Determination of nutritive value of Aeluropus lagopides in Bushehr province rangelands

This research carried out to determine nutritive value of Aeluropus lagopides and to study the effects of different growth stages on its chemical composition and digestibility at three rangeland areas. The samples of A. lagopides were taken randomly at three stages including vegetative، flowering and fruiting. Samples from each stage of each area were determined for DM، CP، Ash، EE، NDF، ADF، ADL، Ca، P، K، Mg، Na، Fe، Mn، Zn، Cu، DMD، OMD and DOMD. Data statistically analysed based on completely randomized design with three treatments (growth stages) and three replicates (rangeland areas). DM، Ash and ADF content of studied plant increased with growth improvement but its CP، P، K، DMD، OMD and DOMD decreased (P<0. 05). This plant at vegetative and flowering stages can supply protein requirement and a great part of energy requirement of different grazing ruminant groups (sheep and goat) at rangeland areas. Ca، K، Mg، Na، Fe and Mn content of A. lagopides at different growth stages were greater than those critical limits for sheep and goat but P، Cu and Zn content at flowering and fruiting stages were less than those critical limits.