Evaluation of the Forage Quality and Mineral Content of Echinops orientalis Populations

The study was carried out to investigate the possibilities of utilizing some Echinops orientalis populations as a roughage source. Within the scope of the study, Echinops orientalis populations were collected from 17 different locations in South Eastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye in May 2025. In the study, it was observed that there were significant differences between populations and locations in terms of quality traits examined. The crude protein (CP) ratios of Echinops orientalis populations ranged between 12.0-18.1%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) ratios between 25.4-40.8%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ratios between 32.5-51.1%, digestible dry matter (DDM) ratios between 57.2-69.1%, dry matter intake (DMI) ratios between 2.35-3.69%, and relative feed values (RFV) between 104-194. These values indicated that the populations provided a high level of forage quality. The phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and K:(Ca+Mg) ratios of Echinops orientalis populations were also found to be at ideal levels, but their calcium (Ca) content was high and accordingly the Ca:P ratio was above the limit value (>2). Cluster analysis was performed to reveal the similarity of the locations. Cluster analysis revealed that the populations from Gaziantep-2 and Şırnak-1 exhibited the highest similarity, whereas the populations sampled from Adıyaman-1 and Diyarbakır-3 showed the greatest divergence in terms of forage quality traits. In conclusion, E. orientalis represents a valuable alternative forage plant for the region, provided that mineral balances are carefully managed in animal diets.