pigs 8 million donkeys, 3 million horses, l.5 million mules and 631 million chickens  (FAO, 1989) and with 0.37 Livestock Units per person being only second to Latin America and Caribbean region with 0.67 livestock units  per person, still imports 140,000 tons of meat and 1.2 million tons of milk per annum and has about 20% of its children under five years of age suffering from protein deficiency related diseases.