Evaluation of Nutritive Value, Phenolic Compounds and in vitro Digestion Charactristics of Barberry (Berberis Vulgaris) Foliage

Introduction This study was intended to evaluate the nutritional value, phenolic compounds and digestibility coefficients of barberry leaves. Berberis vulgaris is one of the major crops in the province. The province has more than 70 percent and 95 percent of the total area under cultivation of barberry. Waste and foliage of barberry harvest traditionally used to feed livestock Tannin concentration greater than 3 to 4 percent in food, can have negative effects on digestibility in ruminants and in particular to reduce the absorption of dietary protein. So it can be expected that high amounts of tannins within waste foliage of barberry reduce its efficiency in ruminants to be fed. Several studies have shown that the addition of certain compounds such as urea, polyethylene Due to the high volume of barberry foliage that remains after harvesting and the possibility of its use in animal nutrition, this study tried to determine some nutrient compounds, phenolic compounds and degradation parameters were barberry leaves. In addition, in this study to determine the best additives are effective in reducing the concentration of tannins and phenolic compounds, urea, polyethylene glycol, sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide were compared.
Materials and method As the samples were dried by the sun for 6 days. The amount of 5% by weight (dry matter basis) urea, polyethylene glycol, sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide that was prepared with distilled water, was sprayed on 5 kg of the sample and thoroughly mixed. Each of the treatments were prepared in triplicate. Treatments include: 1) control (foliage without additives), 2) foliage with 5% solution of urea, 3) foliage with 5% polyethylene glycol, 4) foliage with 5% sodium hydroxide, 5) with 5% calcium hydroxide was foliage. The sample were kept in anaerobic plastic containers for 3 days and then opened and dried at room temperature. Samples were analyzed for crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, ether extract, total phenolic compounds, total tannins, condensed tannins, hydrolysable tannins and some mineral content (Na, Cl, Ca, K and P). The in vitro gas production method was used for estimation the DM fermentation parameters.
Results and Discussion The chemical composition of foliage barberry is almost the same with the few studies conducted in this regard. Minor differences between the results of this study and the other results showed that the colleagues can be due to differences in climate and environmental conditions and physiological characteristics of the plant's genetics. The results showed that addition of urea, Sodium hydroxide and Calcium hydroxide led to a significant reduction of total phenolic compounds, total tannins and hydrolysable tannins compared with the control sample. The in vitro gas production and fermentative parameters were improved flowing urea, sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide treatment. The results showed that treatment with urea was more effective in reduction of tannins and improvement the fermentative parameters of branches and leaves of Barberry compared to other treatments.
Conclusion Based on our results and high levels of phenolic compounds in the waste foliage barberry sprayed with a solution of 5% (based on dry matter) of urea, sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide significantly reduced the amount of total phenolic compounds, tannins and hydrolysable tannin in the leaves of Berber is vulgaris lesions, but polyethylene glycol had no significant effect. On the contrary condensed tannin conditions and the maximum reduction in the concentration of condensed tannins were observed in the group had been sprayed with polyethylene glycol. The amount of gas produced in laboratory conditions, parameters of rumen fermentation and feed efficiency in experimental treatments with urea, sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide recovered.