Determination of Potential Forage Value of Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) Tree Leaves

Abstract

In this study, was purposed to determine the chemical composition, condensed tannin (CT) content, in vitro total gas (TG) production, metabolic energy (ME) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) of honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) tree leaves collected in different months. The differences between the chemical composition, condensed tannin (CT), in vitro total gas production (TG), metabolic energy (ME) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) of honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) leaves by month were found to be significant (P<0.05). Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) tree leaves crude protein (CP) 5.59%-19.48%, crude fat 3.64-9.71%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) 23.54-34.52%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) 38.58%-49.00, CT 13.86-19.35% , in vitro TG productions varied between 27.41-41.43 ml-1200 mg DM, ME values 6.52-8.99 Mj kg-1 DM and OMD 49.43-64.50%, and differences between them were found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). As a result, considering the crude nutrient composition, it can be said that leaves of honey locust can be an alternative source of roughage, and attention should be paid to their use due to their high tannin content.Bu çalisma da farkli aylarda toplanan gladiçya (Gleditsia triacanthos) agaç yapraklarinin kimyasal bilesimi, kondanse tanen (KT) içerigi, in vitro toplam gaz (TG) üretimi, metabolik enerji (ME) ve organik madde sindirim derecesi (OMSD)’nin saptanmasi amaçlanmistir. Aylara göre gladiçya agaç yapraklarinin kimyasal bilesimi, kondanse tanen (KT), in vitro toplam gaz (TG) üretimi, metabolik enerji (ME) ve organik madde sindirim derecesi (OMSD) arasindaki farkliliklar önemli bulunmustur (P<0.05). Gladiçya agaç yapraklari ham protein (HP) %5.59-19.48, ham yag (HY) %3.64-9.71, asit deterjan lif (ADF) %23.54-34.52, nötr deterjan lif (NDF) %38.58-49.00, KT %13.86-19.35, in vitro TG üretimleri 27.41-41.43 ml-1200 mg KM, ME degerleri 6.52-8.99 Mj kg-1 KM ve OMSD %49.43-64.50, araliginda degismis ve aralarindaki farkliliklar istatistiki olarak önemli bulunmustur (P<0.05). Sonuç olarak ham besin madde bilsimine bakildiginda gladiçya yapraklarinin alternatif kaba yem kaynagi olabilecegi, yüksek tanen içerigi nedeniyle kullanimina dikkat edilmesi gerektigi söylenebilir.