Effect of Moringa oleifera foliage supplementation on nutrient utilization and metabolic profile in crossbred cattle

The present experiment was conducted to ascertain the effect of feeding different levels of Moringa oleifera foliage on nutrients intake, digestibility and metabolic profile in crossbred cattle. Three fistulated adult male cattle (mean BW 474.97±1.79 kg) randomly allotted to CON, M-10 and M-20 group through a changeover 3×3 Latin square design. The CON group animals were given diet comprised of concentrate mixture, wheat straw and 10% berseem hay, while M-10 and M-20 groups animals were offered diets having 10 and 20% moringa foliage, by replacing berseem, concentrate mixture and wheat straw. The daily DMI and OMI was higher in M-10 compared to CON and M-20 groups. The nutrient (DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF) digestibility and blood parameters (Hb, haematocrit, glucose, total protein, albumin globilin, ALT, AST and Ca) levels were similar irrespective of treatment groups. The serum urea concentration was higher while total cholesterol level was lower in M-20 than CON group. Serum i-P, T₃ and IGF-1 level was higher in M-20 followed by M-10 and CON groups. It can be concluded that moringa foliage @ 10% of diet can be used as fodder in ruminant ration without any negative consequences on palatability, digestibility and blood parameters.