The general aim of this study, which focused on goat fattening, was to investigate, as an initial trial, the weight performance of goats, about which very little is known, with a view to developing sustainable technical and economic proposals for extensive Sahelian farming systems. The methodology was based on weekly measurements of the bucks’ weight performance in an experimental batch of 11 bucks fed a ration based on local feed resources and a control batch. The control lot was monitored in parallel under the normal conditions of the area’s usual extensive rearing practices. The results showed that the animals in the control batch did not regain weight, with a 3% loss in body weight. In the experimental batch, body weight varied progressively with an average increase of 7 kg per buck. The Consumption Index, which ranged from 6 to 18 kg of dry matter per kg of growth depending on the duration of fattening, shows the sharp efficiency of goats in converting local fodder resources into animal protein. The physical and ethnic characteristics of the animals had a significant influence on their increased economic value. Older, larger and medium-weight Sahelian bucks contributed more to maximising foreign exchange. The average daily gain and gross profit were higher when the duration of fattening was limited to six weeks. After this period, the profit (2047 F CFA on average per billy-goat) fell linearly, resulting only in economic losses from the 9th week onwards. Taking into account the optimum duration and the criteria for choosing the animal will lead to overall improvements in the profitability of fattening goats.

Within the framework of the genetic improvement of cattle, in addition to the selection of the Azawak zebu which has been in progress for a long time, crossbreeding by artificial insemination between Alpine Brown and local breeds is being experimented. This work takes stock of this introduction on the performances acquired. The study was based on data from 68 lactations of pure Azawak zebu crosses and 68 lactations of pure Azawak zebus, from 104 dairy cows (52 crosses and 52 Azawak). Thus, the daily productions of the primipares and brown multipares of the Alps-Azawak are respectively 7.86 ± 1.47 Kg and 11.27 ± 3.89 Kg and those of the pure Azawak are 4.10 ± 1.03 Kg and 4.84 ± 1.15 Kg. The standard production (over 305 days of lactation) of the crossbreeds is 2398.04±448.17 Kg and 3445.47±1228.59 Kg in primiparous and multiparous respectively, and significantly higher than that of the Azawak (251.04±313.96 Kg and 1442.61±334.99 Kg). The total production is estimated at 2473.88±744.63 Kg and 3385.68±903.51 for the primiparous and multiparous crosses is almost double the Azawak values (1349.59 ± 393.40 Kg and 1301.72 ± 420.49 Kg). All of this shows that the crossbreeding carried out gives crosses with lactation performances well above those of pure Azawak and that artificial insemination is a method that allows to control its breeding and to have one calf per year. It will be necessary to continue the monitoring of these crossbreeds to evaluate the productivity of the breeding career of the crossbreed.

In African countries, the diversity of domestic animals is maintained thanks to traditional agro-pastoral communities. The mutations experienced by these communities result in an erosion of the genetic diversity of which they are the guardians. In response to threats to biological diversity, a convention for its protection was signed in 1992 by several countries, including Niger, therefore committed to conserving the genetic diversity of its livestock breeds. One of these breeds, the Koundoum sheep, is threatened with extinction. The objective of this work is to study the reasons and consequences of this decline, through semi-structured interviews with 104 sheep farmers in the natural habitat of Koundoum. The main reasons given as causes of the decline in the numbers of Koundoum sheep are crossbreeding with other breeds (25.00%), the lack of pasture on the banks of the Niger River (19.23%) and mortality linked to parasitism. (15.38%). Regarding the consequences, this regression was considered damaging for national biodiversity by 7.69% of breeders. 14.42% of breeders think that it is a loss of local cultural values ​​and 9.62% see it as a risk loss of a breed adapted to their land. 42.31% of herders perceive this disappearance primarily as a loss of financial resources. In short, the farmers' responses refer to two distinct phenomena: substitution between breeds and the decrease in the total sheep population in the area. The two phenomena call for different conservation strategies, in situ and ex situ. These should be integrated into a global program involving breeders, scientists and political authorities.