Open AccessASPECTS OF THE FEEDING AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF LOTUS SPECIES
Author(s) -
A. John,
J. A. Lancashire
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
proceedings of the new zealand grassland association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1179-4577
pISSN - 0369-3902
DOI - 10.33584/jnzg.1981.42.1578
Subject(s) - lotus , perennial plant , grazing , red clover , agronomy , digestion (alchemy) , biology , zoology , lotus effect , botany , chemistry , raw material , ecology , chromatography
Daily weight gains of sheep in pure sward grazing trials showed relative feeding values to be in the order: white clover (100) > sainfoin (97), Maku lotus (87) > lucerne, red clover (78) > perennial ryegrass (52). The high feeding value of lotus and sainfoin may be due to the presence of condensed tannins which have been shown to improve protein digestion and utilization in indoor feeding trials.