Moringa oleifera and Cratylia argentea: Potential Fodder Species for Ruminants in Nicaragua

Nadir Reyes Sánchez Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Department of Animal Nutrition and Management Uppsala

Doctoral thesis Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala 2006

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae 2006:1

ISSN 1652-6880 ISBN 91-576-7050-1 © 2006 Nadir Reyes Sánchez, Uppsala Tryck: SLU Service/Repro, Uppsala 2006

Abstract Reyes, S.N. 2006. Moringa oleifera and Cratylia argentea: potential fodder species for ruminants in Nicaragua. Doctoral thesis ISSN 1652-6880, ISBN 91-576-7050-1 The aim of the thesis was to evaluate the effects of cutting frequency and planting density on biomass production, nutritive value and digestibility of Moringa oleifera and Cratylia argentea in the dry tropics in Nicaragua and to evaluate the effect of feeding foliage from Moringa and Cratylia to creole dairy cows on intake, digestibility and milk production and composition. Supplementing B. brizantha hay (BBH) with Moringa significantly increased milk production from 3.1 to 4.9 and 5.1 kg day-1 when feeding BBH hay alone or with 2 kg or 3 kg DM of Moringa, respectively. Supplementation with Cratylia increased milk production from 3.9 to 5.1 and 5.7 kg day-1 for sorghum silage alone and supplementation with 2 kg and 3 kg DM of Cratylia, respectively. Milk composition and organoleptic characteristics were not significantly affected by feeding Moringa or Cratylia. The digestibility of DM, crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) increased (P