[Evaluation of the nutritional value of some herbaceous plants grazed by Camel in the Sahara North-Western Algerian Sahara]

ABSTRACT

Understanding dromedary-desert rangelands relationships is a major element of eco-development and management of North Western Sahara areas which constitute the habitat of plants grazed by the dromedary. The latter remains the only breeding species capable of valorizing Saharian plants, thus providing meat and milk which constitute the main food source of indigenous population. In the current study, the nutritional value [energy and nitrogenous value] based on chemical composition of some annual plants [Anvillea radiata, Asteriscus graveolens, Cotula cinerea, Lifago dielsii, Moltkia ciliata, Helianthemum lippii, Salvia aegyptiaca, Stipagrostis plumosa, Neurada procumbens, Fagonia glutinosa] was investigated. The chemical composition analysis shows high contents of organic matter and low contents of total nitrogenous matter. The nutritional value assessment shows that the highest fodder unit milk [UFL] and fodder unit meat [UFV] values were recorded in Asteriscus graveolens [0.60 and 0.52] and Neurada procumbens [0.57 and 0.49]. However, the lowest values were obtained from Fagonia glutinosa [0.25 and 0.23] and Cotula cinerea [0.31 and 0.27]. Likewise, the nitrogenous value assessment shows that the highest values of digestible protein in the small intestine limited by nitrogen [PDIN] and digestible protein in the small intestine limited by energy [PDIE] were recorded in Stipagrostis plumosa [56.31g and 41.97g] and Neurada procumbens [54.46g and 31.71g].On the other hand, the lowest values correspond to Fagonia glutinosa [25.60g and 19.56g] and Lifago dielsii [39.48g and 17.36g]. This last plant is only consumed in the absence of other species. Indeed, these annual species that grow after rainfall constitute the most appreciated pastures for the dromedary.