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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
In developing countries, low quality forages, like cereal straws are the main basal feed for ruminants. But these forages are low in energy, protein, vitamin and minerals. Most of the carbohydrates of these forages are bound to compounds like lignin, silica, phenolic, oxalate etc and so the ruminants cannot utilize these forages effectively which affect ruminant health and production. So it is needed to improve the quality of these forages. Herbs and spices which are being safely used for human consumption for a long time may help improve the rumen fermentation and hence the utilisation of these forages if offered to the forage consuming ruminants. This study compared the effects of various levels of four commonly used spices on the in vitro dry matter (DM) degradability (IVD) of these selected forages at different times.