Effect of pelleting crop residues on feed intake and digestibility in Djallonke sheep in North-sudanian zone of Burkina Faso

Arlette TOE 2, Sita SANOU 1, Michel KABORE 1, *, Hadja Oumou SANON 1 and Valérie MC BOUGOUMA 2

1 Institute of the Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA), Center for Environmental, Agricultural Research and Training (CREAF) of Kamboinsé, Animal Production Department (DPA), BP. 476, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
2 Nazi BONI University (UNB), Institute of Rural Development (IDR), Training and research unit in tropical zootechnics and environment, 01 B.P. 1091, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
 
Research Article
GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2023, 16(03), 078–085.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscarr.2023.16.3.0353
Publication history: 
Received on 25 July 2023; revised on 06 September 2023; accepted on 09 September 2023
 
Abstract: 
The effect of pelleting fodder on voluntary feed intake and digestibility in sheep was tested with sorghum straw and cowpea haulm in two forms (chopped and granulated). Twenty-four (24) sheep, of 18 to 24 months old, Djallonké breed were divided into 4 groups of 6 sheep following a random complete block device with four (04) treatments as follows: R1= 50% chopped sorghum straw + 50% chopped cowpea haulms, R2 = Granulated feed 1 (50% sorghum straw + 50% cowpea haulms), R3 = 50% chopped sorghum straw + 50% maize bran and R4 = Granulated feed 2 (50% chopped sorghum straw + 50% maize bran). Six (6) sheep per group underwent the intake trial, then consecutively five (5) sheep per group were retained and housed in digestibility cages for the digestibility test.
The voluntary intake of dry matter varied from 417.5 g/d for ration 3 to 600.5 g/d for ration 2. In terms of nutrient intake, ration 1 (75. 26g) records the highest intake of crude protein, followed by ration 2 (70.15g). There is no difference in voluntary intake within rations with forage chopped (R1 and R3) and pellet rations (R2 and R4). The digestibilities of DM and OM are lower with R2, followed by R4; on the other hand, R1 and R3 showed the best levels of digestibility. The crude protein digestibility value is higher for R1 than for the others. The grounding and pelleting of forage did not improve the intake and digestibility of the rations. Additional studies are needed, especially on the size of ground feed, in order to better elucidate the nutritional value of pelleted fodder.
 
Keywords: 
Crop residues; Dual purpose sorghum; Dual purpose cowpea; Pellets; Sheep
 
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