Investigation of Forage Quality of Vetiveria zizanioides in Semi-Steppe Region of Maravehtappeh, Golestan Province, Iran

Abstract. Information on forage quality in phenological stage could help range managers to choose suitable grazing method to achieve higher animal performance without detriment to vegetation. Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) is a non-native perennial grass that was introduced to the Iran in 2008. This plant is a multi use species that could be considered from different viewpoints. Thus, its forage quality in three phenological stages (vegetative, flowering and maturity) was investigated. Samples of each stage were collected and analyzed for 7 quality traits such as Crude Protein (CP), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD), Metabolizable Energy (ME), Digestible Energy (DE), Ash content (Ash) and Total Digestible Nutrient (TDN). Data were statically analyzed using One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mean comparisons were done by Duncan method. The results indicate that there was a significant difference among phenological stages for all the traits (p