Egyptian clover exhibits favorable physicochemical and nutritional characteristics for valorization as a sustainable forage ingredient in poultry diets

In the poultry industry, feed is generally based on maize and soybeans but given the unavailability and high price of these raw materials, breeders are always looking for alternatives. The concept of alternative sources, which is part of the requirements of sustainable agriculture, represents a real environmental and economic opportunity. Then the purpose of the current work is to determine the nutritional quality of a forage plant, (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) which will be used as an ingredient in the formulation of a feed for broiler chickens. Samples of Trifolium alexandrinum L. were collected and analyzed for chemical composition, bioactive compounds and FAME profile using GC–MS. AAS was used to determine the minerals content and HPLC for the vitamins. The results show that Trifolium alexandrinum L. is rich in proteins (25.3336 ± 0.211%). The GC–MS identified some bioactive compounds that have nutraceutical benefits and also an array of FAME that ranges from C16 (palmatic acid) to C25 (pentacosanoic acid) where the major acid is α-linolenic acid with a concentration of 31.0919%. AAS shows a presence of some minerals such as Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu, Mn, Na, Fe, K and P. The vitamins that their concentration was determined using an HPLC are vitamin B2 (0.0944 mg), C (0.042 mg), B3 (0.0005 µg), B9 (0.0002 µg), B12 (0.0004 mg), A (0.266 mg) and E (0.38 mg). The present study suggests that Trifolium alexandrinum L. represent a potential source of protein for poultry feed formula. However, elevated fiber content restricts direct addition in diets, highlighting the necessity of processing to lower fiber and increase digestibility. Further in vivo trials are advised to assess practical application.