An Investigation of the Effects of Phenological Stages on Forage Quality
Abstract
Variation in forage quality at different phenological stages was investigated for twenty forage plant species. Samples at two phenological stages were collected from Taleghan summer rangelands. Nitrogen and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were measured through chemical analysis. Crude protein, ADF, dry matter digestibility and metabolizable energy were assessed as indicators of forage quality. Forage quality significantly differed at different phenological stages. It was higher at vegetative stage, while lower at maturity. Forage quality also differed significantly for different species (p< 0.01). Among species the highest forage quality was related to Lotus goeblia while the lowest related to Cynodon dactylon
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