Nigeria has opened a railway line to transport cattle from the north to the south of the country.
An initial livestock consignment of around 500 cows has begun the 750km journey from the city of Gusau to the commercial capital, Lagos.
It should take two days.
Trucks need an average of seven days to make the same journey by road, and many animals die in transit.
The government estimates that the cattle trade between the north and south of Nigeria is worth nearly $300m (£225m) annually, but the poor road network is hampering the business.
– BBC
