Authors : Naser Maheri-Sis, Abolfazl Aghajanzadeh-Golshani, Hosein Cheraghi, Yahya Ebrahimnezhad, Jamshid Ghiasi Ghalehkandi and Abolfazl Asaadi-Dizaji
Abstract: Chickpea straw is the main by-product which is produced in large amounts after chickpea grain threshing. There is a little information about its nutritive value. This experiment was carried out to determine the fiber and non-fibre component, ruminal dry matter degradability and Metabolizable Energy (ME) of chickpea straws using nylon bags (in situ) technique. Replicated samples were incubated at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h in 3 rumen canulated male Ghezel rams with 50±3 kg body weight. Dry Matter (DM), Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF), Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) and Non-Fibrous Carbohydrates (NFC) content of chickpea straws were 92.18, 57.80, 37.40 and 22.65%, respectively. The dry matter soluble fraction (a), non-soluble but potentially degradable fraction (b) and potential degradability (a+b) of chickpea straws were 19.50, 38.60 and 58.10%, respectively. Effective degradability at different passage rates (2, 5 and 8% h-1) were 53.70, 48.60 and 44.80%, respectively. Estimated metabolizable energy of chickpea straw was 8.55 MJ kg-1 DM. Based on the DM degradation kinetics and energy content, beseems chickpea straw could be used as a valuable feedstuff in ruminants diet.
Naser Maheri-Sis, Abolfazl Aghajanzadeh-Golshani, Hosein Cheraghi, Yahya Ebrahimnezhad, Jamshid Ghiasi Ghalehkandi and Abolfazl Asaadi-Dizaji, 2011. Dry Matter Degradation Kinetics and Metabolizable Energy of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Straw in Ruminants. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 6: 635-638.