Determination of nutritive value of maquis found in goat ranches during a whole grazing period

Nutritive and energy values of three maquis species (Quercus coccifera L, QC; Quercus ilex, QI; Phillyrea latifolia,PL) widely grown at the ranches utilized as 'goat ranch' in Antalya were determined in the present study during a whole grazing season (May to September) through laboratory analysis and digestion trials. Dry matter (DM) contents of samples (leaf+fine stems) of QC, QI and PL obtained through five cuts with monthly intervals changed from 58.44 to 81.66 %, 58.29 to 82.60 % and 61.40 to 83.14 %, respectively. Average organic matters (OM), crude ash (CA), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extracts (EE) and nitrogen free extracts (NFE) obtained on dry matter basis from the same samples were found to be between 95.54 and 96.79 %, 3.21 and 4.46 %, 3.36 and 6.98 %, 23.54 and 25.98 %, 2.37 and 4.51 %, 59.61 and 65.99 % for QC; 95.26 and 96.12 %, 3.88 and 4.92 %, 3.38 and 6.38 %, 16.75 and 26.99 %, 2.88 and 4.66 %, 55.76 and 69.57 % for QI; 94.60 and 96.39 %, 3.63 and 5.40 %, 4.56 and 6.64 %, 13.18 and 30.98 %, 2.52 and 4.36 %, 54.59 and 72.19 % for PL, respectively. Similarly, Ca, P, K, Mg and S averages varied between 1.06-1.84 %, 0.07-0.14 %, 0.36-0.63 %, 0.12-0.22 %, 0.08-0.11 % in QC; 1.03-1.75 %, 0.06-0.15 %, 0.40-0.77 %, 0.11-0.22 %, 0.07-0.20 % in QI; 1.17-2.13 %, 0.06-0.12 %, 0.36-1.12 %, 0.09-0.15 %, 0.06-0.21 % in PL, respectively. Averages of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL) and condensed tannin (CT) contents of QC ranged between 53.58-62.54 %, 34.20-42.00 %, 18.92-25.43 %, 8.56-19.19 g/kg, respectively; while, they were 42.44-64,29 %, 31.40-41.43 %, 18.34-23.56 %, 6.38-7.55 g/kg in QI, and 40.66-61.00 %, 29.50-41.34 %, 18.24-26.20 %, 2.37-8.07 g/kg, in PL. Average roughage productions at the coastal and highland regions were 398 and 567 for QC, 406 and 540 for QI, 305 and 338 kg/da for PL. The grazing capacity of QC, QI and PL were calculated for two ranches, 150 da each, at the coastal and the higland districts were 33 and 47, 39 and 45, 25 and 28 cattles; 414 and 591, 485 and 562, 318 and 352 goats, respectively. Minimum and maximum dry matter degradability at 48th h ratios were observed through nylon bag technique as 32.71 % and 44.72 %, for QC; 33.86 % and 45.15 % for Qİ; 56.69 % and 64.06 % for PL. Metabolic energy (ME) values calculated from these figures were found as 1382 and 1690 kcal/kg for QC; 1411 and 1701 kcal/kg for QI; 1996 and 2198 kcal/kg for PL. High KT contents were found to be the main factor decreasing ruminal degradability and energetic value of QC and QI. KEYWORDS: Goat pasture, maquis, nutritive value, grazing capacity, dry matter degradability, metabolic energy