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MINERAL PROFILE, PALATABILITY AND DIGESTIBILITY OF MARGINAL LAND  GRASSES OF TRANS-HIMALAYAN GRASSLANDS OF PAKISTAN

INAM-UR-RAHIM^*, JAVED IQBAL SULTAN^*, MUHAMMAD YAQOOB^**, HAQ NAWAZ^*, IJAZ JAVED^*** AND MANSOOR HAMEED^****

Abstract: The objective of this study was to explore the nutritive value of locally available  marginal land  grasses. Twelve marginal land grasses viz., Cynodon dactylon, Apluda mutica, Setaria pumila, Panicum turgidum, Pennisetum orientale, Digitaria sanguinalis, Saccharum spontaneum, Rottboellia exaltata, Arthraxon prionodes, Cenchrus ciliaris, Desmostachya bipinnata and Andropogon squarrosus were identified and analyzed for dry matter (DM), macro-minerals (Ca, P, K and Mg) and micro-minerals (Cu, Zn, Mn and Co). The DM, Ca, P, K and Mg at early bloom stage were 30.1±1.080, 0.31±0.044, 0.024±0.003, 0.63±0.047 and 0.005±0.001%, respectively. The  Cu, Zn, Mn and Co at early bloom stage were 17.25±1.42, 10.30±1.961, 7.35±0.489 and 0.020±0.005 ppm, respectively. The DM, Ca, P, K and Mg at maturity were 39.4±0.75, 0.32±0.044, 0.041±0.002, 0.53±0.044 and 0.007±0.003 %, respectively. The  Cu, Zn, Mn and Co at maturity were 18.48±2.383, 4.30±0.853, 4.675±0.716 and 0.007±0.003 ppm, respectively. In marginal land grasses the highest potential intake rate (PIR) was observed for Cynodon dactylon (55.25±12.26 g/4 minute) and lowest for Andropogon squarrosus (7.30±2.39 g/4 minute). However, the highest relative preference (RP) was noted for Setaria pumila (83.40±2.42%) and lowest for Andropogon squarrosus (2.25±0.66%). The mean  in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) of marginal land grasses at early bloom stage were 58.4±2.05% and 7.74±0.29 MJ/kg DM, respectively, whereas, at mature stage were 43.3±1.89% and 5.64±0.25 MJ/kg DM, respectively. It is suggested that the macro and micro mineral composition, IVDMD, RP and PIR values of marginal land grasses are suitable for feeding to livestock with some supplementation for different levels of production and classes of livestock.

^*Institute of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan

^**Department of Livestock Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040 Pakistan

^***Department of Physiology and Phaemacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

^****Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Corresponding author e-mail: dr_haq_nawaz@yahoo.com