A study of nutritional components in tender leaves and stems of Huazhu No. 5 Ramie and degradation characteristics in goat rumen

In this study, the nutritional components of Huazhu No. 5 ramie tender stems and leaves in different crops was evaluated, and the rumen degradation characteristics of the ramie tender stems and leaves of the first, fourth, and seventh crops were determined using the nylon bag method in three healthy Boer goats with permanent rumen fistulas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of ramie and provide a data reference for the forage utilization of ramie in ruminants. The results showed that: 1) the content of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE) of seven stubble ramie tender stems and leaves of Huazhu No. 5 ramie first increased and then decreased with the increase in the harvest stubble. The average CP content was 22.84%, and the content of 16 amino acids accounted for 74.21% of the total protein; the average lysine content, calcium content, and calcium-phosphorus ratio was 0.88%, 4.95%, and 12.88, respectively. The dry matter intake, digestible dry matter, and relative feeding value of ramie tender stems and leaves all showed a pattern of first increase and then decrease with the increase in stubble. 2) The rumen degradation rate of CP, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in ramie tender stems and leaves for 72 h showed a consistent rule, i.e., the seventh crop > the first crop > the fourth crop. The dry matter (DM), CP, organic matter (OM), NDF, and ADF of the ramie tender stems and leaves of the three stubbles were basically in the same order of rumen degradation rate value and effective degradation rate value at 72 h. The results show that the degradation rates of DM, CP, OM, NDF, and ADF in the rumen of the first and seventh seasons are high. Ramie can be used as a source of high protein forage for herbivores.