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Se mantuvieron cabras "Creole" (G) y ovejas "Martinik" (S) en praderas tropicales en un sistema rotacional para probar el efecto del control del forraje residual después del pastoreo sobre la producción y la composición morfológica y química del forraje. Un sistema mecánico de corte de forraje residual y su remoción (RM) se comparó con un sistema testigo (RR) durante tres estaciones (seca, intermedia y lluviosa) en un año completo. El peso de biomasa al inicio de los periodos de pastoreo difirió entre tratamientos: 3,123 vs. 5,010 kg MS/ha en parcelas de GRM y GRR, y 2,538 vs. 3,753 kg MS/ha en las de SRM y SRR, respectivamente. La estructura vegetal fue mejorada en los sistemas RM. Se determinó una mayor proporción de hojas (42% vs. 36%), similar proporción de tallos (cerca de 43%), y menor proporción de material muerto (15% vs. 19%) en GRM vs. GRR. En las parcelas SRM y SRR, los valores correspondientes de hojas fueron 46% vs. 36%; tallos, 36%; y material muerto, 17% vs. 20%, respectivamente. Es probable que la diferencia de 29% mayor en acumulación de forraje en las praderas de cabras sobre las de ovejas se relacione a su más alto índice nutritivo de nitrógeno (82 vs. 60%). Los efectos estacionales fueron discutidos. La composición química del forraje no difirió entre tratamientos y estaciones. El contenido de proteína cruda obtenida fue de 115 y 85 g/kg MS y de 90 y 65 g/ kg MS antes y después del pastoreo en las parcelas de cabras y ovejas, respectivamente. Las características del forraje no limitaron el crecimiento de los cabritos y corderos, y la ganancia diaria de peso no difirió entre tratamientos. Se recomienda explotar el forraje residual con herbívoros asociados con miras a lograr un manejo práctico al del residuo removido.

In Guadeloupe small ruminants (SR) are reared for meat production under pasture conditions. Intensive rotational grazing systems (irrigated, fertilised and high stocked) allow reasonable levels of production but generate high post-grazing residues. Experiments were designed to control them. A system in which residuals were mown (RM) was tested in comparison to the control system (Residuals Remained, RR). The same design was carried out for two years with Creole goat (G) and Martinik sheep (S). An accelerated reproductive rate (3 parturitions over 2 years) was carried out. Systems were compared at three parturition seasons per year (dry, intermediate and rainy seasons). Each group was composed of 20 goats (36.0±2.5 kg) or 20 ewes (46.8±2.4 kg). The female body traits did not vary according to pasture management and seasons. The stocking rate averaged 1,400 kg LW/ha. The mean fertility rate for does varied significantly (p

The intake and digestion of fresh and dried Digitaria decumbens grass by rams was compared using a 2×2 factorial design. The experiment took place in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) in 1996. Eight rams (mean liveweight: 45·7±3·1 kg) were maintained in metabolism cages. Digitaria decumbens grass was cut daily and distributed to four of them, the other four were fed the following day with the equivalent forage which had meanwhile been dried for 20 h at 60°C. Chemical composition (g/kg of dry matter (DM)) of the two diets based on neutral detergent fibre (NDF, 713, S.E. 18), acid detergent fibre (ADF, 361, S.E. 13) and crude protein (CP, 90, S.E. 4) was similar. The DM intake (61·0 and 53·2 g/W0·75, S.E. 2·0, PS.E. 0·004, PS.E. 0·014, PS.E. 0·005, PS.E. 0·002, PS.E. 0·021) and 0·763, 0·692 (S.E. 0·019), respectively. The rumen turnover rates of particles (per h) were 0·024 and 0·015 (S.E. 0·001, PS.E. 3·3, P

The present topic is an analysis of the traditional society of Guadeloupe, French West Indies. The author deals with the birth of that society and its current trends; he recounts the circumstances under which the domestic animal was to be a real contribution to the daily life of the farmer. The horse is the symbol of conquest, nobility, power, and swiftness which positive qualities were also believed to be found in the overseer and master. Important as the horse’s role may have been, it was played along with other animals, in particular the cattle, the donkey, the mule, the goat, the sheep and several poultry species. As a whole, that kind of farming practice was labour-saving, made transport easier for the farmer, provided more food and filled a gap in finances; moreover, domestic animals were used to take part in entertainment. On the larger sugar cane farms, where cattle became strategically less important as a consequence of motor transport, the big farmers moved to the production of milk and meat. The growing local demand in food came to be supplied by this change. As for the average citizen who had recently had access to land ownership, he kept on dealing with that kind of domestic animal farming as a sustainable means of work. Cattle became integrated into his daily life. They were used in all the major events of his family life. Consequently, their market value increased, leading to a type of capitalisation. As a result of the farming of the Creole cattle, pig, goat and sheep, tradition was maintained alive, and the farmer’s life level was improved. Recently, some farmers developed official pastoral tourist events based on the skills and gifts of those animals. This recent attempt implies that there is an urgent need to set up a new research programme, in order to better identify, define and improve that heritage.

Macro minerals and trace elements of ruminant feeding interest were determined in forages from three regions of Guadeloupe (French West Indies) region A - calcareous area with Vertisols overlying coral limestone with a marked dry season; region B - acid soils area with Vertisols and Oxisols and a mild dry season; region C - ferrallitic soils area (Oxisols) with a short dry season. Samples of pangola grass and natural pastures were collected at five locations within each region, during both the rainy and dry seasons, at two stages of regrowth (28 vs. 42 d). The region of sampling and the type of forage were the main sources of variation of the macro mineral and trace element content of forages. The samples of pangola grown in calcareous regions had lower concentrations of phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium than samples collected in other regions; region A - 2.18 g P/kg DM, 1.49 g Mg/kg DM, 6.75 mg Cu/kg DM, 26.82 mg Zn/kg DM, 53.00 mgMn/kg DM, 0.11 mg Se/kg DM; region B - 3.31 g P/kg DM, 1.51 g Mg/ kg DM, 8.75 mg Cu/kg DM, 50.40 mg Zn/kg DM, 226.00 mg Mn/kg DM, 0.17 mg Se/kg DM; region C - 2.73 g P/kg DM, 1.45 g Mg/kg DM, 7.69 mg Cu/kg DM, 32.75 mg Zn/kg DM, 284.00 mg Mn/kg DM, 0.15 mg Se/kg DM. Phosphorus, copper, zinc and selenium contents of forages were frequently below critical nutritional values in each region of sampling. Natural savana forages presented lower phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, copper and zinc contents than those of pangola. The risks of deficiencies in phosphorus, copper, zinc and selenium for the grazing ruminant in the different regions of Guadeloupe are discussed.

The chemical composition, in vitro digestibility with rumen liquor and agricultural factors (age of regrowth, season, level of fertilization) of 1313 tropical forages from various islands of the Caribbean and of La Re´union were recorded in a database. The nutritive values were expressed in the French unit system, i.e. digestible energy, metabolizable energy, net energy for lactation, net energy for maintenance and growth, protein digestible in the small intestine supplied by rumen-undegraded dietary protein (PDIA), protein digestible in the small intestine supplied by microbial protein from rumen-fermented organic matter (PDIME), protein digestible in the small intestine supplied by microbial protein from rumen-degraded dietary protein (PDIMN), and voluntary dry matter (DM) intake by sheep (VDMIs), dairy cows or growing cattle. Digestibility of DM and OM and voluntary DM intake were determined with regression equations fitted to tropical data previously reported. The age of regrowth and the type of forage were the main sources of variation, whereas the country, season and level of nitrogen fertilization had no important effect on energy or protein values. Mean nutritive values are given for each type of forage and age of regrowth after correction for the level of nitrogen fertilization, season and country.

This study was designed to measure the effect of regrowth age of Digitaria decumbens (D. decumbens) on the intake and dynamics of digesta in the rumen of rams. Six Black-belly rams (mean liveweight: 51.6 (s.d. 0.68) kg) fitted with rumen cannulae were fed twice daily a 14-, 28-, 42- and 56-day old fresh D. decumbens successively for 4 experimental periods. The daily dry matter intake decreased curvilineary from 75.2 to 48.5 (s.e. 2.0) g/kg BW0.75 as the age of the D. decumbens grass increased from 14 to 56 days. Dry matter intake for the first 3 h after the morning meal was 863.6, 598.3, 576.4 and 401.5 (s.e. 55.6) g for the 14-, 28-, 42- and 56-day old grasses respectively. The pool of NDF in the rumen at the end of the 3-h feeding period did not vary significantly among the four diets. Twelve hours after the beginning of the morning meal, the pool of NDF increased with the forage regrowth age. Within the total pool of NDF, the pool of large particles tended to increase with the regrowth age. It was concluded that high intake was associated with fast evacuation of NDF from the rumen. Moreover, digestion (cellulolysis) rate and degree of particle reduction by rumination are highly correlated, though speed of physical degradation of forage seems to be the driving force behind intake.

Experiments were designed with Martinik suckling ewes, reared on rotationally grazed tropical pasture, in order to test the effect of post-grazing residue control on forage intake and milk production. A system in which residuals were mown (RM) was compared to the control (Residuals Remained, RR) during three seasons (dry, intermediate and wet). Each group at each season was composed of 20 ewes (46.8 ± 2.4 kg LW). Milk production (oxytocin method), live weight (LW), body condition score (BCS) and intake (fecal index method) were determined on six multiparous twin-bearing ewes in each group and at each season (47.5 ± 6.0 kg LW). The herbage biomass and chemical composition were at a satisfactory level for tropical forages: biomass on offer reached 2.54 vs. 3.75 t*ha-1 DM, (P < 0.001) for RM and RR, respectively; and the CP content was around 100 g*kg-1. The DMI and OMI, expressed as g*kg-0.75, were 103 ± 18 and 81 ± 14, respectively. On average, the daily milk production of the ewes reached 1.2 ± 0.3 kg*d-1. The fat and protein contents of the milk were 66 ± 17 and 52 ± 13 g*kg-1, respectively. The ewes did not significantly loose LW or BCS during lactation. No significant differences in MP and intake traits were observed in terms of pasture management and seasonal effects. The forage characteristics were not limiting factors and generated an adequate level of intake and production whatever the pasture management system., Ingestion et production laitière de brebis allaitantes élevées au pâturage en zone tropicale humide en fonction du mode de gestion des refus au pâturage. Les effets de la fauche des refus au pâturage sur l'ingestion du fourrage et sur la production laitière ont été étudiés chez des brebis Martinik allaitantes élevées dans un pâturage tournant. Un système dans lequel les refus étaient fauchés à la fin du cycle de pâturage (RM) a été comparé au témoin (RR) au cours de 3 saisons (sèche, intermédiaire et humide). Chaque groupe (RM vs. RR) était composé à chaque saison de 20 brebis (46,8 ± 2,4 kg). La production laitière (PL, méthode à l'ocytocine), le poids vif, l'état corporel et l'ingestion (méthode des index fécaux) ont été déterminés sur 6 multipares élevant des agneaux doubles (47,5 ± 6,0 kg) dans chaque système et à chaque saison. La productivité et la composition chimique du fourrage étaient à des niveaux satisfaisants pour des fourrages tropicaux : la biomasse atteignait 2,54 vs. 3,75 t*ha-1 MS, (P < 0,001) pour RM et RR, respectivement, et le taux de matières azotées totales était d'environ 100 g*kg-1. La matière sèche et la matière organique ingérées étaient de 103 ± 18 et 81 ± 14 en g*kg-0,75, respectivement. La PL a atteint en moyenne 1,2 ± 0,3 kg*j-1 sur 11 semaines de lactation. Les matières grasse et azotée du lait étaient de 66 ± 17 et 52 ± 13 g*kg-1, respectivement. Les femelles n'ont pas perdu significativement de poids ni de note d'état corporel au cours de la lactation. Aucune différence significative entre les 2 traitements et les différentes saisons n'a été observée pour l'ingestion et pour la production du lait.

Faecal indices were evaluated to assess organic matter digestibility (OMD) for small ruminants fed with Digitaria decumbens. A continuous digestibility trial was conducted with five Creole bucks and five Black-belly rams, fed with fresh cut Digitaria decumbens from 15 to 70 days of re-growth. The amount of herbage offered, the refusals and the faeces were weighed daily for each animal during 55 days. Herbage and faeces samples were kept to determine dry and organic matter (DM and OM), crude protein (CP), neutral and acid detergent fibre (NDF and ADF) and lignin contents (ADL). OMD was calculated per week and per animal. Predictive regressions of OMD were calculated for each species, from all the faecal components measured (CPf, NDFf, ADFf and ADLf), using linear or curvilinear models. Regressions from CPf had the lowest residual standard error (Digitaria decumbens based sward.

International audience; Experiments were carried out to determine the effects of supplementation upon milk production and growing performances of Martinik hair sheep. Ewes weighing 49 kg LW were used in a 2-season experimental study. In the first trial, 3 energy supplement levels were offered to ewes suckling single lambs. The adjusted level (A, 8 ewes) was supplied to ensure that the litter had a daily weight gain (DWG) of 250 g. High (H, 8 ewes) and low (L, 8 ewes) levels were 150% and 75% of level A, respectively. In the second trial, comparative use of the H level was studied with 3 animal requirement levels: ewes suckling single lambs (SI, same ewes as H ewes), twins (TW, 8 ewes) and triplets (TR, 6 ewes), respectively. The experimental design was replicated in a second lambing season. The basal diet was chopped Digitaria decumbens hay (0.6 UFL, 4.6% CP) offered ad libitum. Supplements were composed of maize (65% ), soya bean (3% ), fish meal (8% ) and dehydrated alfalfa (24% ). The milk production (MP) of ewes on the L diet was lower ($P < 0.05$) than that of ewes on the A and H diets: 1142, 1415 and 1518 g$\cdot$d$^{-1}$, respectively. H-fed ewes fattened during the lactating period while A and L ewes respectively maintained and lowered their body condition score (BCS). Differences recorded for lamb DWG were low, but this trait reached a maximum of 248 g$\cdot$d$^{-1}$. MP varied significantly ($P < 0.05$) according to the litter size. Individual DWG was different for single, twin and triplet lambs ($P < 0.001$): 261, 188 and 143 g$\cdot$d$^{-1}$, respectively. In intensive breeding conditions, recommended daily energy allowances taking into account a good BCS of ewes for successive reproduction are 1.47 UFL for single-suckling ewes and 2.17 UFL for twin-suckling ewes, in order to obtain a DWG of the litter of 250 and 400 g$\cdot$d$^{-1}$, respectively.; Alimentation des brebis allaitantes Martinik élevées dans des conditions intensives : effets de différents niveaux de concentrés ou de la taille de portée. L'effet de la complémentation sur les performances des ovins allaitants a été étudié chez les brebis à poils Martinik pesant 49 kg de poids vif. Dans un premier essai, trois niveaux énergétiques ont été comparés chez les brebis allaitant un agneau. Le niveau ajusté (A, 8 brebis) a été apporté pour assurer un gain moyen quotidien (GMQ) théorique de 250 g$\cdot$j$^{-1}$. Les niveaux bas (B, 8 brebis) et haut (H, 8 brebis) représentaient 75 et 150 % de A, respectivement. Dans un deuxième essai, un gradient de besoins a été testé chez les brebis recevant la ration H, à portée simple (S, mêmes brebis que celles de l'essai1), double (D, 8 brebis) et triple (T, 6 brebis). Le schéma expérimental a été répété lors d'une deuxième saison de mise-bas. Les animaux recevaient ad libitum du foin de Digitaria decumbens (0,6 UFL, 4,6 % MAT). Le concentré était composé de maïs (65 % ), de farine de soja (3 % ), de farine de poisson (8 % ) et de luzerne déshydratée (24 % ). La production laitière (PL) des brebis recevant la ration B a été plus faible ($P < 0,05$) que celle des brebis des lots A et H : 1142, 1415 et 1718 g$\cdot$j$^{-1}$, respectivement. Les notes d'état corporel (NEC) ont diminué, stagné et augmenté pour les brebis des lots B, A et H, respectivement. Le GMQ des agneaux simples a été peu différent entre les rations et a atteint au maximum 248 g pour le lot H. La PL des brebis de taille de portée multiple a été supérieure de 30 % à celle des brebis à portée simple. Le GMQ des portées doubles a été voisin de 400 g. Des recommandations sont formulées dans le cas d'un élevage intensif : 1,47 et 2,17 UFL$\cdot$j$^{-1}$ pour des brebis pesant près de 50 kg et allaitant respectivement un et deux agneaux.

The intake and digestion of fresh Digitaria decumbens grass were studied following the stage of regrowth. Six rams (mean liveweight: ) received successively a 14, 28, 42 and 56-day old forage during four 4-week periods. The range of variation of crude protein and acid detergent fibre content (g/kg) of the forages was 57–130 and 380–442, respectively. The DM intake (g/kg W0.75) and the organic matter total tract digestibility decreased from 83 to 56 and from 0.728 to 0.628, respectively, between 14 and 56 days of regrowth. The fractional degradation rate (h−1) of dry matter in the rumen, estimated by the nylon bag method, decreased curvilinearly with a mean daily rate of 0.0010. A curvilinear relationship was recorded between the rumen turnover rate and forage regrowth stage. The mean daily decrease (per hour per day) was 0.0005. The total nitrogen duodenal flow (g per day) decreased from 22.7 to 11.6 between 14 and 56 days. The mean efficiency of microbial protein synthesis was similar with the four diets (31.8, S.E. 2.2 g microbial nitrogen/kg organic matter apparently digested in the rumen). In conclusion, intake, digestibility and duodenal nitrogen flow are high with the 14-day D. decumbens. As a consequence, the nutritive value of the latter is similar to the one of a good temperate grass forage. Good nutritive value of a 14-day old D. decumbens and fast maturation and lignification in C4 forage before the first month of regrowth suggest the need to investigate ruminant feeding strategies with forages younger (

National audience; L'objectif de cette étude était de tester les effets du parcage nocturne et du fractionnement de la surface à pâturer sur l'ingestion chez les génisses créoles conduites à l'attache sur des savanes à Dichanthium sp. Six génisses ont été maintenues au pâturage i) pendant 24 heures, ii) pendant 11 heures de la période diurne, iii) pendant ces mêmes 11 heures mais avec la surface fractionnée en deux parties, la première disponible le matin de 7 h 00 à 12 h 30 et la seconde l'après-midi de 12 h 30 à 18 h 00. Les génisses ne pâturant que pendant la journée ont été attachées pour la nuit sur une aire en terre battue sans accès à du fourrage. L'essai a été réalisé selon un schéma en carré latin répété deux fois (six périodes) avec trois lots de deux génisses. Les surfaces et les quantités d'herbe offertes étaient identiques pour les trois traitements. Les quantités ingérées ont été calculées à partir de la quantité de matière organique excrétée et de la digestibilité de la matière organique du Dichanthium sp, estimée à partir de la teneur en matières azotées des fèces. La présence sur le pâturage pendant tout le nycthémère a permis d'accroître les quantités ingérées comparé au parcage nocture (4,3 versus 3,6 kg MO/jour respectivement). Cet accroissement de l'ingestion s'explique par l'activité de pâturage nocturne car la durée de pâturage (330 minutes) et la fréquence des bouchées (53/minute) n'ont pas varié durant la phase diurne entre les trois traitements. La durée de pâturage nocturne a été de 100 minutes. Le fractionnement de la surface offerte n'a pas entraîné de modifications de l'ingestion ni du comportement alimentaire au cours de la période diurne.

Un essai de digestibilite a ete realise en continu pendant 53 jours avec six taurillons creoles a l'auge, afin d'etablir pour Dichanthium sp des equations de prediction de la digestibilite de la matiere organique (dMO) et des quantites de matiere organique ingerees (MOI), a partir de la composition chimique des feces. Les constituants qui ont permis de predire la dMO avec la plus grande precision sont les matieres azotees totales (MATf, % MO) que ce soit avec une equation de type lineaire, quadratique ou hyperbolique (dMO = 0,983 - 4,002/MATf, ETR = 0,023). Les constituants parietaux des feces ont ete des covariables moins precises que MATf. La quantite de MAT (en g) excretee dans les feces a ete l'indicateur le plus precis pour predire MOI (ETR = 240 g de MO). Les equations etablies ont ensuite ete utilisees pour estimer la digestibilite et les quantites ingerees par des genisses creoles au pâturage sur des prairies a Dichanthium sp au cours de trois essais caracterises par des croissances journalieres des animaux tres differentes (740, 430 et 140 g). C'est l'equation hyperbolique qui a conduit a des estimations de la digestibilite et des quantites de MOI les plus coherentes avec la croissance et les besoins en energie calcules des animaux dans les trois situations alors que les modeles lineaires et quadratiques ont conduit a des biais non negligeables.

International audience

2 ref.; International audience