Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Semnan, Semnan, Iran
2
Department of Food Hygiene and Quality control. Faculty of veterinary medicine, University of Semnan. Semnan, Iran
3
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
4
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran
5
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
10.22075/jvlr.2025.37462.1163
Abstract
Due to its resistance to drought and salinity, as well as its high nutritional content and superior protein quality, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is considered a suitable alternative feed resource for livestock, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study was conducted to evaluate the chemical composition, digestibility, and nutritional value of quinoa seeds. Sampling was performed on 20 plant genotypes from a rangeland, and following identification, analyses including proximate composition, mineral content, fiber fractions, in vitro digestibility tests (Tilley and Terry, gas production), and degradability using nylon bag technique were carried out. The results indicated that the dry matter content was 92.87%, crude protein 16.66%, crude fiber 4.2%, ether extract 4.9%, neutral detergent fiber 5.0%, acid detergent fiber 1.2%, ash 4.6%, calcium 0.2775%, phosphorus 0.025%, magnesium 0.149%, and potassium 1.1385% in dry matter. The gross energy content was reported as 4419.06 kcal/kg. The in situ dry matter degradability of quinoa seed at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours was 60.1%, 65.5%, 68.9%, and 72.6%, respectively, while crude protein degradability at the mentioned times was 45.5%, 76.96%, 91.3%, and 93.73%, respectively. These findings suggest that quinoa seeds, owing to their higher crude protein, fiber, fat, ash, and gross energy contents compared to wheat, possess considerable potential as a feed ingredient for ruminants.
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