2007, Volume 13 No. 2

ARTICLE 8

In vitro Evaluation of the Nutritive Value of Trianthema portulacastrum as a Source of Fodder for Ruminants

Bharathidhasan S, Ganesh Babu NS & Balakrishnan V
Department of Animal Nutrition, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai 600 007, India

ABSTRACT
Trianthema portulacastrum (common farm weed in tropical countries) contains 21.5 ± 1.2% crude protein, similar to Lucerne with relatively low structural carbohydrate (neutral detergent fibre: 43.6 ± 3.1%). The mineral profile of T. portulacastrum was well above the critical level as far as calcium (0.3%), magnesium (0.2%), iron (50 ppm), copper (8 ppm), zinc (30.0 ppm) and manganese (50 ppm), whereas the phosphorus content at 0.13 ± 0.1 % was below the critical level recommended by McDowell et al. (1983). Degradability studies in rumen stimulation technique (RUSITEC) revealed that nearly half of the dry matter in T. portulacastrum was soluble and degradable, while 69.9% of the nitrogen was insoluble but degradable. The digestible rumen degradable nitrogen and digestible un-degradable nitrogen values were 1.2% and 1.4% respectively, with the total absorbable nitrogen value of 2.5%. This study revealed that supplementation of digestible organic matter to the extent of 14.9% and phosphorus to the extent of 0.2% was suggested as a tool to exploit the full potential nutritive value of T. portulacastrum.

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