Amarnth in ruminant nutrition

KUBELKOVÁ, Petra, JANČÍK, Filip, LOUČKA, Radko and HOMOLKA, Petr. Amarnth in ruminant nutrition. Krmivářství, 2021, vol. 25(6), p. 30-32. ISSN .
Year2021
CathegoryOthers
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Abstract

Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is a pseudo-cereal which has a high nutritional value, a great agronomic potential and a variety of possible uses. This Andean crop has recently been rediscovered, due to its great adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, poor soils and a shortage of water. Amaranth has a high potential as forage for ruminants, which have always eaten wild amaranth, and interest in amaranth as a feedstuff has recently arisen due to its high nutritive value and good fatty acid content. Amaranth can be used in different ways, as a grain and as fresh, dried or ensiled forage, but some species of amaranth forage, due to the presence of certain anti-nutritional factors, may not be suitable as a ruminant feed, or may require a special treatment before it can be acceptable for ruminants. The results of in vitro experiments with amaranth seeds, which were made in labs of Department of animal nutrition in Uhříněves and SAS in Košice, were also mentioned in this article.