Determination of nutritional value of Salvia leriifolia for ruminant

Samples of Salvia leriifolia were collected from Khorasan mountains in different growing stages. Chemical composition، rumen degradability characteristics of dry matter (DM)، crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of Salvia leriifolia whole plant (stem and leaves) in different flowering stages and plant leaves in comparison with alfalfa hay and triticale straw were measured using 4 permanently fistulated steers. CP contents for the whole plant Salvia leriifolia in early flowering، mid flowering and full bloom stage and Salvia leriifolia leaves were 9. 57، 16. 10، 9. 57 and 15. 81 percent respectively and for alfalfa hay and triticale straw were 13. 99 and 3. 85 percent respectively. Rumen degradability measurements of treatments indicated that most parts of these nutrients were degraded during the first 24 hrs of incubation، degradation continued up to 48 hrs with the much lower rates. DM degradability of Salvia leriifolia whole plant harvested at early، mid and end of the flowering stages after 96 hrs incubation were near to those of alfalfa hay and higher than triticale straw. More than 70% of CP and 50% NDF of whole plant Salvia leriifolia were in the form of rumen degradable. Gas production technique also showed that most of the gas production is in the first 48 hour and gas amount for different stages of flowering and plant leaves were between alfalfa and triticale straw. It is concluded that Salvia leriifolia can be regarded as a forage closed to alfalfa hay for ruminants.