The Effects of Different Vegetation Periods on Chemical Composition of Kermes Oak (Quercus coccifera L.)

This study investigates the effect of different vegetation periods on the chemical composition of kermes oak. Five different vegetation periods from May through September 2008 were taken into consideration for this purpose. Throughout these periods, values for dry matter, crude protein, crude lipid, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extracts, crude ash and metabolizable energy were measured. The chemical composition of kermes oak underwent statistically significant changes in connection with the vegetation period (p<0.05). During the May, June, July, August and September periods, the natural dry matter content of kermes oak was found to be 43.26, 53.83, 56.85, 57.35 and 57.95%, respectively. During the same periods, values for crude protein with respect to dry matter were 1.27, 1.20, 1.29, 1.47 and 1.59%, respectively, values for crude lipid were 4.37, 3.95, 3.47, 2.69 and 3.73%, respectively, values for crude fiber were 20.88, 30.91, 35.53, 37.21 and 37.08%, respectively, values for nitrogen free extracts were 69.48, 59.98, 55.45, 55.57 and 54.35%, respectively, values for crude ash were 3.99, 3.95, 4.22, 3.05 and 3.25%, respectively and values for metabolizable energy were 3191.65, 3149.65, 3129.35, 3119.92 and 3124.15 kcal kg(-1), respectively. In conclusion, it was determined that the chemical composition of kermes oak underwent changes in connection with the vegetation period and that, in particular, as the vegetation period advanced, the crude fiber content increased and nitrogen-free extracts decreased.