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Spatial and seasonal variation of chemical composition of desert plant and camel faeces

Chehma A., Faye B.. 2009. In : The Second Conference of the International Society of Camelid Research and Development, Djerba, Tunisia, 12th - 14th March, 2009 : abstracts. Djerba : ISOCARD, p. 131-131. Conference of the International Society of Camelid Research and Development. 2, 2009-03-12/2009-03-14, Djerba (Tunisie).

To study the nutritive variability in camel farming system face to spatiotemporal fluctuatior of the fodder offers in Saharan range lands, the part grazed by the dromedary of 21 vivaciou plants composing the various types of Saharan rangelands was harvested., Besides 13 faece samples of dromedaries were collected in the same rangelands, during four seasons to analyz their chemical composition, including: Mineral Matter (MM), Organic Matter (OM), Tota Nitrogen Matter (MAT), Crude Wende Cellulose (CWB), Neutral Detergent Fibber (NDF) Acid Detergent Fibber (ADF) and Acid Detergent Lignin (ADL). The spatiotemporal study o the chemical composition of the camel faeces confirms us the obtained results for different plants grazed by this animal. Indeed, in general, the obtained values reflect very well the general trend of the chemical composition of plants, with values very low in nitrogen (going from 3.56 to 18.04% of the MS for the species and 3.62 to 11.53% of the MS for the faeces) and relatively high in membrane constituents (going from 21.47 to 74.83% of the MS for the species and 16.6 to 62.06% of the MS for the faeces). However, a significant seasonal variability was observed in plants (P = 0.001) contrary to faeces where no significant seasonal differences was reported (P = 0.058). This shows that the dromedary, by its particular feeding behaviour, applies a strategy of adaptation to nutrient fluctuations, caused by the seasonal climatic variations, and can ensure a relative stability of its annual nutrient contribution. (Texte intégral)

Mots-clés : dromadaire; désert du sahara

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