EVALUATION OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND IN VITRO DRY AND ORGANIC MATTER DIGESTIBILITY OF SOME FORAGE PLANT SPECIES DERIVED FROM EGYPTIAN RANGELANDS

The objective of the study was to evaluate wild forage plant species derived from Egyptian rangelands based on the determination of their chemical composition, in vitro digestibility and gross energy value. Twenty four wild palatable forage plants were identified and analyzed for crude fiber, ether extract, crude protein, nitrogen free extract, ash, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, cellulose, hemi-cellulose, silica, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) and gross energy. The differences among species were significant in the same group of plants and among different groups (grasses, legumes and forbs). Significant differences were observed between grasses in all factors evaluated, except acid detergent lignin. In legumes the differences among species in values of acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin and cellulose were not significant. Contrary, all tested factors among forbs species were significantly different. IVDMD and IVOMD showed a significantly higher trend for grasses compared to legumes and forbs. Contrary, forbs showed a higher trend in gross energy compared to grasses and legumes. It can concluded that the high protein, moderate fiber contents and high in vitro digestibility found in Ammophila arenaria, Trigonella maritime and Vicia monantha, Vicia sativa, Ononis vaginalis, Atriplex nummularia and Lycium shawii make them good quality wild forage plant species that can be used in ruminants' nutrition under Egyptian rangelands conditions.