Chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of indigenous mountain pasture plants in different plant groups
1986
Garmo, T.H. (Norges Landbrukshoegskole, Aas (Norway). Inst. for hus-dyraernaering)
Several plant species from the following plant groups: ferns + horsetails, lichens, conifers (juniper), three leaves (Salix spp., Betula spp., Populus tremula, Sorbus aucuparia), heathers, grasses, rushes/sedges and forbs were collected in a mountain area of southerns Norway during the growing season from the 15th of June up to the 15th of September the years 1982-1984. Mean values (% of dry matter) of the different chemical constituents and in vitro dry matter digestibility of the different plant groups sampled throughout the growing season are given in Table 2. The mean crude protein content varied from 4.1% in lichens up to 17.5% in forbs; the crude fat were lowest for rushes/ sedges (1.9%) and highest in juniper (13.3%); the crude fibre varied from 14.1% to 26.1% of three leaves and grasses, respectively; NFE showed lowest values for grasses (54%) and highest in lichens (74%). Ferns + horsetails contained the greatest (13.3%) and lichens the low-est (1.9%) amount of ash of the different plant groups. The levels of the macrominerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium were all lowest in lichens (0.15;0.09;0.05;0.13%) and highest in the forbs (1.19;0.36;0.37;1.65%). Sodium levels varied from 0.029% in the heathers to 0.116% of ferns+horsetails. The forbs showed the highest mean in vitro dry matter digestibility (69%) and lichens the lowest (35%). However, the in vitro method (using sheep rumen inoculum) probably underestimates the dry matter digestibility of lichens, three leaves, juniper and heathers. Great variations in most of the chemical constituents as well as in vitro dry matter digestibility troughout the growing season for the different plant groups were demonstrated (Table 2)
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