Biological activities and nutritional potential of Rubia peregrina and Malva sylvestris in sheep and goats

Abstract

The chemical and wall composition, secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity were determined for Rubia peregrina L. and Malva sylvestris collected from the Tabarka region of northwestern Tunisia. In vitro fermentation parameters were measured in 100 ml glass syringes for 48 hours to determine gas production and to infer organic matter digestibility (d MO), metabolizable energy (ME) and total concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA). The analyzes of the chemical composition of the shrubs showed a low dry matter content of 20.6 % and 25.5 % respectively for Rubia peregrina L. and Malva sylvestris, a Mineral Matter (MM) content of 15.9 % DM and 14.5 % DM for Rubia peregrina L. and Malva Sylvestris. The MAT content was significantly higher in Malva sylvestris compared to Rubia peregrina L. (20.4 vs. 10.6 % DM). Our results indicate the following fiber contents: 54.3 % MS of NDF; ADF 35.1 % DM; 30.7 % MS of ADL for Rubia peregrina L. and 50.0 % MS of NDF; 28.2 % MS of ADF; 24.5 % DM of ADL for Malva sylvestris with no statistical differences between the two species. The volume of gas after 48 hours of incubation of Rubia peregrina L. is the same in both animal species. The plant has comparable d MO, EM and AGV values for goats and sheep. Unlike Malva sylvestris, the gas volume is in favor of goats which induced a statistical difference in ruminal fermentation parameters between the two animals species.

Keywords: Rubia peregrina L., Malva sylvestris, chemical composition, wall composition, secondary metabolites, antioxidant activity, In vitro fermentation