The economy of the West African region is still based on subsistence farming, with livestock providing both the economic and social capital as well as the source of draught power for agricultural farming.
In addition, African zebu cattle are still a reliable source of draught power (Rege et al., 2001).
The importance of ruminants must not be forgotten, however, and particular attention is required to develop their role as a source of draught power.
Bovines, equines, camelids and elephants are all used as sources of draught power for a variety of purposes, such as pulling agricultural implements, pumping irrigation water and skidding in forests.
The domestic water buffalo is a major source of meat, draught, hide and employment to the marginal farmers and landless labourers in many Asian countries.
The EC noted that the contribution of livestock to crop production needs further quantification, particularly, as a source of manure and draught power.
Livestock is an important source of milk, meat, manure, and draught power for the households, who rear goats along with other livestock.
As livestock, river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) provide a source of meat, dairy products, and draught power throughout the world including Asia, South America, the Mediterranean, and other regions (reviewed in Boyazaglu [ 19], Bernardes, [ 20] and Cruz [ 21]).
They are kept for a variety of purposes such as conveyance of goods or farm products; as draught animal; as source of hide, milk, and meat (Dorman 1984) or as racing animals in some Middle East countries (Snow 1992).
In smallholder mixed crop-livestock production systems, the survival of female calves is required for herd expansion and breed improvement, while that of male calves is used as a source of income from sales or as draught animals [ 1].
Given their importance as major contributors to food crop production, as a risk-avoidance mechanism and as a source of income, greater efforts need to be devoted to promoting the wider and more efficient use of draught animals.
