Optimizing the incorporation rate of fresh leaves of Ficus sycomorus as a dietary supplement for sheep fed low-quality forages: effects on digestibility and zootechnical performance
Sanou Sita1*, Delma Barkwendé Jethro1, Traoré Linda C. Gabriella3, Djiguemde Michel2, Sanon Hadja Oumou1
1Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique / Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), Laboratoire de Recherche en Production et Santé Animales 04 BP 8645, Ouagadougou 04, Burkina Faso
2Ecole Nationale de l’Élevage et de la Santé Animale (ENESA), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
3Université de Nazi Boni, Bobo‐Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
* Auteur correspondant : SANOU Sita, Tel (+226) 70 73 80 33/ (+226) 78 71 42 19, email zouwiss@yahoo.fr
Keywords: Browse fodder, sheep, low-quality forages, digestibility, average daily gain
Submitted 01/08/2026, Published online on 31st October 2026 in the Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (J. Anim. Plant Sci.) ISSN 2071 – 7024
1 ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to determine the optimal incorporation rate of fresh leaves of Ficus sycomorus (sycamore fig) as a dietary supplement for low-quality forages. 20 adult Djallonké rams distributed into five groups receiving diets containing 0% (T0), 15% (T15), 30% (T30), 70% (T70), or 100% (T100) of F. sycomorus leaves for 74 days. The basal rations, consisting of Pennisetum pedicellatum (Deenanath grass) hay and F. sycomorus leaves, were supplemented with 100 g of cotton seed cake. The study assessed the chemical composition, the voluntary intake, the apparent digestibility and the weight evolution of the five diets. The results showed that the fresh leaves of F. sycomorus were richer in crude protein (109.5 g CP/kg DM) than the basic hay (43.6 g CP/kg DM), but the leaves of F. sycomorus also contained more crude ash (153 g CA/ kg DM). The incorporation of F. sycomorus leaves into the diets significantly improved nutrient digestibility (p < 0.05). The diet containing 70% of F. sycomorus showed the highest average daily gain (83 g/day/ kg BW0.75) and the low feed conversion ratio (9 kg DM/kg gain), compared to 18 g/day/ kg BW0.75and 35 g kg DM/kg gain respectively for the control. Beyond 70%, no significant improvement was observed. It is recommended the use of fresh F. sycomorus leaves at a maximum rate of 70% of total dry matter to optimize sheep fattening in the Sahelian zone. However, the 30% rate could also be interesting in case of low availability of F. sycomorus leaves.
2 INTRODUCTION
Ruminant feeding in dry tropical zones, particularly in Burkina Faso, is characterized by quantitative and qualitative limitations of forage resources, especially during the dry season. Cereal straws and bush hays, which form the basis of ruminant diets during this period, have very low crude protein contents, not exceeding 40 g/kg of dry matter (Nantoumé et al., 2000). These levels are below the minimum required for proper digestive tract function and animal maintenance (Tendonkeng et al., 2010). This protein deficiency severely limits forage digestibility and animal zootechnical performance. Browse species represent a promising alternative resource to overcome these nutritional deficiencies. Among these species, Ficus sycomorus (sycamore fig) stands out for its richness in crude protein and its availability during the dry season. Bromatological analysis results revealed that fresh F. sycomorus leaves have a crude protein content of 129.5 g/kg DM (Coulibaly et al., 2025), higher than that of bush straws and cereal straws traditionally used. In addition to its availability, F. sycomorus leaves are appreciated by animals. Indeed, a feed preference test conducted on five browse species commonly used in southeastern Mali showed that this species ranked third among the most consumed as fresh leaves and second when offered in dry form (Coulibaly et al., 2025). These results indicate that F. sycomorus has interesting potential as a dietary supplement in sheep rations. Although the nutritive value of browse species is recognized, their optimal incorporation rate in sheep rations is not sufficiently documented. Too low, an incorporation would not effectively correct protein deficiencies in basal forages, while excessive incorporation could lead to anti-nutritional effects related to secondary compounds such as condensed tannins or nutritional imbalances. Previous studies have shown that a tendency towards reduced digestibility can be observed even with low tannin contents, suggesting a complex relationship between chemical structure and biological activity (Novak et al., 2020). This study aims to determine the optimal incorporation rate of fresh F. sycomorus leaves as a supplement to a diet based on low-quality forages for sheep. This research will contribute to the development of practical recommendations for farmers and agricultural extension workers in the Sahelian zone. It will also help to value local forage resources and improve sheep productivity, thereby contributing to food security and rural household income.
3 METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
3.1 Experimental design: The study was conducted in Burkina Faso at the Research station of the Regional Directorate for Environmental and Agricultural Research of Saria (DRREA Centre), under the Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA).
The trial followed a completely randomized design with 20 Djallonke rams. The trial was conducted over 74 days, comprising periods for measuring voluntary intake, weight evolution and digestibility. The voluntary intake and weight evolution study lasted for 61 days, comprising a 14-day adaptation phase and 47 days of data collection. The adaptation phase was included to allow the rams to become accustomed to the new environmental conditions and new diets. The digestibility assessment was conducted over 13 days, comprising an 8-day adaptation phase and a 5-day data collection phase (Matumuini et al., 2013). During the trial, the various feeds were distributed daily.
3.2 Experimental animals: The trial was conducted under controlled conditions on sheep (Ovis aries L.) of the Djallonké breed, Mossi variety (Photo 1, 2). Twenty (20) adults, entire male sheep aged between 18 and 36 months were used. They had an initial average live weight of 20.81 ± 3.81 kg, ranging from 14.5 kg to 27.7 kg. The animals were purchased from livestock markets (Yilou, Kamboinsé, and Saria). To ensure that the animals were in good health prior to the testing, they were vaccinated against pasteurellosis, pest of small ruminants and dewormed. The animals were then allocated to five (5) groups, each comprising four (4) animals. To discard the animals’ weight effect on the results, the groups were established based on live weight homogeneity. The animals were placed in different compartments within the same building. Each compartment accommodated four animals which were grouped per treatment. The rams were kept in stabling.
Photo 1: Djallonké ram Photo 2: Djallonké ram with faecal collection harnesses
3.3 Experimental diets: The animals received a basic diet made of P. pedicellatum (Deenanath grass) hay supplemented with cotton seed cake (Table 1). Cotton seed cake was added to the diets to prevent extreme weight loss, given the poor quality of hay used in the study. The P. pedicellatum hay was purchased from fodder sellers in Sakoinsé, a village located approximately 30 km from Koudougou. F. sycomorus leaves were collected from the village of Saria in the morning and distributed daily according to the incorporation rates of 15 ; 30, 70 and 100 per cent (Photos 3 and 4). Subsequently, 100 g of cotton seed cake was added to each ration. The various feeds were weighed daily using an electric balance with a capacity of 3 kg with an accuracy of 1 g before being placed in the feeders. The total daily diet distributed was calculated on the basis of the animals’ live weight at a rate of 3.5% of live weight. The quantities of the various feedstuffs in the diet were determined based on their inclusion rates in the total diet. The animals had access to clean drinking water and salt licks ad libitum. The feed diets were randomly allocated to the different groups by drawing lots.
Photo 3: Tree of Ficus sycomoros Photo 4: Fresh leaves of Ficus sycomoros
Table 1 : Experimental diets
Diets Basal ration composition (% DM) Supplementation (g)
P. pedicellatum hay F. sycomorus leaves Cotton seed cake
T0 100 0 100
T15 85 15 100
T30 70 30 100
T70 30 70 100
T100 100 0 100
3.4 Parameters measured
3.4.1 Voluntary intake: To measure the quantities voluntarily ingested, the refusal rate was set between 10 and 30% (Klein et al., 2019). The feed offered and rejected was weighed daily for each animal in each group. Voluntary intake, expressed as Dry Matter Intake (DMI), was calculated by subtracting the amount refused from the amount offered, based on dry matter (DM). The animal mean weights, estimated from the weights at the beginning and end of the experiment, were used to express voluntary intake by kg of metabolic body weight, expressed in g/day/ kg BW0,75.
Where IV: Voluntary Intake,
Q𝑜𝑓: Quantity offered,
Q𝑟𝑓: Quantity refused
3.4.2 Apparent digestibility coefficients: To calculate the apparent digestibility coefficient, common in vivo method including total collection of faeces is used. Feeds (P. pedicellatum, F. sycomorus, and cotton seed cake) was weighed daily for each animal before distribution. Feed refusals were measured by component, per animal every morning before the next ration was offered. The faeces also were collected and weighed each morning before the feed was distributed. For each animal, 20% of the daily faecal output was sampled and the weight was recorded (P1). This sample was then dried in the shade for a week and weighed (P2) and subsequently stored in a plastic bag for bromatological analysis, as well as the samples of P. pedicellatum, F. sycomorus and cotton seed cake. The digestibility of the diet (dD) was calculated using the following formula:
(𝐼 − 𝐹)
𝑑D = 𝐼 * 100
Where dD = diet digestibility,
I = amount of DM ingested and
F = amount of DM excreted in faeces
3.4.3 Growth performance: Growth performance Evaluation is an important element to consider, as it determines feed quality for fattening animals. The growth performance indicator generally used in feeding trials is the average daily gain (ADG). To determine ADG, sheep were weighed at the beginning and end of the experiment, as well as once a week. An electric scale with a range of 99 kg and a precision of 50 g was used for this operation. ADG was determined using the following formula:
ADG(g/day)=(Final weightⓜ-Initial weight)/(Number of feding days)
3.4.4 Feed conversion ratio: The feed efficiency of the rations was determined by calculating an indicator called the feed conversion ratio (FCR) which measures the amount of feed needed to achieve a given weight gain. The FCR thus evaluates an animal’s feed conversion efficiency into final products. The lower the FCR, the more efficiently the animal transforms feed. FCR is calculated by dividing the total amount of feed consumed by the body weight gain over a given period. FCR, like ADG, plays an essential role in optimizing animal production.
FCR=
(Quantity of feed ingested in kg dry matter)/(Final live weightⓜ-Initial live weight)
3.5 Chemical analyses: Samples of the distributed and refusal feed and faeces collected daily were submitted to bromatological analysis. From these samples, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude ash (CA) and crude cellulose (CF) were determined. The Dry matter was determined after oven-drying 2 g of the sample for 24 hours at 103°C (Afnor, 1982; Bastianelli and Hervouet, 1998). For CA, feed samples were weighed and placed in an electric muffle furnace at 550°C for 4 hours, and the products obtained were weighed and expressed as relative dry matter values for each sample (Afnor, 1977). OM was obtained by subtraction: 100 – CA. Nitrogenous content was determined using the Kjeldahl method which involves mineralizing the samples with sulfuric acid (95%) at 480°C for 167 min in the mineralizer, distilling using a distillation apparatus and titrating the distillates (Iso, 1997). The crude protein (CP) contents were estimated from the nitrogen content of the samples and a factor based on the average nitrogen content of plants, which is 16%, using the formula (N × 6.25). CF was measured using fibersac (Afnor, 1993). The chemical composition of the rations was determined by taking into account the nutrient content of the constituent ingredients and their proportion in the rations.
3.6 Statistical analysis: The statistical analyses were performed using R software (version 4.4.1). Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were calculated. The Shapiro–Wilk test and Bartlett’s test were applied to assess normality and homogeneity of variances, respectively. When these assumptions were met, a one‑way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post‑hoc test was used for pairwise mean comparisons. For datasets that did not satisfy normality or homogeneity requirements, non‑parametric procedures were employed, specifically the Kruskal–Wallis test, using a significance threshold of 5%.
4 RESULTS
4.1 Chemical composition of feedstuffs: Chemical analysis results (Table 2) showed significant variation between the feeds used. Fresh F. sycomorus leaves were richer in crude protein (109.5 g/kg DM), than P. pedicellatum hay (43.6 g/kg DM). F. sycomorus leaves were also rich in minerals (164.9 g/kg DM) and had lower CF content (138.3 g/kg DM). Similarly, diets containing F. sycomorus leaves were richer in protein (Table 3).
Table 2: Chemical composition of feedstuffs (g/ kg DM)
Feedstuffs DM OM CP Ash CF
P. pedicellatum (hay) 949.4±0.22a 898.7±0.21a 43.6±0.25a 101.2±0.21a 416.3±0.19a
F. sycomorus (fresh leaves) 302.0±0.00b 835.0±0.37b 109.5±0.27b 164.9±0.37b 138.3±0.05b
Cotton seed cake 954.4±0.63ac 945.0±0.20c 249.7±0.24c 54.9±0.20c 250.6±0.16c
p-value 0.03486 1.922e-09 0.02732 1.922e-09 0.02732
Mean values in the same column with a common letter are not statistically different at the 5% threshold
Table 3: Chemical composition of distributed rations (g/ day)
Diets DM OM Ash CP CF
T0 889.4±183.93a 803.7±165.30a 85.6±18.61 a 57.1±7.70 a 341.6±73.56a
T15 910.7±122.16a 824.8±110.08a 83.1±12.07 a 69.7±6.87a 349±48.72 a
T30 896.1±106.10a 794.8± 93.37a 101.2±12.72 a 74.2±6.67a 292.1±35.53 a
T70 942.3±222.80a 861±202.79a 81.3±20.00 a 111.9±23.16b 305.8±74.15 a
T100 914.65±100.08a 840±91.60a 74.6±8.48 a 130.9±13.08b 341.6±29.60 a
p-value 0.6082 0.5956 0.1939 0.002642 0.1182
Mean values in the same column with a common letter are not statistically different at the 5% threshold
4.2 Voluntary intake of fresh F. sycomorus leaves: Voluntary feed intake values showed significant differences between rations (p < 0.05). Diets containing 100% of F. sycomorus leaves recorded higher fresh matter intake levels (190.6 g FM kg BW0.75) than T70 (167.8 g FM/ kg BW0.75), T30 (125.1 g FM/ /kg BW0.75), T15 (97.5 g FM/ kg BW0.75) and T0 (67.4 g FM/ kg BW0.75). When this intake is reported to dry matter, intake of the T0 (100% hay) becomes comparable to that of the T100 (100% fresh leaves). However, for mixed rations (hay and leaf mixture), voluntary DM consumption was higher (Table 4). Leaf incorporation in the rations therefore improved DM intake of whole rations. However, no significant difference was noted between the different integration rates. Dry matter intake ranged from 68.3 g/day/ kg BW0.75 to 71.33 g/day/ kg BW0.75. Crude protein, crude ash and crude fibre intake of the feeds differed (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). The ration T70 ration showed high crude protein intake and low crude fibre intake compared to the other rations (Table 5).
Table 4: Voluntary FM and DM intake of rations as a function of the incorporation rate of fresh F. sycomorus leaves in the ration
Diets FM g/ animal FM g/ kg BW0.75 DM g/ animal DM g/ kg BW0.75
T0 682.1±141.17b 67.4±1.42a 647.6±136.28a 63.9±1.57b
T15 996.7±112.27ab 97.5±2.43b 697.4±73.54a 68.3±2.16a
T30 1274±147.70ac 125.1±4.38c 726.1±80.71a 71.3±3.27a
T70 1670.21±430.64cd 167.76±13.81d 698.03±182.26a 70.19±7.10a
T100 1801.78±92.89d 190.62±2.41e 584.83±18.41a 61.93±2.13b
p-value 0.001 0.001 0.452 0.014
Mean values in the same column with a common letter are not statistically different at the 5% threshold.
FM = Fresh Matter; BW^0.75 = Metabolic weight; DM = Dry Matter.
Table 5: Nutrient intake of rations according to incorporation rate of F. sycomorus leaves (g/ kg BW0.75)
Diets DM OM Ash CP CF
T0 63.93±1.57ab 57.49±1.41ab 6.02±0.23b 4.78±0.28d 25.01±0.90b
T15 68.30±2.17ab 60.91±1.95a 6.98±0.16ab 5.67±0.38a 23.71±0.67ab
T30 71.34±3.27a 63.16±2.93a 7.77±0.36ac 6.51±0.19b 21.98±1.33a
T70 70.19±7.10ab 61.35±6.24a 8.41±0.91c 7.71±0.41c 16.58±2.27c
T100 62.08±1.10b 53.52±1.73b 8.12±0.24c 8.22±0.30c 9.73±0.34d
p-value 0.015 0.008 0.003 0.000 0.001
Mean values in the same column with a common letter are not statistically different at the 5% threshold
4.3 Digestibility of the different diets used: The digestibility results showed that the values of dry matter (dDM), organic matter (dOM), mineral matter (dCA), crude protein (dCP) and crude fibre (dCF) differed (p < 0.05) between the diets. The dDM, dOM, and dCP of T70 treatment were higher (p < 0.05) than other treatments. Incorporating fresh F. sycomorus leaves at 70% of the basal ration led to an improvement in the digestibility of rations. However, a decrease in dCP was observed for the diets containing 15% and 30% fresh leaves of F. sycomorus, corresponding to T15 and T30 treatments (Table 6).
Table 6: Ration digestibility with different incorporation levels of F. sycomorus leaves (%)
Diets dDM dOM dAsh dCP dCF
T0 50.54±5.16a 56.04±1.47a 37.56±4.38a 44.91±0.83a 61.42±0.25c
T15 53.08±0.10a 56.40±0.59a 16.77±7.23b 22.15±1.24b 55.26±0.42a
T30 53.27±5.27a 58.01±4.25a 10.74±15.18b 29.82±12.27b 54.52±3.51a
T70 66.18±3.78b 70.44±4.61c 34.75±1.27b 59.81±6.24c 56.74± 4.25a
T100 52.91±4.24a 63.41±1.47b 7.38±2.92c 42.88±4.95ab 28.33±1.01b
p-value 0.03655 0.046 0.036 0.014 0.000
Mean values in the same column with a common letter are not statistically different at the 5% threshold.
4.4 Growth performance and feed conversion ratio: Weight gains and ADG obtained with the incorporation of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus in the different rations were different (p < 0.05). Distribution of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus in association with P. pedicellatum hay, resulted in an increase (Table 7). The ADG of T70 treatment and T30 treatment (75.79 g/ day) were higher than other treatments. The lowest ADG was obtained with the control diet without fresh leaves of F. sycomorus (18.03 ± 6.01 g/day). The feed conversion ratios (FCR) results showed significant differences between the diets (p < 0.05). Incorporation of F. sycomorus leaves into the diets resulted in a decrease in FCR. Overall, FCR obtained with rations containing F. sycomorus leaves were lower compared to the control T0. The best FCR were noted with the T70 diet (9.19 kg DM/kg BW), followed by the T30 diet (9.49 kg DM/kg BW). An increase in FCR was observed for the diets containing fresh leaves of F. sycomorus beyond the incorporation rate of 70%.
Table 7: Weight growth performance of sheep according to the incorporation rate of fresh leaves in rations and the feed conversion ratio of these rations
Diets Initial weight (kg) Final weight (kg) Weight gain (kg) ADG (g/day) FCR (kg DM/kg gain)
T0 21.62±5.47a 22.47±5.38a 0.84±0.28a 18.03±6.01a 35.31±11.68b
T15 21.85±4.19a 23.94±3.75a 1.09±0.95a 23.20±20.39a 16.76±5.05a
T30 20.30±2.52a 23.86±3.18a 3.56±0.90bc 75.79± 19.35b 9.50±1.73a
T70 19.36±4.78a 23.26±5.74a 3.90±1.28b 82.97±27.34c 9.19±1.83a
T100 19.18±1.89a 20.83±1.45a 1.65±0.72ac 35.10±15.36d 22.28±8.15ab
p-value 0.818 0.876 0.000 0.000 0.008649
Mean values in the same column with a common letter are not statistically different at the 5% threshold
5 DISCUSSION
5.1 Chemical composition of feedstuffs and Diets: Chemical analysis results of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus showed difference between feedstuffs used in the diets. The DM content of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus was 30% (< 50% DM). This result is similar to those reported (< 50% DM) by Mebirouk-Boudechiche et al. (2015) for fresh leaves of other fodder tree species in Algeria. The high water content of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus could impact voluntary dry matter intake. The crude protein content of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus (109.591 g/kg DM) was higher than that recorded by Traoré et al. (2025) on the same species (94 g/kg DM). However, the crude protein content of F. sycomorus leaves was lower than those recorded by Dione et al. (2022) in fresh leaves of Balanites aegyptiaca (166.2 g/kg DM), Azadirachta indica (156.5 g/kg DM), and Piliostigma reticulatum (182.1 g/kg DM) and by Idrissou (2015) in fresh leaves of Leucaena leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium. However, the CP content observed for F. sycomorus remains higher than that of P. pedicellatum hay (Savadogo, 2002), bush straws, and cereal straws (Nantoumé et al., 2000). This result shows that F. sycomorus leaves can potentially be used to fill the nitrogen deficit of this type of forage, whose crude protein content do not exceed 4% DM (Nantoumé et al., 2000; Sanou et al., 2022). Due to its relatively high crude protein content, F. sycomorus leaves can be an important supplement for ruminants during the dry season, when herbaceous forage has low nutritional value. The crude ash content of F. sycomorus leaves (164.9 g/kg DM) is higher compared to that of P. pedicellatum hay and cotton seed cake. Like other browse species, F. sycomorus leaves are rich in mineral. This is in agreement with literature data reporting the richness of browse species in mineral (Klein et al., 2019). The CA content of F. sycomorus leaves is higher than that of many browse species cited by Dioné et al. (2022) such as Acacia ataxacantha (153.2 g/kg DM), B. aegyptiaca (145.7 g/kg DM), and Securidaca longepedunculata (101.9 g/kg DM). It is reported by several authors that the leaves of some browse species have good content of calcium and phosphorus (Klein et al., 2019; Dione et al., 2022). Thus, the consumption of these species would mitigate the risks of mineral deficiency associated with dry herbaceous forages, which are poor in phosphorus, copper, zinc, selenium, manganese, and sodium (Klein et al., 2019; Brouckaert, 2024).
5.2 Voluntary dry matter intake of rations used: Voluntary fresh matter intake (VFMI) of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus was higher in the T100 diet (190.6 g FM/ kg BW0.75) than for the T0 diet (67.4 g FM/ kg BW0.75). However, when this intake is reported as DM, the intake of the T100 diet (61.9 g DM/ kg BW0.75) was comparable to that of the control T0 (63.9 g DM/ kg BW0.75). This result is explained by the high water content (70%) of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus, which increases FMI and limits DMI and thus nutrient intake. This observation was highlighted by Cissé (2015) on F. sycomorus leaves integrated at 25% and 50% in the diets. Consequently, the distribution of fresh forages as the sole feed can limit nutrient intake and affect the zootechnical performance of animals consuming them. Overall, voluntary DM intake (VDMI) of diets increased according to different incorporation levels of F. sycomorus leaves. However, no significant difference was noted between the different integration rates. Increasing the incorporation rate of fresh leaves beyond 70% resulted in a decrease in VDMI (T100). This results a plateau effect for fresh leaves of F. sycomorus. The voluntary intake observed in this study differs from those reported by others on the same species or other browse species (Matumuini et al., 2013; Cissé, 2015; Nantoumé et al., 2018). Differences noted in ration intakes are linked to several factors, including the rate of incorporation in the diet, the type of browse species, animal breed, live weight and the other feedstuffs of the diet.
5.3 Digestibility of the different diets: Feed digestibility is one of the most important factors in diet nutritive value evaluation (Besharati et al., 2022). Apparent digestibility of DM, OM, and CP increased with increasing incorporation rates of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus in the diets. This improvement was greater with the T70. This result could be partially explained by high crude protein intake as shown in the results. This observation is consistent with literature data showing that due to the nitrogenous matter contained in browse species, their incorporation in the diets allows for better microbial digestion of crude fibre in the rumen (Klein et al., 2019). Crude protein content of browse species are generally higher than or equal to the minimum required rate (7-8% DM) for proper rumen function and adequate ruminant nutrition (Van Soest, 1994). The study shows that use of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus during the dry season as a supplement to low-quality forages could improve their digestibility. Improving animal diet quality in the dry season through complementarity between grass and fodder trees has already been emphasized by other authors (García et al., 2017). The use of browse species to improve animal diet quality during the dry season has already reported by other authors (García et al., 2017). However, F. sycomorus leaves contain secondary compounds such as saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, steroids, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides which give them antimicrobial power (Muhammad et al., 2023). Despite the presence of tannins in F. sycomorus leaves the protein digestibility of diets was not decreased. Incorporation of F. sycomorus leaves up to 70% in the diets was not induce a negative effect on digestibility. This result agrees with the hypothesis that at moderate levels, tannins can present benefits (Nascimento et al., 2021; Besharati et al., 2022). However, beyond 70% of leaves integration in the diet, a decrease in dCP was noted. This suggests that with the T100 diet, the amount of tannins consumed reached the threshold to induce a negative effect on digestibility.
5.4 Growth performance and feed conversion ratio: The distribution of F. sycomorus leaves as feed for sheep for a duration of two (2) months had no adverse effects on animal nutritional and health status. On the contrary, it resulted in a higher weight gain compared to the ration consisting of P. pedicellatum hay alone. This means that F. sycomorus leaves can serve as a basal feed for sheep if the resource is available. The highest ADG were noted with the mixed diets T30 and T70. The ADG of 83 g/day obtained with the T70 is comparable to that (81 g/day) observed by Kondombo and Nianogo (2001). The ADG recorded with the T30 ration (75.79 g/day) is similar to that reported (76.25 g/day) by Sangaré et al. (2005). ADG recorded in our study are higher than those reported by Idrissou (2015) and by Sanogo et al. (2020) on Djallonké sheep. However, ADG recorded in our study remain low compared to those obtained in other studies. Indeed, Sidibé et al. (2019) recorded an ADG of 86 g/day on Djallonké sheep fed with 50% cotton seed cake and 50% peanut haulms. Similarly, Nantoumé et al. (2018) recorded ADG of 137.75 g/ day on Djallonké sheep fed with a ration composed of 50% fresh F. sycomorus leaves and 50% cotton seed cake. This difference observed in weight performance is attributable to the diets distributed in these studies, which would probably be richer in nutrients, especially crude protein. Feed conversion ratios (FCR) were 9.49 with T30 and 9.19 with T70. These FCR is within the range of 7.6 to 12.5 reported by Kamissoko et al. (2006). However, they are lower than the FCR (10 to 13) reported by Kondombo and Nianogo (2001) with diets based on legume haulm, cotton seed cake and wheat bran. FCR for rations T30 and T70 are also lower than the 37 reported by Sanou et al. (2022) on Djallonké sheep fed with sorghum straw and supplemented with 100 g of cotton seed cake. The difference between our results and those of these authors could be related to the diet components, but also to animal age. Some authors indicate that FCR increases with animal age (Sangaré et al., 2005). Knowing that the lower the feed conversion ratio, the more efficient the diet, we can say that diets with 30% or 70% F. sycomorus leaves are more profitable.
6 CONCLUSION
This study highlighted the beneficial effect of incorporating fresh leaves of F. sycomorus into animal diets. The optimal incorporation rate of fresh leaves of F. sycomorus as a supplement to low-quality forages for sheep is 70% of total dry matter. At this rate, F. sycomorus leaves improve digestibilities of DM, OM and CP compared to the control diet. The results confirm that fresh leaves of F. sycomorus constitute a protein source to traditional dry season forages, which are hay and cereal straws. Its incorporation at 70% allows for an ADG of 83 g/day and a FCR of 9 kg DM/kg gain, demonstrating the efficiency of this local forage resource for sheep fattening. This study contributes to the valorisation of local forage resources and improving sheep productivity, thus strengthening food security and rural household income in the Sahel. For breeders in the Sahelian zone, it is recommended: to use fresh leaves of F. sycomorus at 70% of the ration for sheep fattening in the dry season. Otherwise, an incorporation rate of 30% also gives good weight performance in case of low availability of the resource. In perspective, future research should focus on evaluating the effect of different incorporation rates on meat quality. Given the potential nutritive value of browse species, it would be pertinent to develop domestication and selection work to increase its availability and accessibility for local livestock systems.
7 ACKNOWLEDGES.
We express our gratitude to the European Union for the financial support provided under the Horizon 2020 program (H2020 SFS 2019 2), SustainSahel project (grant number 861974).
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