2023/12/13 by Bernadette Julier, Julier, Bernadette, C. Huyghe +1
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Agriculture and Rural Development Research #Autonomie #Fourrage #Phytase and its Applications #Protéine #Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
paper · doi:10.17180/dhvj-0e19
openalex publication_date 2023/12/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/07
Growth and production of ruminants require high quality proteins in their feed diet. Numerous forage legume species, adapted to temperate climates, have a high potential for protein production without any mineral nitrogen fertilizer. The most productive and used species, such as alfalfa and clovers, have a high protein degradability in their rumen and this decreases their assimilation by the animal. Other species, birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin, crownvetch, produce condensed tannins that reduce protein degradation. As the possibilities of genetic improvement are limited, several technical or agronomical methods could help to maximise valorisation of proteins by ruminants: technological treatments such as dehydration, cultivation of mixtures of species to establish a convenient ratio between protein and energy that contribute to a better protein assimilation, and also addition of tannin-rich legumes to the diet, either directly sown in mixtures or as additional feed. Finally, forage legumes can really contribute to increase protein autonomy of livestock farming.