TY  - JOUR
T1  - Evaluation of Chemical Composition and <I>in vitro</I> Fermentation Parameters of <I>Moringa oleifera</I> Leaf Meal Based Diets as Feed for Ruminants in Nigeria
AU - Tona, G.O. AU - Asaolu, V.O. AU - Amao, O.A. AU - Akingbade, A.A. 
JO  - Agricultural Journal
VL  - 8
IS  - 4
SP  - 165
EP  - 169
PY  - 2013
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1816-9155
DO  - aj.2013.165.169
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=aj.2013.165.169
KW  - Ruminants
KW  -diets
KW  -in vitro fermentation
KW  -gas production
KW  -Moringa oleifera
KW  -Nigeria
AB  - This study was carried out to investigate the chemical composition and the 24 h <I>in vitro</I> fermentation characteristics of various levels of <I>Moringa oleifera</I> leaf meal supplementation, sole or combined with other feed ingredients for ruminants. <I>Moringa oleifera</I> Leaf meal (MOL), dried cassava peels, palm kernel cake, bone meal and salt were milled and stored separately and then mixed together at different levels. The levels of inclusions were; D1 (0% MOL), D2 (5% MOL), D3 (10% MOL), D4 (15% MOL) and D5 (100% MOL = test ingredient). The potential gas production ranged from 26.00-37.00 mL/200 mg DM. Highest p&lt;0.05 potential gas production were obtained with both treatments D1 and D3 while D5 recorded the lowest value. The ME was highest in D1 (8.05 MJ kg<SUP>-1</SUP> DM) and lowest for both D2 (6.90 MJ kg<SUP>-1</SUP> DM) and D5 (6.82 MJ kg<SUP>-1</SUP> DM) which were similar. The percentage OMD was highest (p&lt;0.05) in D1 (61.42%) and lowest in both D2 (46.22%) and D5 (46.81%) which did not differ (p&gt;0.05). The values for SCFA were highest (p&lt;0.05) for both D1 and D3 (0.82 &#956;mol) and lowest for D5 (0.56 &#956;mol). The diet (D1-0% MOL) without the inclusion of <I>Moringa oleifera</I> leaf meal had the highest values of <I>in vitro</I> gas production parameter measurements, including the ME, OMD and SCFA as compared to the other diets with <I>Moringa oleifera</I> leaf meal inclusions. The best level of <I>Moringa oleifera</I> leaf meal inclusion in the diets was 10% (D3-10% MOL) while the sole <I>Moringa oleifera</I> leaf meal diet (D5-100% MOL) recorded the lowest <I>in vitro</I> gas production parameter values. This study, thus demonstrated that <I>Moringa oleifera</I> leaf meal when fed in combination with conventional concentrate ingredients could enhance its utilization as feed for ruminants.
ER  -