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Ensiled Moringa oleifera: an antioxidant-rich feed that improves dairy cattle performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2017

M. COHEN-ZINDER*
Affiliation:
Department of Ruminant Science, Beef Cattle Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Z. WEINBERG
Affiliation:
Forage Preservation and By-Products Research Unit, Agricultural Research Organization, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
H. LEIBOVICH
Affiliation:
Research and Development Haemek, P.O. Box 73, Migdal Haemek 2310001, Israel
Y. CHEN
Affiliation:
Forage Preservation and By-Products Research Unit, Agricultural Research Organization, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
M. ROSEN
Affiliation:
Ministry of Agriculture, Extension Service, Department of Cattle Husbandry, P.O. Box 28 Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel, Decreased
G. SAGI
Affiliation:
Eden Research Farm, Beit-Shean Valley, Israel
A. ORLOV
Affiliation:
Department of Ruminant Science, Beef Cattle Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
R. AGMON
Affiliation:
Department of Ruminant Science, Beef Cattle Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
M. YISHAY
Affiliation:
Department of Ruminant Science, Beef Cattle Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
J. MIRON
Affiliation:
Department of Ruminant Science, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
A. SHABTAY*
Affiliation:
Department of Ruminant Science, Beef Cattle Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: mirico@volcani.agri.gov.il and shabtay@volcani.agri.gov.il
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: mirico@volcani.agri.gov.il and shabtay@volcani.agri.gov.il

Summary

Moringa oleifera is a rich source of antioxidants and a promising feed for livestock, due to significant amounts of protein, vitamins, carotenoids and polyphenols, and negligible amounts of anti-nutritional factors. The current study tested whether ensiling would preserve the antioxidant capacity of M. oleifera plants, and assessed whether Moringa silage, fed as a substitute for maize silage, would confer health-promoting traits and affect milk production in dairy cows. To this end, hand-harvested M. oleifera plants were ensiled, with or without molasses and inoculants, in anaerobic jars at room temperature (25 °C) for 37 days. At the end of the storage period the silages were analysed for pH, lactic acid and acetic acid concentrations, aerobic stability, antioxidant capacity, polyphenols and protein content, and tocopherols and carotenoids concentrations. Moringa silages exhibited higher antioxidant capacity compared with fresh and dried Moringa plants, not related to polyphenol content but presumably attributed to accumulation of amino acids and low molecular weight peptides. Based on these findings, a large-scale ensiling protocol was implemented, followed by a feeding trial for dairy cows, in which Moringa silage replaced 263 g maize silage/kg in the diet. Cows fed Moringa silage had higher milk yield and antioxidant capacity and lower milk somatic cell counts compared with controls, during some stages of lactation. These findings imply that ensiling M. oleifera is an appropriate practice by which health and production of dairy cows can be improved.

Type
Animal Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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References

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