Estimation of fodder quality and digestibility parameters of Pistia stratiotes plant meal

The estimation of fodder quality and digestibility parameters using various factorial methods was done for the Pistia stratiotes commonly called as water cabbage, water lettuce, Nile cabbage, or shellflower to assess its use as animal feed. Pistia stratiotes samples were pooled from natural lake of Korutla Mandal, Jagityala District of Telangana State during February 2021. Pistia stratiotes contains 19.86 per cent crude protein and 16.39 per cent crude fibre. The crude fibre level was found to be higher than conventional ingredients used for non-ruminant livestock but will probably suit to ruminant and pseudo-ruminants. Other parameters were total ash (23.61%), moisture content (92.59%) and ether extract (2.01%). The mineral contents were 2.55% calcium, 0.99% phosphorous. The type of fibre was (54.37% neutral detergent fibre and 34.27% acid detergent fibre) and estimated dry matter intake was (2.21% on dry matter basis) and estimated digestibility parameters were (106.41% relative feed value and 114.56% relative feed quality). The other results of analysis were acid detergent lignin (ADL) 23.75%, hemi cellulose (H.C) 20.10 percent acid insoluble ash (AIA) 5.30 percent and silica 3.96 percent. The analysis performed on the Pistia stratiotes depicts an encouraging potential for its application as animal feed during scarcity or disaster for the livestock especially during floods in various forms which has to be further tested in vivo.