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- Title
EFFECT OF INCORPORATING LESS PALATABLE GRASSES ON PALATABILITY OF LUCERNE (MEDICAGO SATIVA L.).
- Authors
Qamar, Imtiaz Ahmad; Shahbaz, Maqbool; Farooq, Muhammad Umar
- Abstract
A study was conducted at National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan during 2012 to see the effect of incorporating less platable grasses on palatability of lucerne (Medicago sativa L). For this purpose three experiments were conducted as A, B and C. In first experiment (A) three less palatable grasses (Sorghum halepense, Chrosopogon aucheri and Heteropogon contortus) harvested at pre-flowering, full flowering and maturity stages were mixed with lucerne in different ratios. Different treatments in experiment A were; Sorghum halepense (100%) (T1A), Sorghum halepense + Medicago sativa (75:25%) (T2A), Sorghum halepense + Medicago sativa (50:50%) (T3A), Sorghum halepense + Medicago sativa (25:75%) (T4A), Medicago sativa (100%) T5A. The second experiment (B) comprised following treatments: Chrosopogon aucheri (100%) (T1B), Chrosopogon aucheri + Medicago sativa (75:25%) T2B, Chrosopogon aucheri + Medicago sativa (50:50%) (T3B), Chrosopogon aucheri + Medicago sativa (25:75%) (T4B), Medicago sativa (100%) (T5B). In third experiment (C) treatments were; Heteropogon contortus (100%) (T1C), Heteropogon contortus + Medicago sativa (75:25%) (T2C), Heteropogon contortus + Medicago sativa (50:50%) (T3C), Heteropogon contortus + Medicago sativa (25:75%) (T4C), Medicago sativa (100%) (T5C). The results indicated that the maximum crude protein (30.88%) was recorded at pre-flowering stage of lucerne followed by full-flowering stage (24.75%) and maturity stage (22.70%) in T5A. The highest total ash contents (16.45%) and ether extracts (4.19%) were recorded at pre-flowering stage of lucerne in treatment T5A. It was concluded that mixing grasses with lucerne increased its palatability. Hence, the feed adequacy in terms of both quantity and quality was secured that would minimize the feed shortage for livestock.
- Subjects
GRASSES; ALFALFA; NATIONAL agricultural research systems; ANGIOSPERMS; MIXING
- Publication
Journal of Agricultural Research (03681157), 2015, Vol 53, Issue 3, p425
- ISSN
0368-1157
- Publication type
Article