Research development work carried out by OEP is undertaken within the framework of conventional programs with Research institutions. Those related to rangeland and by products have been carried out from 1989 up to 1998 within a bilateral agreement between OEP and agronomic national research institute (INRAT)
Rangland field
1.nutritive value of native and introduced species
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Abdouli H., Ferchichi H., Ben Salem Lamia. 1995. Prediction of the nutritive value of shrubs and fodder trees by laboratory techniques. Annales de Zootechnie , 44 Suppl., 53.
2.valorization of Acacia cyanophylla
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Abdouli H., Ben Salem L. 1995. Tannins in Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. leaves. Their effect on digestion by sheep fed alfalfa hay-based diets. Annales de Zootechnie , 44 Suppl., 228.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Abdouli H., Ben Salem Lamia 1995. Energy or nitrogen supply to sheep fed Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. leaves based diets. Effects on intake and digestion. Annales de Zootechnie , 44 Suppl., 76.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ferchichi H., Ben Salem Lamia., Tisserand J.L. 1997. Intake and digestion in sheep given fresh or air-dried Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage. Annales de Zootechnie , 46: 361-374.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia., Tisserand J.L. 1997. Effect of Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage supply on intake and digestion by sheep fed on lucerne hay based diets. Animal Feed Science and Technology , 68: 101-113.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia, Tisserand J.L. 1999. Different means of administring polyethylene glycol to sheep; effect on the nutritive value of Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage. Animal Science , 68: 809-818.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia, Tisserand J.L. 1999. Intake, digestibility, urinary excretion of purine derivatives and growth by sheep given fresh, air-dried or polyethylene glycol-treated foliage of Acacia cyanophylla Lindl . Animal Feed Science and Technology , 78: 297-311.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia, Tisserand J.L. 2000. Deactivation of condensed tannins in Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage by polyethylene glycol in feed blocks. Effect on feed intake, diet digestibility, nitrogen balance, microbial synthesis and growth by sheep. Livestock Production Science, 64(1): 51-60.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia 2002. Supplementation of Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage -based diets with barley or shrubs from arid areas ( Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis and Atriplex nummularia L.) on growth and digestibility in lambs. Animal Feed Science and Technology , 96: 15-30.
. Ben Salem, H., Nefzaoui, A., Makkar, H.P.S., Hochlef, H., Ben Salem, I., Ben Salem, Lamia 2005. Effect of early experience and adaptation period on voluntary intake, digestion, and growth in Barbarine lambs given tannin-contaning ( Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage) or tannin-free (oeten hay) diets. Animal Feed Science and Technology 122, 59-77.
3.forage potential of spineless cactus and atriplex species
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Abdouli H., orskov E.R. 1996. Effect of increasing level of spineless cactus ( Opuntia ficus indica var. inermis ) on intake and digestion by sheep fed straw-based diets. Animal Science , 62: 293-299.
. Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem H., Ben Salem Lamia 1996. La complémentation azotée du cactus inerme pour les ovins. Effet de la source d'azote. Annales de Zootechnie , 45 (suppl. 1): 120.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia. 2002. Supplementing spineless cactus ( Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis ) based diets with urea-treated straw or oldman saltbush ( Atriplex nummularia L.). Effects on intake, digestion and growth. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge, 138: 85-92.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia 2002. Opuntia ficus-indica var. inermis and Atriplex nummularia L. Two complementary fodder shrubs for sheep and goats. Acta Horticulturae , 333-341.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia 2002. Nitrogen supplementation improves the nutritive value of Opuntia ficus-indica var. inermis -based diets and sheep growth. Acta Horticulturae 581, 317-321.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Ben Salem Lamia 2004. Spineless cactus ( Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis ) and oldman saltbush ( Atriplex nummularia L.) as alternative supplements for growing Barbarine lambs given straw-based diets. Small Ruminant Research 51: 65-73.
. Ben Salem H., Abdouli, H., Nefzaoui A., El-Mastouri A., Ben Salem Lamia 2005. Nutritive value, behavior, and growth of Barbarine lambs fed on oldman saltbush ( Atriplex nummularia L.) and supplemented or not with barley grains or spineless cactus ( Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis ) pads. Small Ruminant Research 59(2-3),229-237.
By products field
1.straw treated with ammonia or with urea
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Rokbani N. 1994. Upgrading of sorghum stover with anhydrous ammonia and urea. Animal Feed science and Technology , 48, 15-26.
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Messaoudi A., Ben Arif T. 1995. A traditional technique as an alternative to plastic sheet for covering urea-treated straw. Digestibility and growth trials. Annales de Zootechnie , 45 (Suppl. 1), 119.
2.feed blocs manufacturing and use in animal nutrition
. Ben Salem H., Nefzaoui A., Messaoudi L. 2001. Les blocs alimentaires à base de grignon d'olive. Une alternative économique pour la complémentation des fourrages pauvres. Annales de l'INRAT , 74: 187-203.
Forage field
Les travaux dans ce domaine ont été réalisés avec l'INRAT :
. Ben Youssef S., Chakroun M., Gouhis F. 2000. Etude de l'aptitude à la repousse chez quelques variétés d'avoine. Annales de l'INRAT, 73.
. Chakroun M., Ben Youssef S., Gouhis F., Chaouech R. 2002. Performance and stability analysis of North African oat varieties in Tunisia. Annales de l'INRAT, 75.
Seed production field
. Chakroun M., Gouhis F, 1998. Evaluation agronomique de quelques génotypes d'avoine en Tunisie. Annales de l'INRAT, 71.
