Potential Nutritive Value of Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) Pods from Different Growing Sites for Ruminants

The nutritive values of honey locust pods obtained from different growing sites were evaluated by chemical composition and in vitro gas production techniques. Growing site was found to have a significant (P< ۰.۰۰۱) effect on the chemical composition. The CP contents of honey locust pods ranged from ۶۷.۲ to ۱۱۹.۹ g kg-۱ DM. Water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) ranged from ۱۲۲.۳ to ۱۵۲.۲ g kg-۱ DM. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) contents varied with growing site in the range of ۲۹۹.۶ to ۴۱۴.۳ and ۱۹۵.۳ to ۲۶۲.۹ g kg-۱ DM, respectively. Condensed tannin (CT) contents ranged from ۲۷.۸ to ۱۴۸.۲ g kg-۱ DM. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) addition significantly (P< ۰.۰۰۱) increased gas production and some estimated parameters of honey locust pods obtained from different growing sites. However, honey locust pods obtained from different growing sites showed variable responses to PEG treatment. There were also significant (P< ۰.۰۰۱) differences among growing sites in terms of gas production and estimated parameters. Organic matter digestibility (OMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) contents of honey locust pods obtained from different growing sites without PEG supplementation ranged from ۵۸.۸۱ to ۶۵.۸۶% and ۸.۸۵ to ۹.۹۲ MJ kg-۱ DM respectively. The improvement in gas production, the OMD and ME with PEG emphasized the negative effect of tannins on digestibility. The increase (%) in the estimated OMD and ME contents ranged from ۶.۳۰ to ۱۵.۸۱% and ۵.۶۱ to ۱۴.۹۴%, respectively.

Keywords:

Condensed tannin , Digestibility , Growing site , Honey locust pods , Metabolizable energy , PEG