Bromatological Analysis of the Fodder Marketed in the Peri-Urban Areas of Bujumbura (Burundi): Towards Spontaneous Fodder Conservation by Transformation into Silage

Abstract

Peri-urban areas of Bujumbura host a significant number of dairy cattle, which consequently ensure a substantial production of milk consumed in the Burundian capital. The presence of these cows in peri-urban areas has led to the emergence of an atypical market for spontaneous forage species. The present study seeks to determine the food and nutritional value of this fodder. A test on its conservation by transformation into silage was also carried out. Botanical field investigations and plant samples collection were carried out under the guidance of fodders suppliers. Based on the bromatological value deficiency thresholds for cattle, the results showed that the content of digestible nitrogenous matter and major elements (Ca, P, K, and Mg) in the forage is within acceptable limits. The final product obtained after fermentation, based on its color, its smell, and its consistency, is indeed silage. The chemical composition of fermented fodder showed that the nutritional quality has remained almost the same. Further research on digestibility of this forage is necessary. A study of the environmental determinants of spontaneous forage distribution at multiple sites and over a wide range of parameters may contribute to a better understanding of the importance of this fodder particularly in times of fodder deficit.