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In vivo digestibility and nutritive value of Atriplex halimus alone and mixed with wheat straw

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2003

M. L. ALICATA ,
G. AMATO ,
A. BONANNO ,
D. GIAMBALVO  and
G. LETO
M. L. ALICATA
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Entomologiche, Fitopatologiche, Microbiologiche e Zootecniche, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
G. AMATO
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Agronomia, Coltivazioni erbacee e Pedologia, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
A. BONANNO
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Entomologiche, Fitopatologiche, Microbiologiche e Zootecniche, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
D. GIAMBALVO
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Agronomia, Coltivazioni erbacee e Pedologia, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
G. LETO
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Entomologiche, Fitopatologiche, Microbiologiche e Zootecniche, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
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Abstract

In vivo digestibility trials were carried out using six young rams fed with Atriplex halimus biomass harvested in summer (A) and in early autumn (B), and with a mixture of mid-autumn Atriplex halimus and wheat straw (5[ratio ]1 ratio on fresh matter basis) (C). Atriplex halimus had a high protein content (139·0, 135·9 and 193·4 g/kg DM in A, B and C respectively), but was rich in sodium chloride, especially in summer (145·9 g/kg DM), limiting its use as feed. The summer forage had a higher organic matter (OM) digestibility coefficient than the autumn forage (0·663 v. 0·530) but lower digestible OM intake (16·8 v. 29·4 g/day per kg BW0·75). In autumn forage, the combination with straw did not influence the digestibility of organic matter, whereas it enhanced DOM intake in comparison with the Atriplex halimus on its own (35·7 v. 29·4 g/day per kg BW0·75).

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 139 , Issue 2 , September 2002 , pp. 139 - 142
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

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