| Livestock Research for Rural Development 28 (12) 2016 | Guide for preparation of papers | LRRD Newsletter | Citation of this paper |
A survey was conducted over the summer of 2014 on nine Alpine pastures located in NW Italy. The aim was to characterize two wild legumes: Lotus corniculatus (LC) and Trifolium repens (TR). Collected samples were analysed for chemical, fatty acid (FA) profile and in vitro digestibility.
The values of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), lignin and gross energy (GE) in LC samples comply with literature, while values of crude protein (CP, 156 g/kg) and lipid (17.6 g/kg) are lower, and values of acid detergent fibre (ADF, 418 g/kg) are higher than those of cultivated LC. For TR, values of DM, lignin and GE comply with ranges, while values of CP (152 g/kg) and lipid (16.3 g/kg) are lower, and values of NDF (534 g/kg) and ADF (357 g/kg) are higher than those of cultivated TR. Digestibility of LC was lower than TR, but less variable. Averages values of 710, 417, 205 and 284 g/kg of DM were obtained in LC for in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), in vitro NDF digestibility (NDFD), in vitro digestible NDF (dNDF) and indigestible NDF (iNDF), respectively. The same parameters for TR were 781, 589, 314, 220 g/kg of DM for IVTD, NDFD, dNDF and iNDF, respectively. LC and TR were characterized by a high proportion of α-linolenic acid (ALA) which ranged from 312 to 521 and from 347 to 525 g/kg of total FA, respectively. Mean values of linoleic and palmitic acid were 71 and 82 g/kg of total FA in the LC and 123 and 90 g/kg of total FA in the TR, respectively.
In conclusion, LC and TP are an important source of ALA and other unsaturated FA, present a high content of CP and a good IVTD, and their presence improves the feed quality of the alpine pastures.
Key words: chemical composition, digestibility, forages, in vitro, palatability, protein
Several studies confirm that botanical composition influences palatability, nutritive and digestibility values for grazing ruminants (Collomb et al 2002; Roukos et al 2011), conferring peculiar organoleptic qualities to milk and its products (Revello Chion et al 2010). Particularly, the addition of legumes to pasture has the potential to improve nutritive value and animal performances (Graves et al 2012; Harris et al 1997). Wild legumes constitute an important source of fats and proteins for cattle; the knowledge of their metabolic constituents is important from the nutritional point of view (Viano et al 1995). Moreover, within the floristic set of a pasture, legumes have additional properties, namely the capability to facilitate surrounding vegetation by increasing soil N levels: the well-known N-fixing. This effect is especially pronounced in low-productivity habitats where ambient soil N levels are low, such as in alpine areas (Olsen et al 2013).
In a survey carried out during the 2013 grazing season in pastures located in Chisone and Susa Valley (Peiretti et al 2016), the authors noted the recurring presence of two Leguminosae: birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.). The two species, that are widely recognized as being of global commercial importance (Phelan et al 2015), are rich in high quality protein content and have a high digestibility (Graves et al 2012; Kaplan et al 2009).
Frame et al (1998), Davies (2001) and Black et al (2009) have observed that legumes such as Trifolium repens and Lotus corniculatus generally occupy a much greater proportion of the grassland surface area and herbage dry matter (DM) content in summer and autumn than they do in winter and spring. White clover is extremely well-suited to grazing (Pavlu et al 2006), but susceptible to drought, however it establishes better than birdsfoot trefoil. Birdsfoot trefoil is considered, nutritionally and agronomically, one of the best emerging plants for grazing livestock, more suitable for areas with dry summers and warm winters (Ramírez-Restrepo and Barry 2005). They reported some advantages associated with Lotus corniculatus such as: increasing the reproductive rate in sheep and in milk production for ewes and dairy cows and reduction of methane production, due to its content of condensed tannins. Grazing ewes on Lotus corniculatus during mating and very early pregnancy may also reduces lamb mortality. Moreover, Woodward et al (2000) demonstrated the favorable environmental impact of birdsfoot trefoil, altering the partitioning of N in cattle between feces and urine.
Digestibility of forage legumes varies widely depending on species and management and can be lower or higher than that observed in other forage crops (Phelan et al 2015). However, Trifolium repens tends to have relatively high digestibility in comparison to other legumes (Jarrige 1988).
The fatty acid (FA) composition of legumes used as feed have been investigated by Grela and Gunter (1995), while Bakoğlu et al (2009) reported different saturated and unsaturated FA concentrations in Vicia ervilia, Lotus corniculatus, Onobrychis fallax, Trifolium aureum and Trifolium repens. Many authors reviewed the influence of forage legume feeding on the FA composition of milk and meat (Elgersma et al 2006; Scollan et al 2002). Dewhurst et al (2001; 2006) demonstrated a significant genetic component to the level and pattern of concentration of FAs in forages, suggesting the opportunities to change the composition of ruminant products through feeding grasses with altered levels of FAs. Dewhurst et al (2003) found higher concentrations of α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 n-3) in milk produced from white clover silages compared to milk produced from grass silage. Moreover, these authors showed concentrations of ALA in milk from cows fed red clover silage as sole forage to be three-fold those of the concentrations in milk from cows fed grass silage.
The aim of this research was to quantify during the 2014 grazing season the range in chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, and FA profile of Lotus corniculatus L. and Trifolium repens L. and evaluate their contribute to the nutritive value of the pasture.
Botanical surveys in nine pastures located in Chisone and Susa Valleys at an altitude range of 1600-2100 masl. (Figure 1) were realized; phyto-pastoral analysis conducted on these surveys allowed to know the pastoral value (PV) and the exploitation intensity (EI), as related in previous research (Peiretti et al 2016) and reported in Table 1. Considering the importance of climate on bloom, data for each pasture of rainfall and temperatures in the 2014 summer, specifically for June-July months, are reported.
|
| Figure 1. Geographical location of the pastures |
Soil properties, altitude and climatic conditions influence pasture botanical composition which, in turn, influence palatability, nutritive and digestibility value for grazing ruminants (Collomb et al 2002), conferring peculiar organoleptic qualities to milk and its products. Therefore, for each pasture are reported pedo-climatic characteristics, with particular reference to climate data of June-July (ARPA Piemonte 2014), considering the known correspondence between rainfall and various plant growth parameters (Gaborcik et al 2004) and chemical composition (Neto et al 2000).
|
Table 1. Features of the pastures in 2014 grazing season |
|||||||||
|
Codes |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
A4 |
A5 |
A6 |
A7 |
A8 |
A9 |
|
Dairy herd |
38 |
80 |
70 |
19 |
32 |
40 |
200 |
50 |
100 |
|
Grazing period |
16/06-20/09 |
18/06-30/09 |
10/06-30/09 |
15/06-04/10 |
10/06-04/10 |
10/06-15/10 |
14/06-30/09 |
18/06-10/10 |
22/06-10/10 |
|
Sampling date |
03/07 |
30/06 |
25/06 |
03/07 |
25/06 |
25/06 |
30/06 |
30/06 |
03/07 |
|
Area (ha) |
115 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
200 |
60 |
330 |
100 |
700 |
|
Latitude |
45°2’51” |
45°3’50” |
44°57’5” |
44°57’24” |
44°57’21” |
44°58’55” |
44°59’12” |
45°3’43” |
44°54’59” |
|
Longitude |
7°7’21” |
7°2’2” |
6°57’20” |
6°48’33” |
6°50’50” |
6°55’43” |
6°54’36” |
7°2’52” |
6°53’42” |
|
Sampling altitude |
2040 |
1870 |
1807 |
1620 |
2070 |
1785 |
1867 |
1900 |
1870 |
|
Mean rainfall (mm) |
198 |
198 |
141 |
195 |
133 |
153 |
153 |
198 |
174 |
|
Mean T (°C) |
10.8 |
10.8 |
10.6 |
10.9 |
9.6 |
12.6 |
12.6 |
10.8 |
10.9 |
|
Pastoral value |
31.5 |
33.4 |
32.7 |
33.1 |
29.3 |
30.2 |
34.4 |
37.2 |
28.8 |
|
Exploitation intensity |
0.20 |
0.45 |
0.46 |
0.12 |
0.12 |
0.64 |
0.39 |
0.31 |
0.11 |
|
Mean rainfall and mean temperature refer to period June-July. |
|||||||||
The pasture A1 is located in the Fenestrelle municipality, more precisely in the Selleries hamlet, at over 2000 masl. The territory is classified as pasture and stone heap (IPLA 2006). The climate is warm and temperate. There is significant rainfall throughout the year: about 946 mm of precipitation falls annually. Rainfall was anomalous in the period of interest, about 198 mm, with July as the more rainy month, while usually it is one of the driest months. The abundance of rains reduced temperatures, with an average of 10.8°C in these two months.
A2 is located in the Usseaux municipality, in the Pian dell’Alpe area, at an average altitude of 1900 masl. This territory is classified as meadow and pasture. The average annual temperature is 6.8°C. The annual rainfall is 1026 mm.
A3 is located in the Val Troncea Reserve, in the Pragelato municipality, at over 1800 masl. This territory is classified as grazeable brushwood, surrounded by larch and swiss pine forests. The average annual rainfall was 647 mm, while in the period of interest was 141 mm (almost the triple compared with values of June and July of 2013). The average temperature in the period of interest was 10.6°C.
A4 is located in the Cesana municipality, at an average altitude of 1650 masl. The climate is temperate. In the period of interest, rainfall was 195 mm, more than half of the average rainfall for the entire year. Average temperature in the period of interest was 10.9°C.
A5 is located the Granges des Alpes area, in the Sestriere municipality, at over 2050 masl. This territory is classified as pasture. The climate is cold and temperate. In the period of interest the average temperature was 9.6°C with 133 mm of rain.
A6 and A7 are located in Pragelato municipality, respectively in the Laval district, at over 2050 masl, and in the Chezal district, at an average altitude of 1800 masl. Both territories are classified as silver fir forests and presented, in the period of interest, rainfall of 153 mm and an average temperature of 12.6°C.
A8 is near to A2, in the Pian dell’Alpe area, at an average altitude of 1900 masl, with similar climate characteristics and the same use of territory.
A9 is located in the Brusa del Plan area, in the district Sauze of Cesana municipality, at an average altitude of 1850 masl. This territory is classified as silver fir forest. In the period of interest the average temperature was 10.9°C, while the previous year, in the same period, temperature was on average 3°C warmer. Rainfall was of 174.4 mm, with about 45 mm more than average values for July. Laying on a metamorphic parent rock, the soils of A1, A2, A3, A6, A7, A8, and A9 belong to the order of Inceptisols, with a cambic subsurface horizon and no accumulation of clays or organic matter. Instead, the soil of A4 and A5 pastures belongs to the order of Mollisols, and it has deep, high organic matter, nutrient-enriched surface horizon, known as “mollic epipedon” (IPLA 2007). These pastures were natural grasslands without any kind of fertilisation.
The botanical composition of the pastures was determined according to the linear analysis method proposed by Daget and Poissonet (1969), along 20 m transects laid out on representative and homogeneous meadows. A metric ribbon was used to trace these transects and an iron rod was inserted into the turf at 50 cm intervals (40 descents along each transect). The plants in contact with the iron rod were recorded at each descent.
Vegetation species were identified with the Pignatti (1982) dichotomous key. Thereafter, the Species Frequency (SF) – the number of times a plant species is present in a given survey – and the Species Contribution (SC) – the ratio between the SF of a considered species and the summation of the SF of all present species – were computed. Finally, Pastoral Values (PV) were determined according to Daget and Poissonet (1972).
After this, potential stocking rate was calculated, according to Cavallero et al (2002), using the Pastoral Value method, and considering the altitude, the structural instability of the soil, evidence of erosion, and the gradient of the slope if greater than 26.6° (50%). Finally, we related the potential stocking rate to the grazing period (in days) and to the pasture extension (in hectares). The relation between the present stocking rate (number of animals on grazing surface) and the potential stocking rate expresses the EI (Table 1), an important instrument to ensure that grazing does not permanently damage soil and vegetation resource.
The two more frequent Leguminosae in these pastures, already identified in the same pastures during a survey carried out in 2013 (Peiretti et al 2016), were Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens. These species were collected in plastic bags (1 kg for each species, for every site). Each sample was immediately refrigerated until arrival to the laboratory.
An aliquot of 200 g for each sample of pasture was used, according to the AOAC (1990) method, to determine DM content (#925.40) in duplicate. Another aliquot of 200 g was immediately refrigerated, freeze-dried, and then brought to air temperature, ground in a Cyclotec mill (Tecator, Herndon, VA, USA) to pass through a 1-mm screen and stored for qualitative analyses.
Freeze-dried samples were analysed by methods of AOAC (1990) for N (#984.13), and ash (#923.03). Neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin were determined using the Ankom200 Fiber Analyzer (Ankom Technology Corp., Fairport, NY, USA). The gross energy (GE) was determined using an adiabatic calorimeter bomb (IKA C7000, Staufen, Germany). Lipid content was quantified according to Peiretti et al (2015). All determinations were performed in duplicate.
In vitro digestibility was determined using the Ankom-Daisy incubator (Ankom Technology Corp.) and subsequently NDF concentration was determined using the fiber analyzer (Ankom Technology Corp., Fairport, NY, USA). The parameters obtained were:
• in vitro true digestibility (IVTD=1000-[W3-(W1*C1)]*1000/(W2*DM).
• NDF digestibility (NDFD=1000-[W3-(W1*C1 )]*1000/(W2*NDF)
(W1 is the filter bag weight, W2 is the sample weight, W3 is the final weight (filter bag+residue) after in vitro and sequential treatment with NDF solution, C1 is a comparison of the blank filter bag weight after and before digestion treatment).
• digestible and indigestible NDF (dNDF, iNDF) were calculated as described by Peiretti et al (2015).
FA analysis was performed on freeze-dried pasture (2 g) according to Peiretti et al (2016). The FA methyl esters in hexane were then injected into a gas chromatograph (Dani Instruments S.P.A. GC 1000 DPC; Cologno Monzese, Italy) equipped with a flame ionisation detector, a PTV injection port and a Supelcowax-10 fused silica column (60 m × 0.32 mm, 0.25 μm). The peak area was measured using a Dani DDS 1000 Data Station. Each peak was identified according to pure methyl ester standards (Supelco and Restek Corporation, Bellefonte, PA) and the data were expressed as relative values. The FA composition was expressed as g/100 g of FA.
The variability in the chemical composition, FA and nutritive value of Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 2002). Descriptive statistics of pasture was reported as min, max, mean and standard deviation (SD).
Mean values of rainfall and temperatures in June-July for the entire investigated area are reported in Figure 2. Botanical composition of the nine pastures is itemized in Table 2 and preponderance of some families is shown in Figure 3. A total of 105 species, belonging to 27 families, were identified in the total study area.
 |
| Figure 2. Mean values of rainfall and tempertures in June-July for the investigated area |
In greater detail, A1 was dominated by two families, Gramineae and Leguminosae (36% and 20% of SC, respectively); in A2,Gramineae, Leguminosae and Polygonaceae made up 40%, 14% and 13% of SC, respectively; A3 was dominated by Gramineae and Leguminosae (both 23% of SC); in A4, Leguminosae, Gramineae, Asteraceae and Rubiaceae amounted to 25%, 21%, 16% and 16% of SC, respectively; in A5, Gramineae, Asteraceae and Leguminosae made up 26%, 20% and 15% of SC, respectively; A6 was dominated by Gramineae, Umbelliferae and Leguminosae (20%, 19%, 17% of SC respectively); A7 was dominated by Asteraceae, Gramineae and Leguminosae (28%, 25%, 20% of SC respectively); in A8, Gramineae and Asteraceae amounted, respectively, to 34% and 14% of SC; finally, A9 was dominated by Leguminosae, Gramineae and Umbelliferae (18%, 17% and 15% of SC, respectively).
The most frequent plant species were: Achillea millefolium, Alchemilla vulgaris, Carum carvi, Dactylis glomerata,Festuca pratensis, Festuca rubra, Galium mollugo, Galium verum, Helianthemum nummularium,Knautia arvensis, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Lotus corniculatus, Myosotis sylvatica,Onobrychis viciaefolia, Plantago media, Poa alpina, Poa trivialis, Poa violacea, Ranunculus acris, Taraxacum officinale, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Viola tricolor.
Beyond the above-quoted predominant families, the presence of other dycotiledonous is considerable in some pastures, and more precisely: Dipsacaceae in A9 (8% of SC), Lamiaceae in A4 (9% of SC), Orobanchaceae in A2 (7% of SC), Ranunculaceae in A8 (11% of SC), Violaceae in A6 (9% of SC).
The sampled pastures are all good quality pastures, with PV>25. Lowest values occurred in A9 and A5 (with PV= 28.8 and 29.3, respectively), while greatest values occurred in A8 and A7 (with PV= 37.2 and 34.4, respectively).
|
Table 2. Species frequencies of the pastures before exploitation. Floristic nomenclature according to Pignatti (1982) |
||||||||||
|
Family |
Specie |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
A4 |
A5 |
A6 |
A7 |
A8 |
A9 |
|
Amaryllidaceae |
Narcissus poeticus ssp alpestris |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asteraceae |
Achillea millefolium |
3 |
10 |
3 |
|
2 |
4 |
22 |
7 |
15 |
|
Carduus medius |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carduus nutans |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Centaurea jacea |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Centaurea montana |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Centaurea scabiosa |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cirsium acaulon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
Cirsium eriophorum |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
Hieracium alpinum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
Hieracium pilosella |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hieracium sabaudum |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Leontodon autumnalis |
1 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Leontodon hispidus |
|
1 |
9 |
|
4 |
2 |
8 |
|
1 |
|
|
Leucanthemum vulgare |
|
|
1 |
|
5 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Senecio erucifolius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Taraxacum alpestre |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taraxacum officinale |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
|
2 |
|
|
Tragopogon pratensis |
|
1 |
|
4 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
Boraginaceae |
Cerinthe glabra |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
Myosotis sylvatica |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Campanulaceae |
Campanula rotundifolia |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Phyteuma spicatum |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
Caryophyllaceae |
Cerastium arvense |
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
5 |
|
Cerastium brachypetalum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Cerastium semidecandrum |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Dianthus carthusianorum |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dianthus caesius |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dianthus carthusianorum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Silene dioica |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
Silene nutans |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
Silene vulgaris |
|
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Stellaria holostea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Cistaceae |
Helianthemum nummularium |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Convolvulaceae |
Convolvulus arvensis |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
Cruciferae |
Alyssum montanum |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biscutella laevigata |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dipsacaceae |
Knautia arvensis |
1 |
|
4 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
5 |
|
Scabiosa columbaria |
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
8 |
|
|
Euphorbiaceae |
Euphorbia cyparissias |
|
|
4 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Euphorbia myrsinites |
|
|
|
1 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Geraniaceae |
Geranium molle |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
Geranium pratense |
|
|
4 |
|
5 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Gramineae |
Bromus erectus |
|
|
1 |
3 |
6 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
|
Bromus inermis |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Dactylis glomerata |
1 |
25 |
8 |
6 |
7 |
10 |
10 |
28 |
|
|
|
Festuca arundinacea |
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Festuca ovina |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Festuca pratensis |
5 |
|
|
5 |
5 |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
|
Festuca rubra |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
4 |
1 |
|
|
|
Koeleria pyramidata |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Phleum alpinum |
8 |
7 |
|
|
|
1 |
6 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
Phleum pratense |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Poa alpina |
15 |
2 |
10 |
|
|
4 |
|
7 |
1 |
|
|
Poa pratensis |
3 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
Poa trivialis |
11 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
Poa violacea |
5 |
25 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
|
7 |
|
|
Trisetum flavescens |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
Hypericaceae |
Hypericum maculatum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
Lamiaceae |
Acinos arvensis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
Origanum vulgare |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Salvia pratensis |
3 |
3 |
|
12 |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
Thymus serpyllum |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Leguminosae |
Anthyllis vulneraria |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lathyrus heterophyllus |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Lathyrus pratensis |
|
|
|
1 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
Lotus corniculatus |
6 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
|
|
Medicago lupulina |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Onobrychis viciaefolia |
5 |
7 |
14 |
27 |
1 |
|
3 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
Trifolium alpinum |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trifolium pratense |
3 |
4 |
10 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
11 |
|
4 |
|
|
Trifolium repens |
9 |
8 |
5 |
|
1 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
Vicia cracca |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
5 |
8 |
|
1 |
|
|
Liliaceae |
Ornithogalum umbellatum |
|
6 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Orchidaceae |
Dactylorhiza incarnata |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nigritella nigra |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Orobanchaceae |
Rhinanthus alectorolophus |
|
12 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Rhinanthus serotimus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
Plantaginaceae |
Veronica chamaedrys |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Veronica officinalis |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Polygonaceae |
Polygonum bistorta |
1 |
20 |
7 |
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Polygonum lapathifolium |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rumex acetosa |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Primulaceae |
Primula veris |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
|
Ranunculaceae |
Pulsatilla pratensis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Ranunculus acris |
5 |
6 |
7 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
10 |
2 |
|
|
Ranunculus bulbosus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
Ranunculus lanuginosus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
Ranunculus repens |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Trollius europaeus |
|
|
2 |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Rosaceae |
Alchemilla vulgaris |
7 |
|
2 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
Potentilla argentea |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Sanguisorba minor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Rubiaceae |
Cruciata pedemontana |
|
1 |
|
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Galium album |
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Galium mollugo |
5 |
|
1 |
14 |
|
|
2 |
|
8 |
|
|
Galium verum |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
5 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
|
Umbelliferae |
Amni majus |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Anthriscus sylvestris |
|
|
1 |
|
|
21 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
Carum carvi |
6 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
|
|
6 |
|
21 |
|
|
Pimpinella major |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Plantago lanceolata |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Plantago media |
2 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
5 |
3 |
15 |
3 |
|
|
Urticaceae |
Urtica dioica |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
Violaceae |
Viola tricolor |
|
2 |
|
|
2 |
12 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
|
Viola calcarata subsp zoysii |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Figure 3. Main forages group (as mean percentage of total number of collected plants) presented in the pastures | |
Exploitation is intensive (EI>0.60) just for A6 pasture (which is, anyway, not overcharged), while is average or extensive for A2, A3, A7 and A8, and very extensive (EI<0.20) for A1, A4, A5 and A9 pastures. These latter ones have to be monitored, because an under-loaded pasture, for long time, may lose good fodder plants and enlarges oligotroph plants. The presence of Bromus erectus can be a negative signal, but the absence of Nardus stricta and Calluna vulgaris indicates a so far stable situation.
 |
 |
| Figure 4. Contribution of birdsfoot trefoil (as
mean percentages of the total number of species) in the pastures |
Figure 5. Contribution of white clover
(as mean percentages of the total number of species) in the pastures |
Results of the phyto-pastoral survey are reported in Figures 4 and 5: Lotus corniculatus appeared in all nine pastures, with peaks of presence in A1, A7 and A9 (SC > 2%); Trifolium repens was not observed in A8, but its presence in other pastures was greater than 2% in almost all other pastures (with the exception of A1 and A5) and in A7 it amounted to 6% of SC.
To better contextualize these two species, in Figure 3 we report the percent presence of Leguminosae for each pasture: in A8, A2, A4 and A7 floristic composition showed that this family reached 25%, 23%, 20% and 19% of SC, respectively. The poorest pasture, in Leguminosae, is A5, with just 3% of SC.
|
Table 3. Chemical composition (g/kg DM basis, except for DM which is on fresh basis), gross energy (GE), in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility (NDFD), in vitro digestible neutral detergent fibre (dNDF) and indigestible neutral detergent fibre (iNDF) of Lotus corniculatus |
||||
|
Min |
Max |
Mean |
SD |
|
|
DM (g/kg) |
200 |
292 |
234 |
32.0 |
|
Crude protein |
137 |
174 |
156 |
12.0 |
|
Lipid |
10.6 |
22.9 |
17.6 |
4.70 |
|
NDF |
428 |
535 |
488 |
32.4 |
|
ADF |
359 |
450 |
418 |
29.2 |
|
Lignin |
75.0 |
98.0 |
81.9 |
7.40 |
|
GE (MJ/kg DM) |
17.3 |
18.5 |
18.1 |
0.37 |
|
IVTD (g/kg DM) |
661 |
772 |
710 |
33.4 |
|
NDFD (g/kg NDF) |
303 |
526 |
417 |
73.2 |
|
dNDF (g/kg DM) |
130 |
253 |
205 |
41.1 |
|
iNDF (g/kg DM) |
228 |
327 |
284 |
32.0 |
|
Table 4. Chemical composition (g/kg DM basis, except for DM which is on fresh basis), gross energy (GE), in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility (NDFD), in vitro digestible neutral detergent fibre (dNDF) and indigestible neutral detergent fibre (iNDF) of Trifolium repens |
||||
|
Min |
Max |
Mean |
SD |
|
|
DM (g/kg) |
204 |
325 |
255 |
40.6 |
|
Crude protein |
134 |
167 |
152 |
12.3 |
|
Lipid |
10.4 |
21.8 |
16.3 |
3.80 |
|
NDF |
473 |
574 |
534 |
32.5 |
|
ADF |
317 |
400 |
357 |
28.4 |
|
Lignin |
61.3 |
85.2 |
72.0 |
7.60 |
|
GE (MJ/kg DM) |
17.2 |
18.2 |
17.7 |
0.33 |
|
IVTD (g/kg DM) |
693 |
848 |
781 |
51.5 |
|
NDFD (g/kg NDF) |
454 |
695 |
589 |
88.2 |
|
dNDF (g/kg DM) |
255 |
391 |
314 |
49.5 |
|
iNDF (g/kg DM) |
152 |
307 |
220 |
51.5 |
Collomb et al (2002) reported that Trifolium repens was one of the three major plants, together with Dactylis glomerata andTrifolium pratense, present in pastures of alpine lowlands (altitude 600-650m above sea level). Leiber et al (2005) estimated 6% and 23% of Leguminosae proportion of total ground covering in the lowland and the Alpine pastures and Trifolium repens was one of the dominant species in the lowland pasture, while white clover and Lotus spp. ranged between 1 to 4% of total ground covering in the Alpine pastures. Meľuchová et al (2008) found that, in the pastures located in the central part of West Slovakia, the most abundant plant species in May and in September was Trifolium repens (26 and 18%, respectively).
The chemical composition, GE and in vitro digestibility of Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens are presented in Tables 3 and 4, respectively. The mean values of DM (234 g/kg), NDF (488 g/kg), lignin (81.9 g/kg) and GE (18.1 MJ/kg) in birdsfoot trefoil samples comply with ranges reported in bibliography (FAO 2014), while values of crude protein (CP, 156 g/kg) and lipid (17.6 g/kg) are lower, and values of ADF (418 g/kg) are higher. For white clover, values of DM (255 g/kg), lignin (72 g/kg) and GE (17.7 MJ/kg) comply with ranges, while values of CP (152 g/kg) and lipid (16.3 g/kg) are lower and values of NDF (534 g/kg) and ADF (357 g/kg) are higher (Héuze et al 2015).
Nutritive values of Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens were investigated in various researches, but often in nurseries expressly created for the research, experimental fields or meadows of flat countries formerly used to improve the fodder. From these researches, we reported some interesting data, to compare with data obtained from birdsfoot trefoil and white clover of Chisone and Susa Valleys pastures. Halling et al (2002) observed that white clover, in comparison with other four forage legumes, grown in twelve experimental plots of North Europe, had the highest content of CP, digestible organic matter, water soluble carbohydrates and metabolisable energy but had the lowest content of crude fibre. Bertilsson et al (2001) observed that legume silages had higher ash and CP content compared to grass, and, in particular, Trifolium repens was the extreme here with up to 28% CP content (in means, 252 g/kg DM), and, for this, milk production was significantly higher for white clover silage than for grass. Waghorn et al (1987), studying the effect of condensed tannins of Lotus corniculatus on digestion of aminoacids in sheep, found that DM was 165 g/kg over the duration of the experiment. Lotus corniculatus composition was (g/kg DM): 88 ash, 84 monosaccharides, 44 starch, 45 pectin, 485 NDF, 103 lignin, 27 N, 47 diethyl-ether-extractable lipid and contained GE 18.7 MJ/kg DM.
Some research considered the nutritive values of spontaneous birdsfoot trefoil or white clover in floristic composition of highland pastures. As Woodward et al (2000) observed, production of dairy cows increased thanks to the presence of Lotus corniculatus, because of higher DM intake and a higher condensed tannins concentration. This improvement of pasture quality was observed for Trifolium repens too, due to its high CP, pectin, lignin and mineral contents (Harris et al 1998). An interesting survey was that of Bovolenta et al (2008) in which wild seeds were collected from plants spontaneously occurring in mountain pastures in North-East Italy and sown in a greenhouse. Considering the chemical composition and GE content of Trifolium repens samples, our study showed lower values of CP, lignin and GE than that recorded by Bovolenta et al (2008). These authors found a value of 202 and 99 g/kg DM for CP and lignin, respectively, with a GE content of 18.7 MJ/kg DM.
Information on ruminal digestibility of forage is crucial for feed nutrition. Digestibility of Trifolium repens was higher than Lotus corniculatus, but more variable. IVTD and NDFD presented averages of 710 g/kg DM and 417 g/kg NDF for Lotus corniculatus (Table 3) and 781 g/kg DM and 589 g/kg NDF for Trifolium repens, respectively (Table 4). The indigestible NDF of clover varied between 152 and 307 g/kg DM, while birdsfoot trefoil ranged from 228 to 327 g/kg DM. Ramírez-Restrepo et al (2006) demonstrated for Lotus corniculatus a strong correlation between in vivo and in vitro digestibility. In ruminant nutrition the feeding value of legumes is greater than that of grasses, owing to their more rapid particle breakdown, faster rumen fermentation, lower rumen mean retention time and consequently greater voluntary feed intake (Dewhurst et al 2009).
Despite these obvious advantages, legumes have never attained their true potential in many grazing systems because of three principal disadvantages. First, legumes generally grow slowly in winter, and therefore produce less feed per hectare than grasses; second, because of the occurrence of rumen frothy bloat in cattle, which is caused by a rapid solubilisation of protein in many legumes (especially in spring); finally, because of the presence of oestrogenic compounds in some legumes, which depress the reproductive performance of ewes when grazed on these species during mating. The identification of legumes that could overcome these limitations could offer great advantages.
FA values of Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens are reported in Tables 5 and 6, respectively. Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens were characterised by a high proportion of ALA, which ranged from 312 to 521 g/kg of total FA and from 347 to 525 g/kg of total FA, respectively. Mean content of linoleic (LA, C18:2 n-6) and palmitic acid (PA, C16:0) were 71 and 82 g/kg of total FA in Lotus corniculatus and 123 and 90 g/kg of total FA in Trifolium repens, respectively. Other minor FAs identified in these plants were hexadecadienoic (C16:2 n-4), stearic (SA, C18:0), oleic (OA, C18:1 n-9), vaccenic (C18:1 n-7), γ-linolenic (C18:3 n-6) and stearidonic acid (C18:4 n-3), while myristic acid (C14:0) was present only in Lotus corniculatus.
|
Table 5. Fatty acid (FA) content (g/kg of total FA) of Lotus corniculatus |
||||
|
|
Min |
Max |
Mean |
SD |
|
C14:0 |
0 |
29.1 |
10.2 |
8.30 |
|
C16:0 |
55.1 |
107 |
82.5 |
14.6 |
|
C16:2 n-4 |
33.2 |
65.4 |
44.8 |
8.7 |
|
C18:0 |
0 |
48.5 |
15.1 |
15.4 |
|
C18:1 n-9 |
0 |
47.4 |
20.5 |
11.8 |
|
C18:1 n-7 |
5.40 |
9.50 |
7.70 |
1.30 |
|
C18:2 n-6 |
42.8 |
91.8 |
71.0 |
14.4 |
|
C18:3 n-6 |
11.9 |
52.9 |
32.5 |
12.4 |
|
C18:3 n-3 |
312 |
521 |
435 |
56.4 |
|
C18:4 n-3 |
58.1 |
103.6 |
76.0 |
14.2 |
|
Unknown |
91.1 |
365 |
205 |
73.0 |
|
Table 6. Fatty acid (FA) content (g/kg of total FA) of Trifolium repens |
||||
|
|
Min |
Max |
Mean |
SD |
|
C16:0 |
62.8 |
127.4 |
90.0 |
23.8 |
|
C16:2 n-4 |
26.3 |
60.9 |
43.8 |
11.1 |
|
C18:0 |
0.70 |
49.7 |
28.8 |
15.2 |
|
C18:1 n-9 |
4.70 |
28.8 |
16.3 |
7.10 |
|
C18:1 n-7 |
0 |
26.9 |
8.10 |
7.40 |
|
C18:2 n-6 |
76.6 |
188 |
123 |
36.0 |
|
C18:3 n-6 |
0 |
35.7 |
13.8 |
9.50 |
|
C18:3 n-3 |
347 |
525 |
452 |
54.8 |
|
C18:4 n-3 |
47.0 |
110 |
71.7 |
16.8 |
|
Unknown |
16.3 |
293 |
152 |
97.0 |
Bakoğlu et al (2009) determined the FA profile of some seed crops (Vicia ervilia L. Willd., Lotus corniculatus L., Onobrychis fallax, Trifolium aureum Poll. and Trifolium repens L.) from Turkey and reported that Lotus corniculatus seed oil was rich in LA (457 g/kg of total FA) with large amounts of OA (163 g/kg of total FA), PA (117 g/kg of total FA), ALA (110 g/kg of total FA), and SA (58 g/kg of total FA). The main FAs of Trifolium repens seeds were LA (512 g/kg of total FA), OA (227 g/kg of total FA), PA (96 g/kg of total FA), SA (77 g/kg of total FA), and ALA (34 g/kg of total FA).
Meľuchová et al (2008) investigated the botanical composition of the pasture in an experimental farm located at 250-300 masl. In spite of differences with mountain and alpine pastures, the survey is interesting because one of more abundant species was the Trifolium repens (26% of SC) and enriched the pasture of ALA and LA. In the previous studies, Boufaied et al (2003) reported that Trifolium repens contain far higher contents of ALA than many other grasses and legumes and their content decrease with maturation of the plant. Sabudak et al (2009) reported that the whole plant hexane extracts of five Trifolium species (Trifolium balansae Boiss, Trifolium stellatum Lin., Trifolium nigrescens Viv., Trifolium constantinopolitanum Ser., and Trifolium resupinatum L.) contained eight FAs. The most abundant FAs were ALA (166-311 g/kg of total FA), PA (111-189 g/kg of total FA), LA (50-113 g/kg of total FA) and OA (17-45 g/kg of total FA), while SA, lauric, myristic, and arachidic acid were detected in smaller amounts.
Collomb et al (2002) found that Lotus corniculatus, in different altitude pastures of Switzerland, was correlated negatively with the concentration of saturated FAs, and positively with the concentration of polyunsaturated FAs and, with the concentrations of CLA and monounsaturated trans C18:1 FAs in milk fat. Dalmannsdóttir et al (2001) compared the FAs content from autumn to spring in naturally hardened stolons of three white clover populations and reported that the main FAs were hexadecatrienoic, OA, PA, SA, LA, ALA, and palmitoleic acid. Clapham et al (2005) determined the FA profiles of different forages and forbs at 3 harvest times and found that ALA, LA, and PA were the most abundant FAs in white clover. This legume showed modest decline in fractional contribution of ALA between the first and third harvests.
The author would like to thank Mrs M. Jones for the linguistic revision of the manuscript.
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Received 8 August 2016; Accepted 11 October 2016; Published 1 December 2016