title: Intake and digestibility in sheep and chemical composition during different seasons of some West African browse species.
abstract: Foliage of Afzelia africana, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Khaya senegalensis, from 10 trees per species, was collected every two weeks during the late dry, rainy and cool season to determine the seasonal effects on chemical composition. Fifteen rams of the Djallonké breed, weighing on average 20.0 kg, were used to evaluate the voluntary intake and digestibility of hay of A. gayanus, foliage of A. africana (as a sole feed), and A. africana, P. erinaceus and K. senegalensis offered with 30% of the diet as A. gayanus hay. The crude protein (CP) content ofA. africana, and P. erinaceus decreased significantly from the late dry season to the cool season when that of K. senegalensis tended to increase. The mean CP of A. africana, P. erinaceus and K. senegalensis differed significantly (173 g, 139 g and 114 g/kg DM, respectively). The DM intake ofA. africana offered with hay (571 g/d) or as a sole feed (598 g/d) were not significantly different, but was higher than that of P. erinaceus (428 g/d) and K. senegalensis (298 g/d). The digestibility calculated by difference of DM and CP of A. africana (582 g/kg DM and 795 g/kg CP, respectively) did not differ significantly from A. africana as a sole feed, but were higher than for the other species. The nutritive value of A. africana seems to justify the high preference of herders for this species.
authors.affiliation: Institut du Développement Rural, Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Salifou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouédraogo-Koné
authors.forename: Chantal Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kaboré-Zoungrana
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ledin
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004063:Digestion; D002149:Energy Intake; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D029582:Meliaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D009753:Nutritive Value; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D035721:Pterocarpus / Q000737:chemistry; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins