Supplementation Effects of Calotropis Procera Dried Leaves on the Growth Performance of Sheep in Dry Season in Burkina Faso

The national herd is important and diverse with an estimated ruminant population of 9 091 000 cattle, 9 278 000 sheep and 13 891 000 goats [2]. Livestock activities are carried out by more than 80% of households who derive all or part of their income [3]. Cattle are the savings account of the family business, while small ruminants constitute the current account that allows smallholder farmers to meet their daily needs [4]. This current account is used in health, education and traditional practices [5]. However, ruminant livestock production in the country is generally confronted with climatic hazards, overgrazing, population expansion and occupation of pasture areas aggravated by bush fires [6]. This situation is less predicted in the rainy season with natural grazing in quantity and quality. However, in the hot dry season, existing pasture does not represent nutritional values anymore, while it is rich in ligneous forages in some localities. These perennial woods could therefore be a solution to the feeding problem of ruminants in this lean season where animals lose a lot of weight in general and their zootechnical value in particular. Indeed, some invasive woody trees in Burkina Faso have interesting nutritive values for animals and could be used to improve qualitatively low-season dry season rations such as sorghum straw.