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.

A study was conducted for eight weeks (July to September 2015) in the city of Niamey, to characterize the technical conduct of ruminant farms. It involved two hundred and five ruminant farmers (small ruminants and dairy cattle), six livestock feed dealers and the five communal managers of livestock services. This study shows that almost all ruminant farmers (91.70%) are men, (90.73%) married, (48.29%) aged between 31 and 50 years. With regard to rearing diversity, seven types of herds were observed: cattle (23.41%), sheep (18.04%), goats (0.97%) cattle-sheep (19.51%), cattle-goats (10.24%), cattle-sheep-goats (20.00%) and sheep-goats (7.80%). Food used to feed ruminants consists of natural pastures, crop residues, agro-industrial by-products and kitchen by-products. Regarding the mode of reproduction, it is the free projection which predominates with a touch of artificial insemination in cattle urban dairy farming. Outside food (main constraint confirmed by 100% of respondents); these are flights 31.62%, lack of space 27.62%, diseases 30.15% and the absence of technical extension agents 30.15% which limit the development of this breeding.