**2.3 Feeding**

246 Agricultural Science

Small ruminant production is an important segment of agricultural sector that forms a significant component of most farming systems in the country whether pastoral or

Nigeria has a population of 56.599 million small ruminants of which goats and sheep accounted for 34.4-85 million and 22.104 million respectively (FNPCPS,1980) of an estimated

Information on the utilization of *Adansonia digitata* bark as feed for ruminants in general and

Some trees are valued as excellent sources of forage feed for ruminant animals while they are known as noxious weeds in some areas. A tree, such as Leucaena leucocephala has been shown to have great potential as a source of high quality feed for ruminants and also capable of improving intake of poor quality rouphage and live weight gain in large and

Adansonia digitata linn (English: baobab; Yoruba: Ose; Hausa: Kuka; Nupe: Machi; Kanuri: kuka; Bini: Usi.) is a tropical tree specie popularly called the Baobab tree. It has distinctive large flower and fruits hanging from long stalks. It is wide spread in the drier regions of Africa. It is much more widespread in the savanna of Nigeria where it is usually planted or presented. The tree is about 25m high with a very stout bole reaching 12m in girth. The bark is grey or purplish and thick. The bark produces a strong fibre resulting in its being stripped off. Hence, the trunk is often much more deformed. (Keay,

The pulp of baobab tree was found to be acidic and rich in ascorbic acid, iron, calcium and pectin. The pectin was mainly water soluble and had a low degree of esterification and a

According to purseglove (1968) the fruit pulp which contains tartaric acid is made into a drink and is also used as a fruit seasonal. In the Sudan, the pulp is commonly chewed,

Sheep together with goats, *Ilamas* and *alpacas* are small ruminants because they are ruminants; they eat low quality food, particularly fibrous vegetation which cannot be eaten by humans and non-ruminant animals such as pigs and poultry. People keep sheep because they produce meat, milk, wool or hair, skins and manure. Sheep are the only species of animal that produce wool, although goats, rabbits and alpacas sometimes produce similar high quality fibre. Therefore sheep are a way of converting poor quality food into desirable products. Breeds which have to survive along dry season often have a fat tail or rump which is a store of energy equivalent to the hump of camels or cattle

sucked or made into a drink. The kernels are edible and the seed contain 19% oil.

agricultural.

**2. Literature review 2.1** *Adansonia digitata*

small ruminants.

et.al. 1965).

(Gatenby, R.M, 1991).

low intrinsic viscosity. (Nour, et.al. 1980)

**2.2 Importance and characteristics of sheep** 

Africa small ruminant population of 349.4 million.

WAD rams in particular has not been documented.

A variety of feeds are used throughout the tropics and sub-tropics. Sheep are known as herbivores; feeding readily on a wide range of plant except poisonous ones. Under certain condition they feed on every parts of the plants within their reach such as leaves, stem, flowers, seeds, barks and fruits. Some of the pasture that are common in Nigeria include *Cynodon emiensis, Andropogon gayanus, Panicum maximum.* Some other crop residues and agro-industrial by-products are also used in feeding sheep e.g. cassava peels, yam peels, maize offals, wheat offal, PKC, BDG, Bone meal and Cereal straws. There is no sufficient information on the nutrient requirement of livestock. (Akinyosinu, 1985).
