Browsed trees and shrubs fodder by pastoral herds efficiency in the sahelian rangeland

Pastoralism in the sahel, refers to the extensive production of livestock in rangelands, in which managed herd mobility (transhumance and nomadism) are necessary for the productivity and the sustainability of pastoral system. However, in this region, impact assessment and adaptation solutions face several methodological limitations and lack of data availability particularly about the fodder of woody plants. Establishment of livestock feed balances at national or regional level are still largely perfectible. This communication is based on a study case conduced in a pastoral region in northern Senegal including the assessment of the foraging efficiency of cattle browsing tree and shrub fodder, and their market value. Trees and shrub browses play a significant role in the tropical pastoral system, mostly as feed supplements during the hot dry season. Based on the stocking rate of rangelands, the annual intake of tree and shrub fodder over a year tallies 13% of the total fodder intake by livestock and only 5% of the annual foliage production.