Seasonal changes in nutritional quality of Phlomis fruticosa (L.) in a semi-mountainous rangeland of Epirus, Greece

Phlomis fruticosa L. is a dwarf plant which belongs to the Lamiaceae (Labiaceae) family and forms pure or mixed plant communities. In Epirus, Phlomis fruticosa plant communities constitute an important grazing source for sheep, goats and cattle. The objective of this research was to estimate the nutritive value of the different parts of Phlomis fruticosa per phonological stage. It was conducted in a representing Phlomis fruticosa plant community at Ioannina plateau. The procedure involved sample collection from April 1992 to April 1993, which they were separated to leaves, stems and flowers and they were subjected to chemical analyses for the determination of CP, NDF, ADF, hemicelluloses, cellulose, lignin and in vitro digestibility of organic matter (IVOMD). The results show that Phlomis fruticosa has relatively high levels of CP (12.4 – 20.1%), NDF (41.3 – 61.4%) and lignin (8.8 – 18.2%) in leaves, but low IVOMD (0.400 – 0.517), while stems have lower (P<0.05) content in CP (4.9 – 9.6%), IVOMD (0.419 – 0.460) and higher content in NDF (57.7 – 73.1%) and lignin (12.8 – 21.8%). Flowers were found to have lower content in lignin (7.1 – 15.0%), while their content in CP (10.3 – 11.5%), NDF (55.3 – 57.4%) and IVOMD (0.321 – 0.547) was lower (P<0.05) than leaves and higher (P<0.05) than stems. The low IVOMD of Phlomis fruticosa is attributed besides its high content in lignin to the presence of phenolic compounds. Consequently, the research for the utilization of Phlomis fruticosa crude protein must be oriented to the selection of Phlomis fruticosa types which are grazed more than the others so that its intake capability by the domestic animals is improved.