peer reviewed | La productivité des chevreaux hybrides F1 en élevage extensif à Lubumbashi a été estimée à partir des taux de mortalité et des performances de croissance, en comparaison avec celle des chevreaux Boers «purs» et des chevreaux locaux. Le taux de mortalité pré-sevrage (0-90 jours) observé pour les chevreaux locaux, Boers et hybrides était respectivement de 14,65 % (17/116) (voir partie 2: analyse de la croissance des chevreaux locaux), 16,1 % (10/62) et 8,98 % (15/167) dans l’ensemble pour les deux sexes. Les performances de croissance des Boers étaient de 2,40 ±0,31 kg à la naissance; 6,80±0,84 kg à 1 mois; 14,2±1,59 kg à 3 mois; 17,9±1,15 kg à 6 mois et, 24,7±1,39 kg à 9 mois. La variance de poids moyen était plus élevée à 3 mois, ensuite à 9 mois. Les gains moyens quotidiens étaient respectivement de 143 g/j (0-1 mois); 123 g/j (1-3 mois); 41,1 g/j (3-6 mois) et 75,5 g/j (6-9 mois). Les performances de croissance des chevreaux hybrides étaient de 2,18 ± 0,46 kg à la naissance; 5,10±1,22 kg à 1 mois; 9,17±1,94 kg à 3 mois; 14,2±2,64 kg à 6 mois et, 21,6±2,59 kg à 9 mois. La variance de poids moyen était plus élevée à 3 mois, ensuite à 9 mois. Les gains moyens quotidiens étaient respectivement de 94,1 g/j (0-1 mois); 65,7 g/j (1-3 mois); 56,5 g/j (3-6 mois); 83,9 g/j (6-9 mois). Le gain moyen quotidien était plus élevé en saison sèche avant sevrage; après le sevrage les chevreaux nés en saison de pluies ont eu un gain moyen quotidien plus élevé que ceux nés en saison sèche. Ainsi, l’introduction de sang Boer doit s’accompagner préalablement d’une amélioration des conditions d’élevage.

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peer reviewed | A survey on the production characteristics of guinea fowl (Meleagris numida) was carried out in the Borgou department located in the soudano-guinean zone North-Est of Benin. Chicks and reproductive groups were kept either on station under improved management conditions or in rural environment. In rural environment, the birds were divided in two groups. The birds pertaining to the first group were treated against parasitic diseases, whereas those in the second one (control group) received no treatment. Under station conditions, the feed conversion ratio and the daily weight gain were 8.8 and 5.7 g/day respectively. Mean body weight at six months of age were 1151g and 1085g for males and females, respectively. Sexual maturity was reached at 36 weeks of age. For mature hens kept on station, laying rate and the mean egg weight were 37.2% (65% at the peak) and 41.1g respectively. Smothering, stress and pricking were the major constraints to the cloistering of guinea fowl. In rural environment, the mean hatchability rate was 70%. Mortality rate and adult body weight were not significantly different between groups. Mortality rate observed in the rural environment was 50% for both treated or untreated birds. Apart from the parasitic affections, the main causes of mortality were the rain, the predators, the cold and the fragility of chicks. The mean body weight at six months of age is higher for the birds raised under village conditions in comparison to the birds kept on station.

peer reviewed | Lack of appropriate animal waste management methods in many smallholder farms in the tropics often leads to environmental problems, especially in locations with high population density such as urban and peri-urban areas. On farms integrating pig production to fish farming, manure can be turned into a valuable feed source of high quality protein for fish through housefly larvae and contribute to intensify fish production and reduce cost of fish feed. Three experiments were carried to optimize operating conditions for maggot production on animal wastes and industrial byproducts found in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The comparisons were: (1) production on pure substrates (manure or brewer’s grains) or mixtures with lysine or blood; (2) exposure time to flies for the insemination of the substrates: and (3) dynamics of larvae production. Mixing brewers’ grains with Lysine or manure and/or blood more than doubled the amount of larvae that were harvested. Brewers’ grains are a good source of energy, but are probably deficient in essential amino acids to support the growth of maggots. It also appears that only the first days of laying eggs are important since no difference was observed between temporary and permanent exposure of the substrates to houseflies. The peak of larvae production was reached 6 days after exposure. The addition of cow blood in increasing doses to a mixture of brewers’ grains and manure linearly increased the production of maggots.

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peer reviewed | In Northern Vietnam, the livestock production sector has been strongly encouraged to develop by the government for many years as an important livelihood strategy to alleviate household poverty. Over the last few decades, it has been developed quickly, but remained unsustainable. This study aims to identify the dynamics of livestock production systems during the economic transformation period and their current constraints as the basic for setting up sustainable development policies. A survey, which is based on participatory and retrospective approaches, was conducted at 38 households in two communes of Hai Duong province in 2010. The results indicated a significant evolution of livestock production systems from a traditional small-scale production system into a specialized intensive one due to the land law and the rice land conversion program in 1990s and the industrialization and urbanization process in 2000s. The intensification of livestock production system, which is accompanied by the increasing dependence on imported inputs and the limited knowledge and skills in adequate techniques and disease management, poses a huge difficulty to producers in developing their livestock production systems. Therefore, the priority of development policies should be given to the promotion of the local resource utilisation as feed for animals and to the improvement of farmers’ ability to manage their production through not only government supports but also participation of social organisations and farmers.

International audience | A silvopastoral grazing system (SP) was compared with confinement (CF) to determine the growth and general performance of weaned Pelibuey lambs under experimental conditions. Animals were from the Experiment Station “Indio Hatuey” flock of Matanzas, Cuba. The trial began with weaning in March and April at 4 months after lambing, with the lambs weighing around 13 kg, and lasted for 125 days. After being drenched with Levamisol, 25 lambs were grown on the SP with 18 to 21 lambs/ha, and 25 lambs were grown in CF. A rustic shed was used for CF with 1.5 to 1.8 m2 per animal. The CF lambs were fed cut and carried chopped forage (60% Pennisetum purpureum, 40% Morus alba), and dehydrated citrus pulp at 0.8 to 1.0 kg/lamb per day was offered as supplement in both treatments. The nutritive value of the woody forage species established in both systems was determined with the French expression system. Data were analyzed by Proc Mixed procedure of SAS. For the whole experimental period differences (P< 0.001) were obtained for average daily gain and incidence of gastrointestinal parasitism, mainly from Haemonchus contortus (2117 vs. 144 EPG of faeces) for SP and CF feeding systems, respectively. Lambs from CF (88.5 vs. 48.2 g/d) and males (77.8 vs. 58.9 g/d) exceeded SP and females in daily weight gains. Morbidity rate was explicitly higher in SP, and consequently, the survival level was better under CF experimental conditions (8% mortality in SP vs. 0% in CF). Advantages of the CF feeding system were mainly related to the reduced helminthiasis, which influences feed intake and efficiency, morbidity, growth rate, and survival rate as well. Under the particular conditions of this experiment, these results suggest that CF of lambs, adopting integrative approach with rational use of natural and local resources, can be a good alternative for improving the growth and welfare of growing lambs in the tropics.

International audience | The existing Andean dairy production patterns are scarcely known and yet they play a major role in the household food security of many families. This study examines the consistency of forage management through the monitoring of 8 dairy farmers of a community living in the harsh conditions of the dry Peruvian Andes and the analysis of their production practices. The Sinto farmers are able to produce milk throughout the year despite the very dry climatic conditions by adjusting cattle groups, grazing rotationaly on irrigated alfalfa fields, farming large rangelands zones and exchanging standing forage with other farmers. Although the milk production per cow is low, the milk yield per hectare of alfalfa field is relatively high. This can be interpreted both as an optimisation of the system with regards to the restrictive factor which is the irrigated land and as a risk management, two components that may be considered to evaluate the sustainability of these livestock farming systems and to propose development options.

Notice a Reprendre pas de Clé UT au 5 Mai 2017 | 85 Algerian white population rabbits were used to study the effect on the growth performances of fig-tree (Ficus carica, 12.8%, 30.6% and 15 % DM respectively of CP, NDF and ADL) leaves incorporated in pelleted diets in association with Sulla hay (Hedysarum flexuosum). At weaning (35 d, 674±390 g), the rabbits were divided in three groups (individually caged) and received ad libitum one of the three diets during six weeks. The control (T, n=25), diet was classic diet and content barley, dehydrated alfalfa, soya bean meal and wheat bran. The experimental diets were formulated to contain 25% of Sulla hay and either 15% (F1, n =30) or 30% (F2, n =30) dried fig tree leaves in total replacement of dehydrated alfalfa and barley. The diet F1 contained also wheat bran to contain only raw materials available locally. During the whole period (35-77 d), feed intake was at the same level with the three diets (121.3 ± 6.5 g/d), as well as growth (35.3 ± 2.4g/d) and feed conversion ratio (3.37 ± 0.21). According, fig-tree leaves (Ficus carica) could be incorporated in pellet diet for fattening rabbits associated with Sulla ( Hedysarum flexuosum), in total replacement of barley, dehydrated alfalfa and eventually soya bean meal to contain only locally available raw materials. They permitted substantial performances as those of control diet without negative effect on health and the zootechnic performances. | 85 lapins de population locale blanche ont été utilisés pour étudier l’effet sur les performances de croissance de l’incorporation, dans l’aliment granulé, de feuilles de Figuier (Ficus carica ; 12,8% ; 30,6% et 15 % MS respectivement de PB, NDF et ADL) associées au foin de Sulla (Hedysarum flexuosum). Au sevrage (35 j, 674±390 g), les lapins ont été répartis en trois lots homogènes, logés individuellement et ont reçu ad libitum un des trois aliments durant 6 semaines. Le témoin (T, n=25), un aliment classique, contenait de la luzerne déshydratée, du son de blé, de l’orge et du tourteau de soja. Les deux aliments expérimentaux contenaient 25% de foin de Sulla et soit 15% (F1, n =30) soit 30% (F2, n =30) de feuilles séchées de Figuier (FF), en remplacement total de la luzerne et de l’orge. L’aliment F1, équilibré avec du son de blé, ne contenait que des matières premières disponibles localement.Durant la période globale (35-77 j), la consommation a été similaire entre les trois aliments (121 ± 6,5g/j), ainsi que la vitesse de croissance (35,3 ± 2,4g/j) et l'indice de consommation de l’aliment (3,37 ± 0,21). Ainsi, les feuilles de Figuier (Ficus carica) peuvent être incorporées dans l’aliment granulé pour lapins en engraissement associées à du foin de Sulla (Hedysarum flexuosum), en remplacement de l’orge, de la luzerne déshydratée et éventuellement du tourteau de soja pour ne contenir que des matières premières disponibles localement. Elles ont permis des performances appréciables au même niveau que celles de l’aliment témoin sans effets négatifs sur la santé et les performances zootechniques.

International audience | Reproductive performances of the Creole goat, the meat breed of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, are described from a database generated for 15 years (1973 to 1988) at an experimental farm of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA, Guadeloupe, French West Indies). The data contain information on 599 females, 2259 attempted matings, 2135 achieved matings and 1904 kiddings. Animals were reared under semi-intensive management conditions (on the basis of feeding system, health and culling policy). Main sources of variation were analysed: mating type (buck in permanence or buck effect), mating season (dry, intermediate and humid season) and rank of kidding. The Creole goat is a continuous breeder. On average 94.5 percent of exposed females were mated (defined as mating rate) and 90.5 percent of exposed females achieved a kidding (fertility rate). Their prolificacy reached 1.98 kids/kidding, with only 3.9 percent of kids born dead. These reproductive parameters varied essentially with rank of kidding but very poorly with the mating season. Productivity of these females was regularly high during their whole lifetime production. From the results obtained, it is concluded that Creole goats have very high reproductive performances, provided that animal husbandry and nutrition are adequate.