Proximate analysis: Relative feed values of various forage plants for ruminants investigated in a semi-arid region of Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

The experimental site "Sial Morr Sugar mill, District Sargodha" Punjab, Pakistan was selected to carry out present investigation. The forage samples of Eragrostis pilosa, Dactyloctenium ae-gyptium, Parthenium hysterophorus and Calotro-pis procera were collected from the three sites held in this area. The forage samples were cleaned with distilled water to rinse dust particles and other impurities. These forage samples were air dried, oven dried and ground for the assessment of proximate analysis. Proximate analysis procedures including the percentage of moisture content, crude protein, ash contents and crude fiber in the sample were determined by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods. The CP contents among different plant species ranged from 8.1% to 26.2% at all sites. The lowest CP value was found in Er-agrostis pilosa at site III while the highest CP contents in Dactyloctenium aegyptium at site II. The CP content showed significant (p < 0.05) result among all species at all sites. There was consistence pattern of increase and decrease found during all plant species at all sites. Generally , CP concentration averaged high at site II. Our CP contents are above the critical value. Considering the overall percentage of moisture composition, it was highest at site II. However, the moisture was found more in Calotropis pro-cera at site II. The Dactyloctenium aegyptium had the least moisture content of 3.9% while the highest water content of 7%. Ash contents varied from 7.2% to 17.9% among various plant species at all sampling sites. The lowest ash contents were recorded in Dactyloctenium ae-gyptium at site III. At site II, ash contents were highest in Eragrostis pilosa. The differences between ash contents of various plant species were significant (p < 0.05) at all sampling site. Generally, the ash contents were higher at site II. Crude fiber contents differed significantly (p < 0.05) between various plant species at all sampling sites stages. Parthenium hysterophorus had greater crude fiber contents at site II while the lowest value of CF found in Dactyloctenium aegyptium at site I. The differences were significant between all plant species other than the Specie I at all sites. The values ranged from 1.2% to 4.1%. It was highest in Parthenium hyster-ophorus (4.1%) at site I and least in Dactyloc-tenium aegyptium (1.2%) at site III. Maximum ether extract value was achieved at site I.