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NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FREE RANGELAND GRASSES OF NORTHERN GRASSLANDS OF PAKISTAN

JAVED IQBAL SULTAN¹, INAM-UR-RAHIM¹, MUHAMMAD YAQOOB², HAQ NAWAZ AND MANSOOR HAMEED³

Abstract: A study was conducted in the valley of Chagharzai in Bunair district lying in the north Trans-Himalayan moist zone occupying Malakand Division, North Western Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan to determine the nutritive value of locally available free rangeland grasses. The study area lies between 34.42 to 34.66 degree latitude and 72.62 to 72.78 degree longitude, having a humid subtropical to temperate environment. The annual precipitation varies from 600 to 1000 mm, mainly during summer and spring. Ten free rangeland grasses were identified and analyzed for DM, OM, ash, CP, NDF, ADF, hemi- cellulose, and lignin. The mean percentage values for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), hemi-cellulose and lignin at early bloom stage were 33.1±0.69, 30.6±0.55, 7.4±0.42, 7.8±0.33, 54.7±2.08, 24.7±0.89, 30.0±2.11 and 3.9±0.22, respectively. The mean percentage values for DM, OM, ash, CP, NDF, ADF, hemi-cellulose and lignin at mature stage were 43.6±1.03, 41.4±0.86, 7.1±0.42, 5.5±0.25, 61.9±1.44, 29.4±1.16, 31.5±2.14 and 4.7±0.17, respectively. In free grazing rangeland grasses the highest (p<0.05) potential intake rate (PIR) was observed for Heteropogon contortus (53.80±15.82 g/4 minute) and lowest for Cymbopogon schoenanthus (35.8±12.16 g/4 minute). However, the highest (p<0.05) relative preference (RP) was noted for Dichanthium annulatum (81.15±0.61%) and lowest for Cymbopogon schoenanthus (19.33±1.84%). The mean In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) of free rangeland grasses at early bloom stage were 55.3±1.86% and 7.57±0.25 MJ/kg DM, respectively, whereas, the mean IVDMD and ME at mature stage were 44.0±2.11% and 5.86±0.29 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The chemical and structural composition, IVDMD, RP and PIR values indicate that free grazing rangeland grasses be fed to livestock with some supplementation for different levels of production and types of livestock.

¹Institute of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040 Pakistan

²Department of Livestock Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040 Pakistan

³Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan

Corresponding author e-mail: dr_haq_nawaz@yahoo.com