INTAKE OF TROPICAL TANNINIFEROUS PLANTS BY GOATS AND SHEEP WHEN OFFERED AS A SOLE FEED

Abstract

The intake of tropical tanniniferous plants (TTP) (Lysiloma latisiliquum, Piscidia piscipula and Acacia pennatula) when offered as a single feed to small ruminants could help to design a supplementation strategy looking for an anthelmintic effect. The objectives of the current study were: i) to determine the chemical composition of TTP offered to goats and sheep, ii) to determine and compare the total intake of TTP when offered as a single feed to goats and sheep. Adult sheep and goats, with experience in the intake of TTP, were allocated to individual pens. Three consecutive experimental period (15 d) separated by seven days were used. Each period consisted of 10 d adaptation and 5 days of experiment. During adaptation animals received 40 g of leaves of each TTP plant, fresh grass and concentrate feed on a daily basis. During the experimental period animals were fed ad libitum only with the fodder of a sole TTP. Between each period, animals were fed with fresh grass (ad libitum) and concentrate (200 g-1 day). Crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and lignin (L) were determined from each TTP. Total polyphenols (TP), total tannins (TT) and condensed tannins (CT) were also determined. During each experimental period, refused fodder and intake were measured every 24 h. A multivariate analysis was used in order to determine the effect of factors (animal species, plant species and individual animal within specie) on the dry matter intake. Factors with statistical effect (P<0.05) were analyzed by ANOVA (one way). The experiment with A. pennatula was suspended because animals refused to eat the plant. Piscidia piscipula and L. latisiliquum had similar quantities of CP. Lysiloma latisiliquum had the highest levels of polyphenolic compounds (TP, TT and CT) and lowest quantities of fibre components (NDF, ADF and L). The intake of P. piscipula was higher in goats than in sheep (P<0.01). However, the intake of L. latisiliquum was similar between both species. It was concluded that, when small ruminants eat a TTP as a single feed, the intake is mainly regulated by the fiber compounds.