Investigating the nutritional value of the red Alternanthera sessilis plant for ruminants.

The present experiment was conducted to determine the chemical composition, digestibility and fermentation of red Alternanthera sessilis and compare its nutritional value with alfalfa either individually or in the form of rations of fattened lamb diets. Four experimental treatments included 1: control (without Alternanthera sessilis), 2: ration containing 3% (20% alfalfa substitution), 3: 6% (40% alfalfa substitution) and 4: 9% (60% alfalfa substitution) Alternanthera sessilis. Digestibility and fermentation of experimental samples were measured by gas production and two-step digestion test. In terms of chemical composition, there was a great relationship between Alternanthera sessilis and alfalfa hay. Adding Alternanthera sessilis to feed of lambs significantly increased the amount of truly degraded organic matter, metabolizable energy, and apparent digestibility of organic matter, so that these parameters were highest in treatment containing 9% of Alternanthera sessilis plant. On the other hand, by using Alternanthera sessilis plant, dry matter digestibility tended to increased. The amount of microbial biomass production and microbial biomass production efficiency were not affected by experimental diets. Rations containing Alternanthera sessilis were cheaper than control diets. Therefore, it can be stated that the nutritional value of Alternanthera sessilis is comparable to alfalfa hay and can be replaced by alfalfa by up to 60% in the ration of fattening lambs. In vivo experiments are also suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]