by-DR RAJESH KUMAR SINGH ,JAMSHEDPUR,JHARKHAND, INDIA, 9431309542,rajeshsinghvet@gmail.com
Introduction
India possesses the highest
livestock population in the world, which is growing at the rate of 4.8% per
year. Accordingly, the country’s feed requirement to feed such a large
livestock population is also increasing. Regular supply of adequate and
nutritious feed and fodder is essential for the development of livestock
sector. Fodder crops are the main and cheapest source of roughage feed for
livestock. However, shortage of quality fodder, particularly during lean
periods is major factor contributing to lower livestock productivity.
Currently, the country faces a net deficit of 35.6% green fodder, 10.95% dry
fodder and 44% concentrate feed ingredients. The demand for green and dry
fodder will reach to 1012 and 631 million tonnes by 2050. Therefore, to meet
out this deficit, fodder supply has to grow at 1.69% annually to sustain
livestock husbandry. Since last two decades, static area under cultivated
fodder is only 8.4 m ha (less than 5%). Forage have an important role to play
in ruminant nutrition in providing energy, protein and minerals and fiber for
chewing. Tree fodders could be a good option to meet the fodder demand of
livestock in areas having a perennial shortage of green fodder. Research
efforts have confirmed the potentiality of browsing plants to provide alternate
source of nutrition for ruminants in tropics. There is a huge list of such
browse trees and shrubs with potential use as fodder, which may go even up to
more than 300 species.
One such tree which gives fodder for ruminants is Moringa, popularly known as
“drumstick tree” for its pods that are used by drummers, and also known as
“horseradish tree” for the flavor of its roots. Drumstick scientifically called
as Moringa oleifera and is called Saijan in Hindi. This fast-growing tree is
grown throughout the tropics for multi-purpose use viz. human food, livestock
forage, medicine values, dye, water purification, and for its wide adaptability
and ease of establishment. Moringa leaves contain a good amount of
beta-carotene, protein, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and iron. Since Moringa
leaves are rich in protein, so can be used as a supplemental fodder for milch
animals. Rather, its leaves contain much higher protein than conventional
protein supplements like coconut meal, cotton seed cake, ground nut cake,
sesame cake, sunflower cake etc. Besides these, the leaves posses antioxidant
and antimicrobial properties against several fungal species such as E. Coli, S.
Arous, P. Aeruginosa, and B. Cereus. Moringa can be grown as hedge, fence, and
multi-cut forage, etc.
Nutritional Profile————-
Macronutrients like P, K, Ca, and Mg play key roles in balancing the physiological, metabolic, and biochemical processes of livestock. Cattle suffer from low blood Mg during lactation, which causes low milk yield due to deficiency of mg. Moringa leaves contain high amount of macronutrients Mg and K, and can be effectively used to fulfill the dietary and nutritional requirements of livestock animals by mixing of moringa leaves with other fodders or grasses.
Fodder Production Potential ———–
The biomass production of moringa is affected by climatic condition, spacing, cutting height, planting pattern, geometry and cutting frequencies. Highest Crop growth rate (CGR) was in narrow spacing. Highest fodder yields of moringa from plants is obtained when spaced at 30 x 40 cm. In the rainy season, harvesting the crop at an interval of 4 to 6 weeks at a height of 150 cm gives the highest yields. In the dry season 12 week harvest interval gives highest biomass yields with a cutting height of 100cm. On an average 4.2 to 8.3 t ha-1 dry matter yield can be obtained.
Effect of Moringa Fodder on Growth & Milk Yield ————-
Moringa fresh foliage can be included into the dietary roughage component for ruminants. It has shown positive effects on feeding behavior of goat, increased growth rate in sheep and increased milk yield in dual purpose cows. MLM (moringa leaf meal) can be included into the diet of fish, laying hens and cross-bred dairy cows. Moringa supplementation resulted in a highest average weight gain of 20.83 g/animal/day in goats feed and protein was efficiently utilized by animals when moringa leaves was used as a fodder supplement. Moringa contains 0.20 g P and Na /100 g DM, which is higher than diet requirements of goats viz. (0.07 g/100 g DM). Moringa diet had the highest efficiency of protein utilization, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilization. It improves the milk yield of ruminants as it has a good rumen bypass protein characteristics. In fact, MLM can be used as a substitute for other oil cakes.
Potential Areas ————-
Dry lands offer a good
scope for development of agro forestry, social forestry, horti-silvi-pasture
and other similar systems which will not only supply food, fuel to the village
people and fodder to the cattle also a suitable vegetative cover for ecological
maintenance. These fodder trees are gaining more attention due to low
maintenance and less input requirements and their capability to provide good
quality forage during the periods of food scarcity. Moringa is one of the best
nutritious trees which can provide sufficient fodder for livestock during dry
season. Once their roots have developed and established it is even resistant to
frequent cuttings in drought situations.
It is a fast growing tree with efficient capability of re-growth after pruning
and capacity to produce good quality higher leaf biomass per unit area and can
tolerate long dry spells up to 6 months during dry season and grow well with
annual rainfall between 250‒1500 mm per year and
temperature ranging from 19 to 28 ºC. It is best suitable for agro forestry
system such as Home garden and multi-storied cropping system with plantation
crops in dry land farming areas of southern India.
In Degraded & Desertified Lands
Land degradation and desertification are complex phenomena caused by both
natural and anthropogenic factors. Silvipastoral system is the most prominent
agro forestry system suitable for these degraded and desertified areas. The
system is characterized by integrating trees with forage and livestock
production. Moringa is the best protein rich multipurpose tree can be planted
on these areas for cut and carry fodder production to meet the fodder
requirements of livestock during the fodder deficit periods.
Salt Affected Soils
In arid and semi arid regions annual rainfall is not sufficient to leach down
salt to the deeper layers of soil. Moringa is a drought tolerant plant that can
be grown in diverse soils, except those that are waterlogged. Slightly alkaline
clay and sandy loam soils are considered the best media for this species due to
their good drainage. Moringa can be introduced as a fodder crop in these salt
affected areas.
Low Fertility Soils
The major limiting factor of fodder production in the tropics is the deficiency
of soil nutrients which affects the growth, nutrient content, and uptake of the
plant, Due to low levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon. Fodder
production in these areas mainly dependent on application of high amount NPK
based fertilizers. Moringa can be grown as a fodder crop on marginal lands with
high temperatures and low water availability. It requires fertilizer
application only during initial stages of growth. Moringa can be grown in
versatile conditions including hot, humid, dry tropical and subtropical
regions, except waterlogged soils. It can perform better under marginal
conditions with ample nutritional quality.
Conclusions
Moringa being rich source of nutrients and metabolizable energy can be
considered as alternative fodder for livestock. It can be grown in most of the
tropical climatic zones and have low demand of soil nutrients and water. In dairy
farming system it can sustain green fodder availability round the year without
extra efforts. Its versatile nature makes it fit in various cropping systems,
because it can be grown as crop or tree fences in alley cropping systems, in
agroforestry systems, and even on marginal lands with high temperatures and low
water availabilities where it is difficult to cultivate other agricultural
crops.
Amazing benefits of DRUMSTICK / Moringa (सहजन ) in use as animal feed————
Feeding your animals with
Moringa leaves and green stems can increases cattle’s weight gain up to 32% and
increases milk production 43-65%.
Moringa also improves the digestibility of other food that cattle eats and
improves the health of your animal
Even if a fraction of these results could be reproduced in the field, it would
be a great boon to people in developing countries. This possibility needs to be
investigated further and various aspects examined before the concept can be
popularized. Trees for Life would like to help promote and foster such
research.
Moringa as Livestock Fodder Supplement—————-
Population explosion in most parts of the world puts a hitherto unknown
pressure on the agricultural industry but there are ethical and healthier
intervention paths than what presently obtains. Both livestock and pets can be
fed healthy foods and the highly nutritious Moringa plant is strategically
poised to play a major part in this wise.
Cattle Fodder Supplement———–
These two studies in
Nicaragua showed that supplementing cattle feed with the leaves and green stems
of Moringa can increase milk production by 43-65%, and increase daily weight
gain in cattle by up to 32%. These studies also demonstrated that Moringa can
be grown instensively as a field crop:
• One single planting lasts for several years.
• Foidl, et al. have been able to harvest it up to 9 times a year from
irrigated and well-fertilized land, producing per year:
• 650 to 700 metric tons of green mass
• Equivalent to 100 to 110 metric tons of dry mass
• 17.5 metric tons of pure protein
• 7000 kg of lipids, with 65% being omega-3 fatty acids
• 10 metric tons of fermentable sugars
• Approximately 8 metric tons of starch
• Approximately 45 metric tons of hemicellulose and cellulose.
Dr. Sanchez’s study was done without irrigation and with much less fertilizer,
and resulted in a total of 100 tons of green mass harvested from four crops in
a year. However, milk production and cattle weight increased substantially in
both studies.
All these factors may make Moringa leaves and green stems very attractive and
inexpensive as a cattle fodder supplement. Two possible methodologies for
testing Moringa animal feed
Moringa animal feeding Methodology —1——————
Growing Moringa for 10
Cattle
Area:
If irrigated and fertilized: 1 ha
If non-irrigated: minimum 2 ha
Spacing: Plant Moringa seeds at a spacing of 10 x 10 centimeters
Fertilization: 10 m3 of cow dung spread evenly after every cutting in the
harvested area
Planting and harvesting
Harvesting: Moringa green tops can be cut every 35 days.
Planting: Separate your plot into 35 growing areas. Each day, plant one growing
area. Do this for 35 days. This will allow for fresh Moringa to be available
for cutting every day on a 35-day cycle.
Moringa Feeding cattle———————
Average per cow and day is
35 kg of fresh moringa (whole plant) plus grazing during the day. The only
thing we add is vitamins and salt.
Slowly introduce the Moringa into the cattle’s diet over a period of 10 days,
to avoid indigestion or diarrhea. Each day, increase the ratio of Moringa
slightly until the full amount is given on the 10th day.
The first day the cattle are given the full amount of Moringa is considered the
first day of the study.
Moringa Feeding sheep————-
To find the quantity, let
them eat as much as they want during 15 days, adding some molasses in the first
3 days to raise the appetite.
Weigh the quantity given every day, and then weigh what is left the next
morning. Be sure you add some hay or give them pasture additionally so they
don’t have a lack of fiber. In case of milk producing animals, some extra
energy is always welcome (sugarcane, etc.).
Moringa animal feeding Methodology 2———————-
Growing Moringa for animal
feed
No irrigation or fertilization
Planting density: 500,000 plants/ha
Spacing: 40 cm between rows and 5 cm between plants.
Cutting frequency: Every 60 days, cut at 25 cm height from soil. Cutting can be
done by hand with machete or scissors, or eventually by machinery.
The yield of Moringa leaves and green stems is 99 tons (Fresh Matter) per ha
per year. From here you can calculate how much area you need in order to feed
10, 100 or 1000 animals.
Moringa Feeding cattle
Dairy cattle:
Amount to feed: Around 10 – 15 kg fresh matter per head per day, as a
supplement to regular diet.
The formula for this is: Amount of fresh Moringa is 3.75% of body weight.
Moringa forage should be offered after milking, to avoid transfer of smell or
abnormal taste.
Beef cattle:
The formula is: Amount of fresh Moringa is 6.25% of Body Weight. To be given as
a supplement, using Brachiaria hay as base diet, mixed with sugarcane molasses.
Moringa Feeding sheep
Use 5 kg fresh Moringa forage per animal per day as a supplement to regular
feed.
Studies performed claim that milk and production can be
increased dramatically when livestock feed is supplemented with moringa leaves,
Moringa leaves are packed with protein, calcium and other important components
of a balanced diet for livestock, and they can be grown with much less
fertilizer and pesticides then traditional forage crops.
Trial results using Moringa leaves as livestock feed for beef and milk cows,
swine, and poultry
When Moringa leaves constituted 40-50% of feed, milk yields for dairy cows and
daily weight gains for beef cattle increased by about 30%. Milk production was
10 liters/day when cows were fed Moringa, compared to 7 liters/day without
Moringa. With Moringa feed, daily weight gain of beef cattle was 1,200
grams/day, compared to 900 grams/day without Moringa feed.”
Whether used as food or feed for livestock, the benefits of the Moringa have
become increasingly obvious
