PROSPECTS FOR THE USE OF CHICORY GRASS AND LEAF-EXTRACTED MEAL (<I>CICHORIUM INTYBUS</I> L.) IN THE FEEDING OF FARM ANIMALS

Abstract

Medicinal plants are a source of biologically active substances of various chemical natures. Based on the Federal state budgetary scientific institution All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (FSBSI RSRIMAR), the authors researched and developed a method for obtaining dry extracts from the herb and leaves of common chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), intended for use as pharmaceutical substances of immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective action. The authors receive extracted meals when obtaining dry extracts at the extraction stage. This extracted meal is a waste that must be disposed of. However, after the extraction of the target compounds, mainly phenolic, other hydrophilic substances remain in the feed. In this regard, within the framework of the complex use of plant raw materials, our work aimed to study the implications of protein nature and total toxicity of the grass meal and chicory leaves to assess the possibility of its use in animal husbandry as a feed additive. As a result of the studies conducted by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), it was found that the meal of grass and leaves of ordinary chicory contains residual amounts of hydroxycinnamic acids such as chicory, chlorogenic, caftaric, and coumarins are also absent. The content of the sum of phenolic compounds in the grass meal was 0,75±0,03, and the leaf meal - 0,65±0,03%. At the same time, we determined the content of total nitrogen, which is 3,39±0,10 and 2,14±0,06%, complete protein - 21,19±0,64 and 13,38±0,4, amine nitrogen - 0,26±0,01 and 0,24±0,01, the sum of amino acids - 0,38±0,01 and 0,35±0,01 respectively for grass meal and chicory leaves. The protein composition of meals identified 17 amino acids, 9 of which are essential for animals and integral to their complete diet. A study of the overall toxicity of the meal confirmed the safety of its use in animal feed. The results obtained indicate the possibility of using chicory grass and leaves meals as a means of enriching the diet of farm animals.