1. The livestock sub-sector of the Nigerian economy has an important role to play the overall development of the country. Not only does the sub-sector provide the much needed animal protein for the ever growing Nigerian population, it also offers employment opportunities for millions of rural and urban dwellers involved in some form of livestock production and marketing.
2. There is a dearth of information about Nigeria's livestock population and herd structure. However, estimates made consist of between 12-16 million cattle, about 13.5 million sheep, some 26 million goats, about 2.2 million pigs and 150 poultry (local and exotic breeds). Regrettably, the size and diversity of Nigeria's livestock resource has not been able to provide the minimum animal protein requirement of the average citizen Many reasons have been advanced for the low capacity of lot al livestock species to meet domestic requirements. These range from the producers' alleged "social psychological enclave" to institutional and policy factors.
3. The problem of locally produced animals and animal products manifested at the time of independence and worsened through the post-independence years. The shortage of meat and other animal products had to be supported by imports. By 1976, the situation was such that the value of food and live animals imported into the country overtook that of exports (Table 1). As local supplies dwindled, increasingly huge amounts of foreign exchange continued to be allocated for the procurement of meat and other livestock products. Collosal import bills were being incurred by both the federal and state governments by the early 1980s. By 1983, for instance, Nigeria recorded an import bill of about N 1 121 million for food and live animals alone 1. In 1984, a total of 549 768 heads of cattle was imported into the country (Federal Livestock Department, 1984:27). This figure represents about 43% of the total recorded supply in the country and was valued at N 429.4 million (at an annual average price of N 781 per head) at that time. And of the total available cattle in the country in 1984, recorded movement to the southern states stood at almost 72% - an indication that livestock production and marketing is geared towards meeting the needs of urban dwellers.
4. It became increasingly obvious that the bulk of Nigeria's food requirements will have to be met through local production. This is more so because of the slim and dwindling financial resources available to the government to support imports of livestock products.
5. It was necessary, therefore, to put in motion all the machinery required to support and sustain the indigenous livestock base.
6. This thinking led to the establishment of the Shika Stock Farm (now the National Animal Production Research Institute) in 1928. The farm was mandated to produce male stock that would be distributed to farmers, research and develop pasture and range management, and animal health delivery and other aspects of livestock production, research, development and extension.
