NUTRIENT INTAKE AND UTILIZATION IN SHEEP FED WITH PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS

The nutritive value of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) was assessed on 18 adult rams divided into three equal groups fed either (i) Cench rus ciliaris hay to appetite plus 200 g concentrate (G(1)), (ii) chopp ed cactus and Cenchrus ciliaris (G(2)), and (iii) chopped cactus and S orghum helepense (G(3)) in a cafeteria system. Opuntia-fed groups G(2) and G(3) consumed 6.31 and 4.21 kg fresh cactus daily, amounting to 7 9 and 54% of dry matter intake, respectively. The cactus-fed G(2) and G(3) consumed less (p < 0.01) drinking water. Digestibility of dry mat ter, organic matter and crude protein, and nutritive value were higher (p < 0.01) in G(1) and G(3) than G(2). G(1) animals maintained weight and those in G(2) and G(3) lost weight. It is concluded that Opuntia is highly palatable and along with dry conserved fodder can sustain sh eep during scarcity. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.