Journal of Rangeland

Background and Objectives: Among the factors limiting livestock production are the shortage of fodder and droughts in the country, as well as the increase in the price of fodder and antibiotics for feeding livestock and health, which lead to over grazing in rangelands. Therefore, one of gola of this study is using of available and inexpensive medicinal-forage plants produced from saline water resources and resistant plant species with appropriate performance to provide forage and livestock health. For this purpose, Quinoa straw as a salt-resistant plant that can be developed in saline lands due to the high nutritional value of its seeds for humans, as well as the resin of the Ferula assa-feotida, an important rangeland plant, was used. as an antibacterial agent for providing livestock feed.

Aim and objective: The deficit of forage, coupled with droughts and the limitations of rangeland forage, combined with the increasing restrictions and costs associated with forage and antibiotics for livestock nutrition and health, are significant limiting factors in animal production, resulting in overgrazing by rangeland-dependent livestock. Therefore, the utilization of a combination of alternative medicinal forages, employing saline water resources and resilient plant species with effective performance, to ensure forage availability and the health of livestock is among the objectives of this study. In this regard, Quinoa straw was selected as a salt-tolerant plant suitable for cultivation in saline soils due to its seed high nutritional value for human consumption, and the resin of Ferula assafoetida was assessed as a valuable rangeland species and a potential alternative to chemical drugs, serving as a disinfectant agent in livestock feed.

Material and Method: Quinoa forage was utilized as a replacement for Alfalfa in livestock feed. The study was conducted using a factorial experimental design within a completely randomized desing at a breeding farm located in Kuhbanaan County of Kerman Province. After the process of grouping and separating the young goats, feeding with Quinoa forage was implemented at three levels (control, 30%, and 50%) and the amount of Ferula resin was added to the feed at three levels (control, 0.1%, and 0.2%). A 14-day adaptation period was considered, followed by initial weight measurements. The growth rate and weight of the livestock were measured and evaluated across nine treatment groups. Subsequently, the feed was provided to the livestock using a completely mixed method. The daily feed intake and the remaining amounts of each feed composition were examined, weighed, recorded, and the feed conversion ratio was calculated. The animals were weighed weekly. Finally, the data obtained from each treatment were analyzed and subjected to final evaluation.

Results: The results indicated significant impact of treatments on total weight gain, daily weight gain, and feed consumption. The concentration of resin and the amount of Quinoa forage leading to a significant increase in the live weight of the livestock. The highest average total weight gain was 6.5 kg, with a daily gain of 217 grams, related to the treatment with 0.2% Ferula resin and 50% Quinoa forage, while the lowest average total and daily weight gains were observed in the control group. The highest feed conversion ratio was recorded in the control group, at 4.65, while the most favorable (lowest) feed conversion ratio were associated with the treatments using 0.1% and 0.2% Ferula resin combined with 50% Quinoa forage. Microbial analysis results showed that no Salmonella bacteria were isolated from any of the treatments, indicating that the absence of Salmonella isolation in the treatment groups reflects the effectiveness of Ferula resin as an antimicrobial agent in livestock nutrition and highlights its capacity to control intestinal bacterial pathogens.
Conclusion: In general, according to the results, it can be recommended to combine medicinal fodder obtained from Quinoa straw and Ferula assa-foetida resin in the ratio of 50% Quinoa straw and 0.1% the gum in the livestock diet. This compound, as an alternative to antibiotics, in addition to increasing livestock performance and health, can prevent pressure on rangelands and can play an important role to provide fodder for livestock feed. Reducing the cost of animal feed, increasing yield and organic production by reducing the use of chemical drugs are among the benefits of this feed composition for livestock.