Volume 19, Issue 4 (12-2025)
مرتع 2025, 19(4): 372-386 |
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Golami M, Khavaninzadeh A, Sahraei A, Abiri Z, Sodaeizadeh H. Effects of Ferula Resin and Quinoa Forage on Livestock Health, Growth, and Performance. مرتع 2025; 19 (4) :372-386
URL: http://rangelandsrm.ir/article-1-1312-en.html
URL: http://rangelandsrm.ir/article-1-1312-en.html
Department of Nature Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan & Academic member and research group manager of medicinal and industrial plants research center, Ardakan University, Ardakan
Abstract: (297 Views)
Background and Objective: Feed shortages, recurrent droughts, and rising costs of fodder and veterinary antibiotics are among the major constraints on livestock production in the country. These challenges have intensified pressure on rangeland resources and contributed to overgrazing. Consequently, one of the main objectives of this study was to evaluate the use of available, low-cost medicinal–forage plants produced using saline water resources and salt-tolerant species with suitable performance, in order to improve forage supply and livestock health. For this purpose, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) straw—a salt-tolerant plant that can be cultivated on saline lands and is primarily valued for its highly nutritious seeds for human consumption—was used as a forage source. In addition, the resin of Ferula assa-foetida, an important rangeland medicinal plant, was incorporated as a natural antibacterial agent in livestock feed.
Methodology: The experiment was conducted at a research farm located in Kohbanan County, Kerman Province. Quinoa forage was used as a partial replacement for alfalfa in the diet of goats. After animal selection and adaptation, the goats were fed diets containing quinoa forage at three levels (0, 30, and 50%) and Ferula assa-foetida resin at three levels (0, 0.1, and 0.2%) in a factorial arrangement. A 14-day adaptation period was applied, followed by initial weighing. The experimental diets were then offered as a total mixed ration. Animal growth performance and body weight changes were recorded throughout the experimental period. Daily feed intake and feed refusals were measured, and animals were weighed weekly to calculate weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The experiment was arranged as a factorial design within a completely randomized design with three replications. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 27). Treatment effects were evaluated using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and mean comparisons were performed using Duncan’s multiple range test.
Results: The results indicated that the treatments had significant effects on total weight gain, average daily gain, and feed intake. Increasing the inclusion levels of both quinoa forage and Ferula assa-foetida resin led to a significant increase in live weight. The highest total weight gain (6.5 kg) and average daily gain (217 g) were observed in the treatment containing 50% quinoa forage and 0.2% resin, whereas the lowest values were recorded in the control treatment. The feed conversion ratio was highest (4.65) in the control group, while the most favorable (lowest) feed conversion ratios were observed in treatments containing 50% quinoa forage combined with 0.1 or 0.2% resin.
Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that incorporating medicinal forage derived from quinoa straw and Ferula assa-foetida resin at a ratio of 50% quinoa straw and 0.1% resin in livestock diets is recommended. This feed combination can serve as a natural alternative to antibiotics, improving animal performance and health while reducing pressure on rangelands. Additionally, this strategy can contribute to lowering feed costs, increasing productivity, and promoting organic livestock production by minimizing the use of chemical drugs.
Methodology: The experiment was conducted at a research farm located in Kohbanan County, Kerman Province. Quinoa forage was used as a partial replacement for alfalfa in the diet of goats. After animal selection and adaptation, the goats were fed diets containing quinoa forage at three levels (0, 30, and 50%) and Ferula assa-foetida resin at three levels (0, 0.1, and 0.2%) in a factorial arrangement. A 14-day adaptation period was applied, followed by initial weighing. The experimental diets were then offered as a total mixed ration. Animal growth performance and body weight changes were recorded throughout the experimental period. Daily feed intake and feed refusals were measured, and animals were weighed weekly to calculate weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The experiment was arranged as a factorial design within a completely randomized design with three replications. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 27). Treatment effects were evaluated using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and mean comparisons were performed using Duncan’s multiple range test.
Results: The results indicated that the treatments had significant effects on total weight gain, average daily gain, and feed intake. Increasing the inclusion levels of both quinoa forage and Ferula assa-foetida resin led to a significant increase in live weight. The highest total weight gain (6.5 kg) and average daily gain (217 g) were observed in the treatment containing 50% quinoa forage and 0.2% resin, whereas the lowest values were recorded in the control treatment. The feed conversion ratio was highest (4.65) in the control group, while the most favorable (lowest) feed conversion ratios were observed in treatments containing 50% quinoa forage combined with 0.1 or 0.2% resin.
Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that incorporating medicinal forage derived from quinoa straw and Ferula assa-foetida resin at a ratio of 50% quinoa straw and 0.1% resin in livestock diets is recommended. This feed combination can serve as a natural alternative to antibiotics, improving animal performance and health while reducing pressure on rangelands. Additionally, this strategy can contribute to lowering feed costs, increasing productivity, and promoting organic livestock production by minimizing the use of chemical drugs.
Type of Study: Applicable |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/04/2 | Accepted: 2025/09/21 | Published: 2025/12/1
Received: 2025/04/2 | Accepted: 2025/09/21 | Published: 2025/12/1
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