Optimal Use of Locally Available Feed Resources for Sheep Fattening in Mixed Crop-Livestock Farming Systems in the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso

Abstract

Two trials were carried out on Djallonke fattening sheep to investigate feed systems that would produce meat at lower cost. “Kibsa Aliment” (KSA), a commercial concentrate (17.60% digestible crude protein, 0.91 UF/kg dry matter), or cottonseed cakes (CSC) were partially or totally substituted by local energy and nitrogen sources. A control diet (D1) [40% sorghum straw (SS) + 60% KSA] was thus compared to various feed combinations that included local products: in D2, KSA was partially substituted (– 30%) by 27.50% Piliostigma reticulatum pods (PrP) + urea (Ur), and in D3, KSA was totally substituted by 47% CSC + PrP + Ur. In trial 1, the average daily gains (ADG) were significantly different (P < 0.01) with values of 100.5, 62.4, and 58.6 g recorded in D1, D2, and D3, respectively. These substitutions led to ADG losses of – 38.1 and – 49.2 g, respectively. However, D2 and D3 yielded the highest profits with extra benefits of + 519 and + 1055 CFA francs net per animal. In trial 2, CSC was partially substituted (– 10%) by Pennisetum pedicellatum (Pp) hay, which resulted in ADG losses of – 14.4 g. In conclusion, the combination of 20-30% CSC or KSA, and 27% PrP + Ur enhanced the fodder (SS or Pp) quality and enabled producers to register the highest profits.