Effect of feeding lactating cows with ensiled mixture of Moringa oleifera, wheat hay and molasses, on digestibility and efficiency of milk production

Abstract Moringa oleifera Lam. (MO) seedlings, sown at high density on June 2014 and grown under irrigation in Israel, were harvested at 45 d intervals to yield a total biomass of 35 t dry matter (DM) per ha. Based on a preliminary study in glass-silos, fresh harvested MO from the 2nd harvest was mixed with chopped wheat hay and sugar cane molasses at a ratio, of 370:540:90 on DM basis, respectively, and ensiled in 40 pressed bales (700 kg each) wrapped with stretch polyethylene film. This silage was included in the total mixed ration (TMR) of lactating cows at a level of 180 g/kg DM as wheat silage and hay substitute. Performance and digestion experiment was conducted with two groups of 21 milking cows each, fed individually, either the MO TMR or the control ration. Voluntary DM intake of cows, fed the control TMR, tended to be 1.22% higher than that of the MO-fed cows ( p  = 0.09). In vivo digestibility of DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), cellulose, hemicelluloses and crude protein were higher in the control cows compared with the MO-fed group. Notwithstanding, higher yields of milk and 4% fat corrected milk (FCM) by 1.91% and 4.26%, respectively, were observed in the MO-fed cows. Milk fat content was 2.34% higher and milk protein content 2.28% lower in the MO-fed cows than in their control counterparts. This was reflected in a 2.37% higher energy corrected milk (ECM) yield and 3.27% increase in production efficiency (kg ECM/kg DM intake) of the MO-fed cows compared with the control ones. Milk of the MO-fed cows was also characterized by 20% more anti-oxidative activity than that of the control cows. Body weight gain, however, was similar in both groups. It is therefore suggested to ensile mixture of MO with soy hulls or corn grains as higher digestible solid additive for feeding lactating dairy cows.