Forage Preference, Voluntary Intake, and In Vivo Digestibility of Six Tropical Tree Leaves by Sheep in Semi-Arid Areas in Benin Republic (West Africa)

Euvrard L. R. Gninkplékpo, Bossima Ivan Koura (), Paolo D. A. Lesse, Alain Yaoïtcha, Jodelet Accalogoun, Jean-Luc Hornick, Jean-François Cabaraux and Marcel R. B. Houinato
Additional contact information
Euvrard L. R. Gninkplékpo: School of Sciences and Technics of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi P.O. Box 526, Benin
Bossima Ivan Koura: Ecole de Gestion et d’Exploitation des Systèmes d’Elevage, Université Nationale d’Agriculture, Ketou P.O. Box 43, Benin
Paolo D. A. Lesse: School of Sciences and Technics of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi P.O. Box 526, Benin
Alain Yaoïtcha: Agronomic Research Center of Northern East, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Benin, Godomey P.O. Box 884, Benin
Jodelet Accalogoun: School of Sciences and Technics of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi P.O. Box 526, Benin
Jean-Luc Hornick: FARAH Centre, Department of Veterinary Management of Animal Resources, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Jean-François Cabaraux: FARAH Centre, Department of Veterinary Management of Animal Resources, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Marcel R. B. Houinato: School of Sciences and Technics of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi P.O. Box 526, Benin

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: Livestock supplementation with forage trees is becoming a sustainable alternative to traditional grazing on the open pastures during the dry season in Benin. However, little is known about the feeding preferences of sheep and the digestibility of such native tree/shrub fodder. Such knowledge could improve their use on smallholder farms. Multiple-choice feeding preference tests were conducted on six tree fodders ( Annona senegalensis , Blighia sapida , Cassia sieberiana , Gmelina arborea , Khaya senegalensis , and Mangifera indica ) to determine the best choice to feed the local rams and ewe Djallonke sheep. The cafeteria test involved four rams and four ewes. In addition, an in vivo trial using metabolic cages was conducted to evaluate the voluntary intake of dried woody leaves and the dry matter digestibility of diets containing these dried leaves. Preferences varied significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) according to the woody species. Based on relative intake values, sheep preferred, in decreasing order, the leaves of M. indica , B. sapida , K. senegalensis , G. arborea , A. senegalensis , and C. sieberiana. The apparent digestibility of dry matter was highest ( p ≤ 0.01) in the G. arborea diet (86.8%); all diets presented a value higher than 70%. This study provided helpful information about better resource utilization to improve animal productivity. Further study could evaluate the growth performance of sheep supplemented with tree fodder.

Keywords: forage trees; nutritive value; neutral detergent fiber; productivity; sustainable (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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