Integrated crop-small ruminants’ production systems have been identified as one of the strategies to enhance food security among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. This study uses a combination of on-station and on-farm trials to investigate the effects of pearl millet stover on performance of small ruminants, and to identify best cultivars that can be recommended to livestock’ farmers as suitable fodder for sheep and goats. Thirty castrated male Bali-Bali sheep and thirty male Sahel goats aged between 18 and 24 were randomly assigned to five treatments, defined by the type of variety of pearl millet stover fed as basal diet. The findings revealed that type of animal and cultivars significantly affected daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, fecal output and concentration of OM, P, C, N in feces (P < 0.05). Sheep fed with ICMV167005 stover had the highest (P < 0.05) average daily weight gain compared to animals in other treatments. On-farm evaluation by farmers indicated that ICMV167005 and Chakti were the best dual-purpose varieties. Their stovers are recommended to sheep and goats, as quality fodder, for increased growth performance and improved quality manure that can be used for improving soil fertility and crop yields.

Keywords: Crop-small ruminants’ production systems, dual-purpose pearl millet, sheep, goats, pearl millet stover, growth performance, participatory variety evaluation.