Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

How to Create Conditioned Taste Aversion for Grazing Ground Covers in Woody Crops with Small Ruminants
Published on: April 30, 2016
Breeders' knowledge on cattle fodder species preference in rangelands of Benin
Jéronime Marie-Ange Sènami Ouachinou1, Gbèwonmèdéa Hospice Dassou2, Akomian Fortuné Azihou3
1Laboratory of Botany and Plant Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 BP 4521, Cotonou, Benin. ouajeronime@gmail.com.
Background:
We undertook ethnobotanical and ecological studies on fodder plants grazed by cattle across Benin national area. The study aims to ascertain the top priority fodder plants in order to catalogue the indigenous knowledge regarding their use.
Methods:
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and covered 690 breeders and 40 days of pasture walk. These were analysed using similarity index of Jaccard (IS), relative frequency citation (RFC) and fodder value during pasture walk (FVPW).
Results:
We documented a total of 257 fodder plant species, of which 116 recorded during ethnobotanical investigations and 195 during pasture walk. These species belong to 181 genera and 54 families. Both methods shared 52 species. Leaves (58%) and leafy stem (28%) were the most grazed parts of plant. The most common species used as fodder included Andropogon gayanus, Panicum maximum, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Flueggea virosa. The top species with a highest FVPW were Panicum maximum and Pterocarpus erinaceus. A total of 16 species were considered as top fodder plants in Benin.
Conclusions:
The wide diversity of plants reported indicates that there is a number of promising fodder species in the flora of Benin. The insight gained in this study relating to bovine feeds could guide in the selection and introduction of feed innovations that could improve livestock production.
More Related Videos
07:46Exploring the Longissimus Muscle: Unraveling its Correlation with Meat Quality in Bos indicus and Crossbred Bulls
Published on: July 12, 2024
09:23JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning
Published on: March 21, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Migration
Optimal Foraging
Ecological Niches
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
Plant Breeding and Biotechnology