Sheep Fattening with Groundnut Haulms and Millet Bran in the West African Sahel

Sheep fattening is economically important in mixed crop-livestock systems in the West African Sahel. It is particularly attractive to poor farmers including women because of the low investment and rapid turnover. A feeding trial was conducted for 56 days to determine the optimal feeding levels of groundnut haulms and millet bran for profitable sheep fattening. Forty-eight Peul Oudah rams, bought from a livestock market, about 12-15 months old, with an average initial live weight of 20.3 kg (standard deviation = 1.7) were randomly divided into groups of six animals and allotted to eight treatment groups defined by a factorial combination of four feeding levels of groundnut haulms (0, 300, 600 and 900 g per animal per day) and two levels of millet bran (0 and 400 g per animal per day). Bush hay was offered ad libitum at 40 g/kg live weight as basal feed. Total dry matter intake and digestible organic matter intake were linearly related to the level of groundnut haulms and millet bran offered. Average daily gains (ADGs) of sheep offered 0, 300, 600 and 900 g/day of groundnut haulms without millet bran were -27.5, 10.4, 30.8 and 35.7 g/day, respectively. With 400 g millet bran per day, ADGs were 40.3, 59.5, 91.7 and 63.4 g/day, for the four levels of groundnut haulms, respectively. Supplementation with 600 g/day of groundnut haulms and 400 g/day of millet bran gave the highest net return.