Crossbreeding has been the breeding method of choice for several species in plants and livestock. In plants, the main reason for crossbreeding is to exploit heterosis effects which can be maximized via the use of highly inbred parental strains. In livestock, notably in poultry and swine, positional effects of pure-bred parents of crosses are well known and hence crossbreeding systems are set up...

The Federal Government of Nigeria has long recognised the need for a wide ranging and objective assessment of livestock populations and systems covering the whole country. The problem has been how this might best be achieved. In the past, official livestock population figures have been derived indirectly from administrative records, such as vaccination returns and jangali tax payments, slaughte...