The valorization of agricultural residues is a major concern in livestock feeding in Niger. The objective of this study is to evaluate digestibility and weight performance of sheep on stakes fed with cowpea by-products (tops and pods). The work was carried out on fifteen (15) entire rams of the Oudah breed, approximately 12 to 15 months old and with an average weight of 26.89±3.13 kg. These animals were randomly divided into four groups. Each group consisted of five (5) animals tied to the stakes. Batch 1 received 56% cowpea tops and 44% wheat bran; ration of batch 2 was composed of 42.04% cowpea husks, 28.66% wheat bran and 29.30% bush straw and that of batch 3 included 41.89% cowpea tops and husks, 27.03% wheat bran and 31.08% bush straw. These results show that animals ingested 99.0±.42; 112.8±5.78 and 100.9±7.72 g/day/kgP0.75 respectively for batch 1, 2 and 3. Average daily gains ranging from 52.20±34.80 g/animal/day for batch 1 (control); 70.65±47.98 g/animal/day for batch 2 and 108.05±43.88 g/animal/day for batch 4 were recorded. Cowpea co-products can be used in sheep feed by processing them from raw to corked form.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quantity of slaughtered animals and the seizure patterns of red meat produced in the three slaughter areas of the rural commune of Falmey in Niger. These are the slaughter areas of Falmey, Bomba and Belindé over a period of seven months (from 1 January to 31 July 2018). The methodology adopted in this study is divided into two stages. The first step (live phase) is devoted to the determination of the origin of the animals, assessment of their numbers and the control of the health status of the animals by an ante-mortem inspection. The second stage (dead phase) is that of the control of the safety of meat and viscera by a post mortem inspection. Three species of domestic ruminants (3176 goats, 512 sheep and 478 cattle) were slaughtered. 100% of these animals came from local farms. At the level of the goat species 509 organs were seized including 38.11% intestines, 32.02% livers, 20.63% lungs. Similarly, in sheep and cattle livers and intestines remain the most seized organs because of putrefaction due to the delay of stripping operations. An organization of the slaughtering activities is necessary in order to reduce the putrefaction of the viscera. The municipal authorities as well as the parent ministry must support the slaughter areas with state-of-the-art equipment and technicians.