Nutritional, antinutritional and phenological characterization of promising forage species for animal feeding in a cold tropical zone

The search for forages with high biomass production and nutritional content has made it possible to find food alternatives that, due their benefits resistance adverse environmental factors, are the best option herbivores. With knowledge of farmers, producers experience researchers, 12 species most frequently used in animal feeding were selected, identified classified University's PSO herbarium University Nariño. These phenologically, nutritionally antinutritionally characterized. Of these species, four belonged Asteraceae family; Fabaceae, Adoxaceae Malvaceae families represented by two species; Salicaceae Cucurbitaceae one propagated nursery. In composition, Retamo (Genista monspessulana) stood out its dry matter 34.2%. Unlike Chauchilla (Cyclanthera brachystachya), 8.79%, Sauco (Sambucus peruviana) had a higher protein 25.93%, followed Abutilon (Abutilon pictum) 23.42%. brachystachya) highest crude fiber content, 21.59%, NDF 38.06%, FDA 27.23%. Tannins common secondary metabolites evaluated moderate or low levels; sterols present at levels, saponins alkaloids yielded negative values.