Temporal Variations in Chemical Composition, In Vitro Digestibility, and Metabolizable Energy of Plant Species Browsed by Goats in Southern Mediterranean Forest Rangeland

peer reviewedMediterranean forest rangelands constitute essential feed resources for grazing goats. The objective of this study was to evaluate the temporal variations in chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, and metabolizable energy of browsed plant species by goats on forest rangelands of the Southern Mediterranean of northern Morocco. Overall, the nutritive value of the selected plant species was highest in spring and then steadily decreased through the summer and autumn. Most of the selected plant species present high levels of crude protein than the minimum required level for maintenance. This study provides a valuable and useful database to elaborate the seasonal grazing and feeding management plan for goat herds