The chemical composition and nutritional quality of camel milk was studied. Results showed 11.7% total solids, 3.0% protein, 3.6% fat, 0.8% ash, 4.4% lactose, 0.13% acidity and a pH of 6.5. The levels of Na, K, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, niacin and vitamin C were higher and thiamin, riboflavin, folacin, vitamin Bt,, pantothenic acid, vitamin A, lysine and tryptophan were relatively lower than those of cow milk. Gas liquid chromatography analysis of milk fat showed a molar percent of 26.7 for palmitic, 25.5 oleic, 11.4 myristic, and 11.0 palmitoleic. In vitro protein digestibility and calculated protein efficiency ratio values were 81.4% and 2.69, respectively, based on 90.0% and 2.50 for ANRC-Casein.

Leaves of 6 Atriplex species (saltbush) grown in Saudi Arabia were studied for their nutritive characteristics. Crude protein contents varied between 16.7 -25.2%, crude fat between 1.0 -1.6%, crude fiber between 7.8 -10.4% and ash between 18.5 -27.2%, on a dry matter basis. A. unduhta had the lowest and A. nummulario had the highest protein and iiber contents. Ash content was lowest in A. canescens and highest in A. u&data. The level of Na was extremely low (0.21%) in A. canescens compared to that in the other species (2.38 -5.57%). The level of K (6.06%) was highest in A. canescens compared to 2.48 -3.54% in other species. Ca content was significantly higher in A. vesicaria (2.48%) than that in the remaining species (1.12 -1.50%). Variations in the levels of P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn were only minor. Sulphur amhto acids (methionine + cysthte) were the most deficient essential amino acids in all species (chemical score = 45 -61) while lysine contents were 75 ->lOO% of the FAO/WHO (1973) reference protein. Predicted digestible dry matter ranged between 74.5 -78.8% and digestible energy (M CaIs/Kg) between 3.215 -3.399. These data suggest that Atriplex leaves as a range forage for iivestock would have good nutritive value.Atriplex species commonly known as saltbush are strong candidates for plant establishments in saline areas and for increasing productivity in arid or semiarid regions of the world because of their salt tolerance and high productivity (Kleinkopf et al. 1975). Hence these plants have been grown as a forage shrub for many years in marginal agricultural lands in South Africa, Australia, USA and the Middle East (Goodin and McKell 1970). In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where prolonged drought and excessive salinity are common, several species of Atriplex were grown successfully on marginal agricultural lands (Hyder 1981). Atriplex species are reported to show considerable variation in their chemical composition (Smit and Jacobs 1978) and differ considerably in their responses to sodium salts (Goodin and McKell 1970). Considerable information on the chemical composition and nutritional characteristics of the Atriplex species is available in the literature (

Compositional changes during fruit maturation were studied in two important date cultivars grown in Saudi Arabia. Physical analyses showed that the fruit weight, length, diameter and weight of seed were highest at the mature color stage. Chemical analyses including moisture, total nitrogen, fat, fiber, ash, tannins, vitamin C, p-care tene, and 10 nutritionally essential minerals showed that all were highest at the early stages of development and decreased during maturation. Reducing sugars were dominant in both cultivars and showed progressive increase during ripening with fructose and glucose as the only detected constituents. Sucrose content reached its maximum in both cultivars at the mature color stage then dropped sharply at the ripe stage. The total sugar content in both cultivars tended to increase all throughout maturation.

No abstract

The seeds of Ruzeiz and Sifri date cultivars, on the average, contained 6.5% protein, 10.4% fat, 22.0% fiber, 1.1% ash, and 60.0% carbohydrates on a dry weight basis. Mineral analysis showed higher concentration of K followed by P, Mg, Ca and Na. Among the microelements, Fe was in higher concentration (7.4 mg/lOOg dry weight) followed by Mn, Zn and Cu. Oleic (44.25%), lauric (17.35%), myristic (11.45%), palmitic (10.30%) and linoleic (8.45%) were the major fatty acids in date seed oil. Tryptophan (chemical score = 77) was the first limiting amino acid in date seed proteins (FAO/WHO, 1973). The average in vitro protein digestibility and calculated protein efficiency ratio values were 63.5% and 1.65, respectively, compared to 90% and 2.50 for ANRC-Casein.