Abstract:
This study investigates the effect of different vegetation
periods on the chemical composition of kermes oak. Five different vegetation
periods from May through September 2008 were taken into consideration
for this purpose. Throughout these periods, values for dry matter, crude
protein, crude lipid, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extracts, crude ash and
metabolizable energy were measured. The chemical composition of kermes
oak underwent statistically significant changes in connection with the
vegetation period (p < 0.05). During the May, June, July, August and
September periods, the natural dry matter content of kermes oak was found
to be 43.26, 53.83, 56.85, 57.35 and 57.95%, respectively. During the
same periods, values for crude protein with respect to dry matter were
1.27, 1.20, 1.29, 1.47 and 1.59%, respectively, values for crude lipid
were 4.37, 3.95, 3.47, 2.69 and 3.73%, respectively, values for crude
fiber were 20.88, 30.91, 35.53, 37.21 and 37.08%, respectively, values
for nitrogen free extracts were 69.48, 59.98, 55.45, 55.57 and 54.35%,
respectively, values for crude ash were 3.99, 3.95, 4.22, 3.05 and 3.25%
, respectively and values for metabolizable energy were 3191.65, 3149.65,
3129.35, 3119.92 and 3124.15 kcal kg-1, respectively. In conclusion,
it was determined that the chemical composition of kermes oak underwent
changes in connection with the vegetation period and that, in particular,
as the vegetation period advanced, the crude fiber content increased and
nitrogen-free extracts decreased.
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