Arbouche et al., 2008. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 20 (6): 97

The study of the chemical composition of the date pedicels emphasizes a similarity in the chemical composition with the straws with total nitrogen matter 4,3% and crude fibre 34%. The pedicels stored in boot with the free air during one year show an important fall of the rate of the total nitrogen matter (00%). The urea treatment of these pedicels revalorizes the rate of total matters nitrogen according to the mode of conservation in particular for protection clay mixed with the straw the content of biogenic salts of the treated pedicels drops but is not a function of the mode of storage. The content of hemicellulose decreases whereas that of the NDF remains stable. The content of ADF remains unchanged for the pedicels treated under black plastic film and clay mixed with the straw but is weaker than those treated and without protection. The mode of traditional storage composed of clay mixed with straw chopped and spread out over the whole of the stack, emphasizes a better chemical composition compared to the pedicels treated under black plastic film and without protection.   From the digestibility point of view, the improvement is perceived through the dry matter (+14 points) and the organic matter (+10 points) and does not seem to be influenced by the mode of conservation.