Effects of replacing alfalfa hay with Moringa oleifera leaves and peduncles on intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation in dairy cows

Abstract

To study the effects of replacing alfalfa hay with Moringa oleifera leaves and peduncles in diets on intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation in dairy cows, eight multiparous Holsteins cows with similar DIM (day in milk, 93 ± 18 d) and body weights (624 ± 38 kg) were used in a crossover design with two dietary treatments. The treatment diets contained similar concentrate mixtures and corn silage but different proportions of M. oleifera leaves and peduncles. The treatments were a (1) control diet (0% M. oleifera feed) and (2) M. oleifera diet (10.85% M. oleifera feed). The M. oleifera feed used M. oleifera leaves and M. oleifera peduncles at a ratio of 3:2 and replaced portions of alfalfa hay. The experimental period was 18 d, with 15 d for treatment adaptation and 3 d for data collection. Compared with the control diet, the dry matter intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber in the M. oleifera diet were significantly increased. No difference was observed in ruminal pH; however, the ammonia-N concentrate was lower for the M. oleifera diet than the control diet. The concentrations of total ruminal volatile fatty acids, acetate, propionate, and butyrate were higher in cows fed the M. oleifera diet than in those fed the control diet. The results of ruminal microbes showed that those consuming the M. oleifera diet had greater relative expression level of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Ruminobacter amylophilus, Streptococcus bovis, Prevotella ruminicola which were observed for the control diet than the M. oleifera diet. These results show that the M. oleifera diet can improve intake and apparent digestibility of nutrients, and rumen fermentation in dairy cows.