Zootechnical performances of djallonké sheep supplemented with cocoa bean fragments, fruits, and leaves of Cajanus cajan in Côte D’ivoire

This study was conducted at the Toumodi Sheep Station (SOT), under the authority of the Ministry of Animal and Fishery Resources (MIRAH), using a sample of 30 Djallonké lambs with an average body weight of 8.628 ± 0.2376 kg and an average age of 3 months. The animals were divided into five (5) groups of six (6) animals each. All groups were fed fresh biomass of Panicum maximum as the basal diet. Group 1, considered the control group (Te), received no supplementation. Group 2 (So) received the industrial feed “SOGOBALO” as a supplement at a rate of 200 g/day/animal. Group 3 (Br) was supplemented with 450 g/day/animal of cocoa bean shells. Groups 4 (Fr) and 5 (Fe) received 400 g/day/animal of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) and 600 g/day/animal of Cajanus cajan leaves, respectively. After a 10-day adaptation period, the lambs were supplemented for 180 days. The results revealed significant differences (P < 0.01) in growth performance among the five groups. The final average weights observed were 19.63 ± 1.90 kg for group Te, 24.18 ± 1.70 kg for group So, 17.32 ± 1.70 kg for group Br, 21.27 ± 1.20 kg for group Fr, and 16.92 ± 1.00 kg for group Fe. The total weight gains were 0,65±0,26 kg, 0,75±0,23 kg, 0,47±0,16 kg, 0,57±0,16 kg, and 0,44±0,08 kg, respectively. The average daily gains were 0,07±0,03 kg, 0,08±0,02 kg, 0,05±0,02 kg, 0,06±0,01 kg, and 0,05±0,01 kg. The specific growth rates were 0,37±0,18, 0,34±0,11, 0,29±0,11, 0,30±0,07 and 0,28±0,06 respectively. These zootechnical results indicate that the animals supplemented with SOGOBALO exhibited the best growth performance, followed by those supplemented with pigeon pea, Panicum maximum (control), cocoa bean shells, and finally Cajanus cajan leaves.