Chemical composition, rumen degradability and fermentation parameters of saffron forage using in situ and gas production techniques

Nutritive value of saffron residues was evaluated through determination of chemical compositions, in situ degradability and in vitro gas production techniques using two permanently fistulated Holstein heifers. The gas production and degradability characteristics were measured at 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. The saffron forage contained 96.8, 6.7, 45.9, 38.0, 5.2, 4.7 and 42.5 % of organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ash, ether extract (EE) and nonfiber carbohydrates (NFC), respectively. The study showed that Na, Mg, Zn and Fe were insufficient for ruminant requirement. The results obtained from degradability of dry matter showed that fraction “a” (rapidly degradable), “b” (slowly degradable) and “c” (constantdegradable rate) were calculated 32.0%, 39.2% and 0.043/h, respectively. Also, in vitro gas production parameters (b and c), organic matter digestibility (OMD), metabolisable energy (ME) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) values of saffron forage were 49.8 ml/ 200 mg of DM, 0.091 ml/h, 53.9 %, 8.0MJ/kg DM and 0.89 mmol, respectively. Phenolic compounds (TP), total tannin (TT) and condensed tannin (CT) contents were 2.93%, 0.97% and 0.31%, respectively. It was concluded that saffron forage as cheap feedstuff sources can be replaced with part of feedstuff animal’s diet.