Borgou cows; dairy production; live weight changes; net return; supplements
Abstract :
[en] An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of supplementing lactating cows with cottonseed
meal and Vitellaria paradoxa leaves in the rainy season on milk yield and content, cows daily weight gain and
profitability. The experimental design was 3 × 3 Latin square with 5 repetitions. Fifteen Borgou cows were
offered three diets: grazing on natural pasture, grazing on pasture plus 1.5 kg of cottonseed meal supplement
and grazing on natural pasture plus 500 g of Vitellaria paradoxa leaves. Daily milk yield was 946.58 g,
1690.07 g and 1176.89 g for the control, cottonseed meal and Vitellaria paradoxa leaves group respectively.
Cows supplemented with cottonseed meal produce significantly (p < 0.05) more milk than the others. The
mean values were 15.12%, 0.35%, 5.92% and 4.13% respectively for total solid, ash, fat and protein content.
Vitellaria paradoxa leaves significantly (p < 0.05) increase total solid level and ash as well as ash with
cottonseed meal. Furthermore, calves daily weight gain (DWG) was significantly different. A net return
analysis shows that cottonseed meal and Vitellaria paradoxa leaves supplementation in rainy season was
profitable even if Vitellaria paradoxa leaves were more beneficial.
