An in vivo trial was conducted in sheep to investigate the effect of three tropical tannin-rich plants (TRP) on methane emission, intake and digestibility. The TRP used were leaves of Glyricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala and Manihot esculenta that contained, respectively, 39, 75 and 92 g condensed tannins/kg DM. Methane was determined with the sulphur hexafluoride tracer technique. Eight rumen-cannulated sheep of two breeds (four Texel, four Blackbelly) were used in two 4 × 4 Latin square designs. Four experimental diets were tested. They consisted in a tropical natural grassland hay based on Dichanthium spp. fed alone (C) or in association with G. sepium (G), L. leucocephala (L) or M. esculenta (M) given as pellets at 44% of the daily ration. Daily organic matter intake was higher in TRP diets (686, 984, 1054 and 1186 g/day for C, G, L and M respectively; p < 0.05) while apparent organic matter total tract digestibility was not affected (69.9%, 62.8%, 65.3% and 64.7% for C, G, L and M respectively; p > 0.05). Methane emission was 47.1, 44.9, 33.3 and 33.5 g/kg digestible organic matter intake for C, G, L and M, respectively, and was significantly lower (p < 0.05) for L and M than for G and C. Our results confirm the potential of some TRP to reduce methane production. The strong decrease in methane and the increase in intake with TRPs may be due to their presentation as pellets.

Background: Leucaena leucocephala, as a shrub legume rich in condensed tannins, is a candidate for the integrated control of gastrointestinal parasitic pathogen nematodes. Here, we investigated the anthelmintic potential of the nutraceutical L. leucocephala, transformed into pellets, against Haemonchus contortus. Results: Creole goat kids were fed an iso-nitrogenous diet of Dichantium hay with alfalfa pellets or Leucaena pellets or an alfalfa-leucaena mixture in varying ratios. The artificial infection of kids with H. contortus led to infection levels comparable to those observed in the farm environment on the basis of egg excretion. The anthelmintic activity of Leucaena, compared to alfalfa, was demonstrated by its potential to reduce egg excretions (1524 vs. 3651 eggs/g) and the larval development of excreted eggs (3.5 vs. 24%). This anthelmintic potential was reported when the ratio of Leucaena incorporation in the diet was high (50% DM intake). The voluntary dry matter intake (79.3 vs. 77.0 g Large Weigth 0.75), the total tract dry matter digestion (0.585 vs. 0.620), and the growth (57.1 vs. 71.3 g/d) of kids fed Leucaena compared to alfalfa indicate that Leucaena has a high feed value. The Leucaena, even at the highest intakes in the diets, has not shown any signs of poisoning in kids. Conclusions: Leucaena fulfilled the conditions to be a good nutraceutical, and pelleting is a good method for its use.

Les sécheresses successives, aggravées par les activités anthropiques et les effets du changement climatique, entrainent la disparition effrénée de plusieurs espèces végétales locales, adaptées selon les zones avec une importance sociale et économique avérée pour nos campagnes. Si le rythme de disparition noté n’est pas stoppé ou freiné, il s’en suivra la perte de l’essentiel de nos ressources végétales céréalières, fourragères et forestières locales. Certes, la recherche agricole s’évertue à trouver des solutions pour disposer de nouvelles variétés végétales adaptées. Mais, ce n’est pas toujours le cas pour les espèces fourragères. Ainsi, dans le cadre des activités de recensement et de collecte multi-spécifiques de ressources phytogénétiques pour l’alimentaire et l’agriculture, une synthèse spécifique a été consacrée au ressources fourragères des zones visitées. L’objectif visé est de recensé les ressources fourragères (naturelles ou cultivées) disponibles et leur méthode de gestion. Il ressort que les méthodes et le niveau d’exploitation des ressources fourragères naturelles et des résidus de récolte diffèrent d’une zone à l’autre. Le parcours naturel plus ou moins bien fourni dans les régions sud et est, constitue la principale ressource alimentaire des animaux au niveau de toute la zone d’étude. Les résidus de récolte bien qu’abondants et variés, ont peu d’intérêt chez les éleveurs du sud du Sénégal où la diversité qui est l’indice de qualité et le volume des pâturages sur le parcours naturel sont abondants. Certes, l’inventaire des espèces fourragères ne peut se faire selon la même méthodologie que celle des espèces agricoles et maraîchères. Mais, la photographie obtenue devrait servir de guide à un recensement des espèces fourragères herbacées et ligneuses les plus consommées sur le parcours naturel, tout en étudiant les méthodes de conservation et de production des espèces recensées afin, de dégager les meilleures méthodes de gestion et d’utilisation durable.Mots clés : Ressources fourragères, régions sud et est du Sénégal, ligneux et herbacés, résidus de culture.   English Title: Forage resources, feeding and grazing in the South, and East of SenegalSuccessive droughts, aggravated by anthropogenic activities and the effects of climate change, lead to frantic disappearance of several local plant species, adapted according to the areas, and with proven social and economic importance for our countryside. If the rate of disappearance noted, is not stopped or slowed, it will follow the loss of most of our local grain, fodder and forest plant resources. Certainly, agricultural research is struggling to find solutions to have new adapted plant varieties; this is not always the case for forage species. Thus, within the framework of multi-specific census and collection activities of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, a specific summary was devoted to the fodder resources of the areas visited. The objective is to identify the fodder resources (natural or cultivated) available and their management method. It appears that the methods and level of exploitation of natural fodder resources and crop residues differ from one area to another. The more or less well supplied natural route in the south and east regions constitutes the main food resource for animals throughout the study area. Crop residues, although abundant and varied, are of little interest to breeders in the south of Senegal where the diversity which is the quality index and the volume of pastures on the natural range are abundant. Of course, the inventory of fodder species cannot be done according to the same methodology as that of agricultural and market garden species. However, the photograph obtained should serve as a guide for a census of herbaceous and ligneous fodder species most consumed by animals on natural route, while studying the methods of conservation and production of the listed species; in order to identify the best methods of management and sustainable use.Keywords: Fodder resources, southern and eastern regions of Senegal, ligneous and herbaceous plants, crop residues.  

In tropical and subtropical countries, livestock productivity may be affected by the availability of food resources and the high prevalence of gastrointestinal pathogenic nematodes. The classical method of control using anthelmintic drugs is becoming decreasingly efficient because of a generalised resistance of the gastrointestinal nematodes suppress (GIN) to most of the drugs. In small farms, protein-rich biomasses with significant amounts of condensed tannins (CT), which are known to have anthelminbtic properties, might be good candidates to produce nutraceuticals. This experiment was conducted to determine the feasibility of producing nutraceutical pellets from Manihot esculenta sp., Cajanus cajan and Leucaena leucocephala, considering the influence of agro-pedo-climatic conditions plant species and technological factors, such as drying and pelleting. The samples were harvested in two different agro-pedo-climatic zones and sundried under shelter (at 25 to 35°C) or in a ventilated oven (45°C) before pelleting. Chemical analysis on crude protein and condensed tannins were conducted. The chemical composition of the plants did not vary significantly with agro-pedo-climatic conditions. Sun-drying and oven-drying decreased the CT content of the plants. No effect of pelleting was recorded on crude protein and CT contents, except for C. cajan, for which a small decrease in CT content was observed. Protein-rich foliage types with CT contents above 50 g/kg of dry matter are potentially good candidates to produce nutraceutical pellets if they are dried using mild drying conditions, like sundrying under shelter.