growth nutritive value of saffron residues harvested at different stages by in situ and in vitro (gas production) methods

the chemical composition, ruminal degradability parameters, ruminal and post ruminal digestibility of saffron residues were determined using in situ and in vitro (gas production) methods. the harvested residues at late vegetative phase were compared with the residues harvested at the early dormant phase. the results showed that ndf and adf concentration of harvested residues at early dormant phase were higher where as it content of cp was significantly (p<0. 05) was lower. experimental data were analyzed based on t-test using sas statistical software. harvesting stage didn’t affect the amount of phenolic compounds concentration of the residues. ruminal degradability and the produced gas were determined at 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of incubation. the dm rapidly degradable fraction (a), effective degradability, ruminal digestibility and total tract digestibility of the residues at early dormant phase were significantly(p<0.05) lower than the residues at vegetative phase. the residues harvested at early dormant phase had significantly (p<0. 05) lower gas production from dm potentially fermentable fraction (b), as well as organic matter digestibility (omd) and metabolisable energy (me). it was concluded that the residues of late vegetative phase, had better quality in case of nutritive value for ruminants.