UN SDG
Livestock Studies
1999, Vol 39, Num, 1 (Pages: 101-114)
Grain legumes and Usage in Ruminant Rations
2 Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Hayvan Besleme ve Beslenme Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı-ANKARA - Grain legumes are feedstuffs of high protein and energy content. Little adaptation period is required for their usage in ruminant rations. Grain legumes can be added to the concentrate feed mixtures and used as a supplement for roughages. The usage of grain legumes are useful in feeding systems where high levels of non-protein nitrogen are inappropriate and where low quality feeds are given. The effective usage of grain legumes is limited due to high amounts of rumen degradable protein and low amounts of sulphur-containing amino acid. Grain legumes generally contain antinutritional factors such as lectins, proteinase inhibitors, non-protein amino acids, polyphenolic compounds, goitrogens, saponins, cyanogenetic glycosides. The adverse effects of antinutritional factors are rarely seen in ruminants than in monogastric animals.
Grain legumes are valuable alternative feedstuffs in places where high protein by products such as oil seed meal are expensive and present at low levels. Grain legumes used in animal nutrition are mainly vetch, soybean, field bean, pea and lupin.
Keywords : Grain Legume, Ruminant Rations