Essential Nutrient Constituents of Some Range Plants in Bir-Al-Ghanam Rangelands, Western Libya

Abstract

The essential nutrient constituents of 26 range plants sampled from Bir-Al-Ghanam rangelands were determined. According to the results obtained these plants could be divided into 4 groups of different protein contents. The first group consisted of species with a low protein content ranging from 3 to 5%. The second group of plants had an average protein level of 5 to 7%. The third group had a good protein content ranging between 7 and 10%. The fourth group of plants had a high protein proportion of 10 to 13%. Amongst the species of this group, Rhantherium suaevelens and Lotus halophilus were also characterized by a high fat and a low crude fiber contents, in addition to their high palatability which is well known to herdsmen. There was a great variation in proximate analysis results of the sampled plants essential nutrient constituents. This variation was due to the differences in plant species and life forms. Even in cases of similar plant chemical composition, animal preference and species palatability remain among the factors that influence the determination of desirable range plants.