Animal feed is a major source of contamination by toxigenic fungi. The objective of this study was to provide an overview of fungal contamination in animal feed and to explore alternative treatments. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in eight localities in the Maradi region through semi-structured interviews with livestock breeders, veterinarians, animal health officers, medical doctors, and biologists. A total of 539 individuals were interviewed, including 457 breeders, 45 animal health officers and veterinarians, and 37 medical and biological professionals. The study revealed that 20% of fungal contaminations originate from forages. Indicators such as moist forage with black spots, contaminated water, odor changes, and rotten feed residues were identified as warning signs. The most commonly reported diseases included foot-and-mouth disease, fever, lumpy skin disease, rhinitis, pasteurellosis, anthrax, bloating, diarrhea, intestinal worms, infections of unknown origin, allergies, laminitis, avian influenza, colic, and sheep pox. The main symptoms observed were weakness, reduced feed intake, rough hair coat, dry nostrils, lack of rumination, and weight loss. Viral infections were the most frequently encountered, accounting for 45% of the reported cases. According to 45% of doctors and biologists, mycotoxins can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat. To mitigate the effects of fungal contamination, veterinarians often use antimicrobial agents. However, effective alternative treatments using medicinal plants could be explored to improve animal health and food safety.

In Niger, livestock farming is a promising sector for the economy of rural households. The livestock value chain has a positive impact on household nutrition. This study aims to characterize the consumption of animal-based foods by agro-pastoral households. Data are collected through a questionnaire survey of 200 randomly sampled heads of households. Data are analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 software. The results show that animal-based foods are consumed by the majority (64.54%) of households surveyed, with dominance in the Maradi region (51.73%) compared to Tillabéri (12.91%) region. These diversified foods are regularly consumed by households. The most consumed foods are meat (83%), fish (81%), and goat’s milk (38%). Households turn to animal-based foods for nutrition’s reasons, eating habits and taste. Children aged 6 to 24 months consume more eggs (43%), fish (42%), red meat (27%), and cow’s milk (19%). Lack of financial means, low production and ignorance of the virtues of animal products are the main constraints on household consumption of animal-based foods. These results suggest that promoting the consumption of animal-based foods could improve household nutrition and well-being, especially in rural areas.

A zootechnical follow-up was conducted in Gounaka (Tassaoua department, Maradi region) in Niger on 48 goats aged less than one year to 4 years including 36 Redheads (75%) and 12 Blacks (25%), all followed by 76 kids including 37 females and 39 males of Red dress (58 individuals) and Black (18 individuals) belonging to 45 breeders. Analyzes have shown that frequency of single litter in Red goats (45.71%) was lower than that of Black (50%). On other hand, double litters were more frequent in Red goat (54.28%) than Black (50%). Differences in 2 cases of litters were not statistically significant (p> 0.05). There was a statistical difference (p <0.05) between milk production average of two types of goats. Red goat had regularly higher than Black at all rows of lactation. Average of durations of intervals between 1st-2nd, 2nd-3rd, 3rd-4th, 4th-5th and 5th-6th parturitions in Red and Black goats in all dresses were respectively 8.36 ± 1.56; 8.67 ± 1.49; 8.66 ± 1.34; 10.00 ± 0.82 and 9.50 ± 0.71 months without statistical difference. At birth, Black kids weighed more than their Red counterparts with 1.67 ± 0.20 and 1.61 ± 3.55 kg respectively, but difference was not significant. As for mean of decadal scrotal circumference (perimeter), it increased from first (D1) to tenth (D10) decade respectively from 5.13 ± 0.89 to 10.71 ± 1.61 cm for Red kids and 4.70 ± 0.80 to 9.51 ± 2.14 cm for black kids significantly (p <0.05).