ABSTRACT
Nigeria is the largest of the coastal countries of West Africa. Sheep are an important source of meat in Nigeria; other products are relatively unimportant. Considering the shortage of animal protein in the present diet of Nigerians, there is a need to increase livestock production in general and sheep production in particular. Sheep have much in their favor in countries such as Nigeria: their self-sufficiency and utilization of cheap and readily available feeds. A few large flocks of West African Dwarf sheep are maintained on farms of agricultural ministries and universities, but most small flocks are owned by individuals in villages and towns. These sheep are black or black and white spotted, rarely completely white; a few have red coats or red spotting. There are three major breeds of sheep in Nigeria: the Uda and the Yankasa, which are hair sheep in the north, and the West African Dwarf in the southern humid zone.
