Editorial
Consideration on animal nutrition in West Africa
Maryline KoubaIn West African countries, the animal diet is poor because of the high price of major dietary ingredients such as corn and soya. However, these countries present a great biodiversity. The use of local plants not employed in human nutrition, available, free or very cheap in animal diets is a way to lower the price of the diet and to limit importations. We have used several plants first to give healthy meat and eggs (enriched by omega 3 fatty acids) with Euphorbia heterophylla supplemented diets in several poultry species, rabbit and guinea pig. Another experiment has shown that Heveabrasiliensis seeds meal can be used in pig and guinea fowl diets to replace soya without negative effect on performance. More research must be carried out to find plants as Heveabrasiliensis which can replace at least partly soyabean meal in animal diets to assure sustainability of small farms