Purple echinaceia for the formation of organic feed phytomixtures

Abstract

Aim. To establish the biological features of the growth and development of purple coneflower, its yield and chemical composition, and technological suitability for use as components of phytomixtures for the purpose of forming organic feed additives for animal feeding. Methods. Field, laboratory, variational statistics. Results. Research has established that purple coneflower needs careful care in the year of sowing. In the coming years, it will be technologically suitable for the procurement of raw materials for medicinal and fodder purposes. Its yield of green mass for the three years of research was 15.6 t/ha, and the yield of dry mass, respectively, was 3.9 t/ha with fluctuations over the years, respectively 13.2-20.0 and 3.3-4.7 t/ha. The content of crude protein in purple coneflower averaged 16.1 %, and according to this indicator it is equal to leguminous herbs. It contains a sufficient amount of fiber and BER, and the feed is fully supplied with potassium, phosphorus and calcium and has good digestibility. The above-ground mass of purple coneflower contains up to 7.4% of polysaccharides, the sum of chicory and kaftaric acids - from 2.2% to 4.3% and hydroxycinnamic acid from 2.1% in stems and 4.9 and 6.4% in total on dry matter. Conclusions. Purple coneflower is a valuable medicinal and fodder plant, which, having a high yield, is technologically suitable for the preparation of raw materials for the formation of phytomixtures in the feeding of farm animals with the aim of obtaining organic livestock products. The biologically active substances of purple coneflower are polysaccharides and organic acids.