Comparative nutritional evaluation of the two leguminous fodder trees Prosopis africana and Piliostigma thonningii: effects of different levels of podbased supplementation on the growth performance of Djallonke sheep

Abstract

The study aims to provide information on the nutritional value of the pods of the two important fodder species Piliostigma thonningii and Prosopis africana and their effects, when used as a supplementary feed, on the growth performance of Djallonke sheep. Crushed pods were used as a dietary supplement  for growing Djallonke sheep. Comparisons were undertaken on the nutritional values of both fodder species (used as staple foods) and cotton cake,  groundnut crop residues, farina of Mucuna deeringiana and hay of Pennisetum pedicellatum. The results indicated that the pods of the two ligneous  plants P. africana and P. thonningii have a higher content of crude protein compared to compared to the hay of P. pedicellatum (12.23% and 18.82%,  respectively). The wall content of pods of P. thonningii (55.65% NDF, 39.36% ADF and 34.76% ADL) were higher than those of P. africana (42.27%, 31.09%  and 27.34%, respectively). The average daily gains (ADGs) in growing animals were 78 g, 61 g and 56 g for animals supplemented with farina of M.  deeringiana, pods of P. thonningii and cotton cake, respectively. During the fattening phase of the study, the ADGs were 97 g and 79 g for animals  receiving cotton cake and M. deeringiana seed meal, respectively. Supplementing feed with pods of P. thonningii resulted in increasing growth after 63  days, relative to the other fodders. However, other investigations should be continued to determine the nature and content of tannins that seem to limit  the valorization of pods of fodder tree species.