Research progress of ramie for feedstuff

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to Boehmeria Genus of Urticaceae family. The nutritional value of ramie is similar to that of alfalfa. The tender stems and leaves of ramie are of abundant nutrition, crude protein is more that 19% and rich in vitamins and amino acids. Ramie can grow well in hot rainy season in south China and its biomass yield is much higher than that of alfalfa. These characteristics make ramie a good feedstuff for vegetable protein. This paper reviewed the research progress of ramie feeding including ramie forage resources, cultivation techniques, yields, nutritional quality and animal feeding. Meanwhile, some suggestions regarding the further development and utilization of ramie for forage were proposed.