Use of the native forage hay of brazilian’s Northeast in the feeding of sheep and goats

Abstract

The Brazilian northeast has in the creation of small ruminants one of the main activities the animals producers, which assumes an important socio-economic role. In this revision we currently approach a subject sufficiently studied, that is the hay production of native forage plants of caatinga. This bioma possess an immense variety of vegetal species with pos forage value and as sufficiently acceptability part of the animals in such a way under the form in natura or dehydrated with in the hay form. The hay of the caatinga’ s forage plants constituted a viable alternative for utilization during the dry period of the year. In this work one searched to analyze the nutritional value, consumption and digestibility of the nutrients and the use in the animal feeding of the kill-grass (Senna obtusifolia), flower-of-silk (Calotropis procera), maniçoba (Manihot pseudo glaziovii), juazeiro (Zizyphus joazeiro), catingueira (Caesalpinea bracteosa), sabiá (Mimosa casalpiniaefolia), beans-brave (Capparis flexuosa), forage peanut (Arachis pintoi) and cunhã (Clitoria ternatea). All these species reveal as a viable option for feeding of the bovine, goat and sheep flocks in the half-barren northeastern. As a consequence of the extreme climatic conditions where those species develop, they present physiological structures of adaptation to the low water availability that promotes reduction in the forage digestibility, so her use in animal nutrition should be limited.