Volume 47, Issue 2, December 2025, Pages 166–177
Gniné Fabiola Traore1, Kisito Tindano2, Wendata Raïcha Ouedraogo3, Arnaud Stéphane Rayangnéwendé Tapsoba4, Bernadette Yougbare5, Geoffroy Kinda6, and Amadou Traore7
1 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
2 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
3 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
4 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
5 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
6 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
7 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
Original language: English
Copyright © 2025 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
In recent decades, cattle in Burkina Faso have been crossbred without any clear long-term management of the introduced genes. The socio-economic characteristics of producers can provide an insight into the management of genetic resources. This study was designed to investigate these characteristics and the management of bovine genetic resources in Burkina Faso. A survey of 735 producers from all 13 regions of Burkina Faso was conducted. The results showed that the farmers were mainly men (98.91%) over 40 years of age (80.44%). Extensive (57.69%) and semi-intensive (41.9%) farming systems were dominant, with the majority of farmers being sedentary (78.82%). Food resources included natural grazing, crop residues, agro-industrial by-products, and minerals. The use of these resources varied depending on the season. Farming objectives varied and included milk production, sales, traction, manure production and cultural reasons. While farmers have access to veterinary services, some also use traditional medicine (10.56%). The Fulani zebu, which was reared by 97.9% of the sample, was the dominant breed and was found throughout the country. It was sometimes found alongside other breeds. Crossbreds were found among 16.15% of farmers. Breeders mainly chose their male breeding stock on the basis of conformation, growth, temperament, tail length, colour, and body size. However, there was very little mating control. Crossbreeding between zebus and taurines threatens the existence of the latter. The typology shows three groups of breeders with a significant link to the administrative regions. Action is required to ensure the sustainability of crossbreeding practices.
Author Keywords: socio-economics, local breed, crossbreeding, zebus, taurines, Burkina Faso.
Gniné Fabiola Traore1, Kisito Tindano2, Wendata Raïcha Ouedraogo3, Arnaud Stéphane Rayangnéwendé Tapsoba4, Bernadette Yougbare5, Geoffroy Kinda6, and Amadou Traore7
1 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
2 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
3 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
4 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
5 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
6 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
7 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) - Laboratoire de Biologie et de Santé Animales, 04 BP: 8645 Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
Original language: English
Copyright © 2025 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
In recent decades, cattle in Burkina Faso have been crossbred without any clear long-term management of the introduced genes. The socio-economic characteristics of producers can provide an insight into the management of genetic resources. This study was designed to investigate these characteristics and the management of bovine genetic resources in Burkina Faso. A survey of 735 producers from all 13 regions of Burkina Faso was conducted. The results showed that the farmers were mainly men (98.91%) over 40 years of age (80.44%). Extensive (57.69%) and semi-intensive (41.9%) farming systems were dominant, with the majority of farmers being sedentary (78.82%). Food resources included natural grazing, crop residues, agro-industrial by-products, and minerals. The use of these resources varied depending on the season. Farming objectives varied and included milk production, sales, traction, manure production and cultural reasons. While farmers have access to veterinary services, some also use traditional medicine (10.56%). The Fulani zebu, which was reared by 97.9% of the sample, was the dominant breed and was found throughout the country. It was sometimes found alongside other breeds. Crossbreds were found among 16.15% of farmers. Breeders mainly chose their male breeding stock on the basis of conformation, growth, temperament, tail length, colour, and body size. However, there was very little mating control. Crossbreeding between zebus and taurines threatens the existence of the latter. The typology shows three groups of breeders with a significant link to the administrative regions. Action is required to ensure the sustainability of crossbreeding practices.
Author Keywords: socio-economics, local breed, crossbreeding, zebus, taurines, Burkina Faso.
How to Cite this Article
Gniné Fabiola Traore, Kisito Tindano, Wendata Raïcha Ouedraogo, Arnaud Stéphane Rayangnéwendé Tapsoba, Bernadette Yougbare, Geoffroy Kinda, and Amadou Traore, “Characteristics and typology of the cattle farming system and genetic resource management in Burkina Faso,” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 166–177, December 2025.
