Effect of species on chemical composition, metabolizable energy, organic matter digestibility and methane production of some legume plants grown in Turkey

Abstract

The aim of the current experiment was to evaluate the chemical composition, metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD), gas and methane production of some legume plants estimated by in vitro gas production technique, and to determine the relationship among chemical composition, ME, OMD, gas and methane production of some legume plants. Although species has a significant effect on the chemical composition, gas production, ME and OMD species has no effect on methane emission of legume hays. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) ranged from 22.86% to 42.93% and 20.24% to 37.16% respectively. Crude protein (CP) contents of legume hays ranged from 13.61% to 20.55%. Neutral detergent fibre and ADF contents of legume plants are negatively correlated with gas production, ME and OMD. It can be concluded that legume plant studied in the current experiment showed a wide nutritional diversity and will provide not only protein but also fibre for livestocks. They may exhibit complementary role for ruminant animals grazing on poor quality forages. Legume species studied in the current experiment had a no anti-methanogenic properties.