Evaluation of Some Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Terms of Forage Quality

This study was carried out to determine the quality of some medicinal and aromatic plants that grazed by the animals and naturally grown in the rangeland and meadow lands of Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Material of the research consisted of 13 different medicinal and aromatic plant species (Mentha spicata, Origanum onites, Thymus kotschyanus, Salvia officinalis, Artemisia sp., Aloysia citriodora, Melissa officinalis, Tanacetum densum, Ocimum basilicum, Satureja hortensis, Mentha piperita, Thymbra spicata and Phlomis kotschyana) collected in 2017. For each species, randomly three forage analysis samples were taken during the flowering periods of the plants. According to analysis crude protein content (CP) 10.74-24.59%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) ratios 17.31-40.99%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ratios 26.39-56.34%, dry digestible matter (DDM) ratios 57.0-75.4%, dry matter intake (DMI) 2.13-4.55%, relative feed value (RFV) 94.1-251.2, calcium content (Ca) 0.94-2.01%, magnesium (Mg) content 0.25-0.63%, potassium (K) content 1.76-3.78% and phosphor (P) content were between 0.14-0.32%. In addition, it was determined that 11 of the species, especially Ocimum basilicum species, took part in the Prime class, which expresses the best forage quality. Moreover, it was determined that forage of Melissa officinalis, with 145.4 RFV value, took part in first forage class, one subclass of prime class. Phlomis kotschyana with the lowest RFV value (94.1) took part in the third forage class. Results of the study showed that the medicinal aromatic plants have a potency of producing very high quality forage. However, it should not be forgotten that before they are introduced to the intensive consumption of animals, their toxic substances contents such as alkaloids and glycosides, and availability between the mineral substances in the forages such as rate of calcium and phosphorus are required to be well known and taken into account.