Assessing effect of climate conditions on nutritive value, gas production and degradability parameters of cultivated alfalfa in two regions of mountainous and low land at different growth levels

A study was conducted in order to compare the nutritive value, fermentation and degradability parameters of mountainous and plain alfalfa areas at different growth stages (before flowering, flowering and after flowering) at secondary harvest in four experiments.Alfalfa samples were randomly taken from a second species of the mountainous region (Mountain alfalfa meadows of Barfchal in Minoodasht) and plain (alfalfa plain around the Gonbad Kavous) collected and then transferred to the laboratory. The samples were dried for 48 h at 65°C and with a two-millimeter sieve were milled. Results showed that mountainous alfalfa compared with mountainous alfalfa had higher ether extract, organic matter and crude protein. Extent and rate of gas production were highest at before flowering stage in both mountainous and plain Alfalfa (P