Crossbreeding for dairy gains: a narrative review of Burkina Faso’s experience in tropical context

Efforts to enhance dairy productivity in Burkina Faso have historically relied on exotic breeds and crossbreeding to offset the low yields of indigenous cattle. This narrative review evaluates these interventions using peer‑reviewed and grey literature. We trace their trajectory, from the local adaptation of the Azawak zebu to artificial insemination and South–South live‑animal imports, and situate them within the institutional framework and productive performance of the broader West African dairy sector. Findings show that genetic, institutional, and productive outcomes are interdependent. The primary constraint on dairy improvement is rarely the biological potential of introduced breeds. Rather, a persistent mismatch exists between genetic potential and the institutional, financial, and managerial capacities required to sustain it. Current evidence indicates that crossbred cows achieve average daily yields of 7–12 litres, a three‑ to four‑fold increase over local breeds. Yet these gains remain fragmented and consistently trail regional benchmarks, such as Ethiopia and Rwanda. International comparisons underscore the role of genotype‑by‑environment (GxE) interactions. The Girolando breed, for example, achieved substantially higher yields in Brazil following decades of structured selection, while in Benin it produces only 2,115 litres/year. Similarly, Indian data reveal that management environments alone can cause twofold yield variation among cattle of comparable genetic composition. In Burkina Faso, documentation gaps, absence of phenotypic databases, limited herd monitoring, and insufficient economic evaluations, reflect systemic institutional deficits. Future research should prioritise GxE studies, representative genetic surveys, and evaluations of service providers.