NUTRITIVE-VALUE OF EVENING PRIMROSE (OENOTHERA-PARADOXA) CAKE FOR RUMINANTS

The nutritive value of evening primrose (Oenothera paradoxa) oil cake was estimated from chemical composition and nutrient digestibility. Th e cake contained on average (per kg): 210 g crude protein, 0.55 UFL, 0 .44 UFV, 110 PDI (PDIE - PDIN = -22 g), 92 g PDIA and 100 g of ether e xtract. The proportion of methionine and cystine in cake was relativel y high (1.97 and 2.17 g/16 g N) but that of lysine was rather low (2.0 0 g/16 g N). Linoleic (C-18:2 n6)- 73.1%, gamma-linolenic (C-18:3 n6) - 9,0% and oleic (C-18:1 n9)- 6.4% acids dominated in total fatty acid content. Rumen degradability and intestinal digestion coefficients of protein of evening primrose oil cake or seeds were 0.39 and 0.65, res pectively.