Feeding Preferences of Domestic and Wild Ungulates for Forage Trees in the Dry Tropics

Abstract

Silvopastoralism based on livestock feeding on forage trees is becoming a sustainable alternative to traditional grazing on the open pastures of dry tropical Central America. Four autochthonous trees, Acacia pennatula, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Gliricidia sepium and Guazuma ulmifolia, and one exotic (Moringa oleifera) tree are the preferred species for these silvopastoral systems. Little is known, however, about the feeding preferences of cattle, sheep and goats for such fodder trees and whether wild ungulates (white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus) feed on these plants. In this work, we conducted several multiple-choice feeding preference tests (cafeteria test) to compare the best choice to feed cattle, sheep, goats and white-tailed deer in these farming systems. Although all ruminant species included the four autochthonous trees and the exotic M. oleifera in their diets, G. ulmifolia was the preferred forage tree by far. The preference for the rest of the trees varied among our ruminant species. When M. oleifera was added to the cafeteria test, it was well accepted by white-tailed deer but little appreciated by their domestic counterparts. The use of these forage trees for livestock feeding is thus interesting not only for sustainable animal production but also to support wild herbivores in the dry tropics of Central America.

Forage Preference, Voluntary Intake, and In Vivo Digestibility of Six Tropical Tree Leaves by Sheep in Semi-Arid Areas in Benin Republic (West Africa)

“…In tropical regions, forage trees and shrubs are a major source of energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals for ruminant livestock during the dry seasons [20,23,25,43,44]. These kinds of woody plants in arid and semi-arid areas regenerate very fast during the rainy seasons, resulting in heavy vegetative masses, while during the lean (dry) period, the palatable vegetation, especially the grasses, deteriorates both in quality (low protein content) and quantity (low herbage biomass) [45,46].…”

“…These kinds of woody plants in arid and semi-arid areas regenerate very fast during the rainy seasons, resulting in heavy vegetative masses, while during the lean (dry) period, the palatable vegetation, especially the grasses, deteriorates both in quality (low protein content) and quantity (low herbage biomass) [45,46]. Preference is positively related to palatability; it is the relationship between the feed's traits and animal post-ingestive feedback [20,47,48]. So, sheep with previous experience with M. indica, B. sapida, G. arborea, K. senegalensis, and A. senegalensis leaves could explain their strong preference for those resources.…”

“…Their permanent availability over the year and their palatability increase their use [12,[17][18][19]. It has been found that when grasses and other herbaceous forage become scarce on rangelands during the dry season, the quantitative and qualitative imbalance in ruminant rations can be corrected by using one or more woody forage species [20]. Supplementing sheep with woody leaves results in good growth performance [2,17,21,22].…”

“…This investigation could include the nutritional value of the fodder trees, animal preference, and feed digestibility. Ruminant feeding preference studies are important for designing new feeding systems to optimize the use of these feed resources and sustainably manage them [20,28]. The apparent digestibility value of a feed resource or diet for ruminants reflects their rumen's predisposition to use and digest it [29].…”