African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies

This open access book is a rich resource that chronicles the abundant livestock genetic resources in Africa. Organized in five sections, the chapters trace special productive and adaptive attributes of African livestock breeds, past breed improvement efforts, capacity building and strategies to effective utilization of available genetic resources in the era of modern technologies. The authors cover major farm animal groups as well as dromedaries, rabbits and grasscutters.   In view of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 2, Zero Hunger, and SDG 15, Life on Land), the purpose of this volume is to catalogue opportunities that can be leveraged with available technologies and technical knowhow for achieving rapid genetic gain and improved livestock productivity in Africa. It fosters the utilization of genetic resources and the protection of indigenous livestock biodiversity.   Natural selection and humans have generated genetically diverse breeds of domesticated farm