Fodder trees and shrubs in range and farming systems in semi arid regions of Tunisia
2012
H., Ammar | M.A., Lahyeni | M., Ben Younes | S., López | R., Lahsoumi
Five cultivated shrub species endemic to the semi arid regions of Tunisia, Acacia fimbriata, Allocasuarina verticillata, Medicago arborea, Anthyllis barba-jovis L and Opuntia ficus-indica, were studied as a source of animal forage. The experiment was carried out in an experimental land in Mograne (Zaghouan, East central Tunisia). Plants were on average 4 years old conducted without irrigation. Sampling was made at the end of autumn (November) 2008. By the exception of O. ficus-indica all studied species had high crude protein content (more than 15 per cent). An. barba-jovis followed by M. arborea had the highest N contents (more than 22 per cent). Cultivated Al. verticillata had the highest ADF and ADL contents, 50 per cent and 32.8 per cent, respectively. By the exception of A. verticillata and A.barba-jovis, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVD) was higher (more than 80 per cent). It was concluded that some of these cultivated shrub species is compared with some leguminous forages and convenient even in dairy farms as a source of nitrogen. Moreover, the choice of alternate feed resource should not be restrictive but must fit within the existing farming systems, and be adapted to the economic realities of the farmer.
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