Comparative determination of digestibility and energy contents of Heliz and Parzuk with traditional forages by in vivo and in vitro methods

The aim of this study was to determine digestibility and energy contents of plants heliz (Prangos pabularia) and parzuk (Hippomarathrum microcarpum) with in vivo and in vitro methods and also to compare them to traditional. Seven male Red Karaman hoggets were used in the trial. Digestibilities of four different forages were determined with classical and two-stage digestibility methods. Moreover, energy contents of forages were also estimated using both digestibility values. In situ degradation characteristics of these forages were also evaluated. In the in vivo trial for digestibility, the degrees of digestibility of four different forage plants were determined by ‘’missing block trial pattern’’. In vivo organic matter digestibility (OMD) of parzuk and heliz (75.52% and 73.46%) were higher than those of dried meadow grass (68.94%) and dried alfalfa hays (65.81%), (P<0.05). These difference were reflected in energy contents and DE (digestible energy) (3.33 and 3.24Mcal/kg dry matter (DM)), ME (2.73 and 2.65 Mcal/kg) and NEL (net energy lactation) (1.73 and 1.68 Mcal/kg DM) values of parzuk and heliz were higher than those of meadow grass (3.04, 2.49 and 1.57 Mcal/kg DM) and dried alfalfa (2.90, 2.38 and 1.49 Mcal/kg DM) hays, (P<0.05). In the two-stage digestibility method, OMD values were 71.88, 68.85, 66.99 and 58.52% for parzuk, heliz, meadow grass hay and dried alfalfa hay, respectively (P<0.05) The highest OMD was observed in parzuk with two-stage digestibility method, while OMD of heliz and dried meadow grass were similar to that of parzuk, OMD of dried alfalfa was similar to that of dried meadow grass  but less than those of parzuk and heliz (P<0.05).  In in situ experiment, degradability of dried alfalfa, parzuk and heliz were rapid after 4 hours incubation but degradability of meadow grass hay were slow. Dry matter digestibility of meadow grass hay, dried alfalfa hay, parzuk and heliz was 72.45, 76.36, 88.36 and 84.21%, respectively at end of 48 hours incubation period (P<0.05). In conclusion, parzuk and heliz grown at highlands, in case of cultivation, these plants can be alternative forages to other high quality forages such as alfalfa hay.