Sajna Tree (Maoringa Oleifea) Roughage Feed

Common names: Sajna tree, Drumstick tree, Horseradish tree.

Scientific Name: Moringa oleifera

Feed categories: Fresh, Dry and Silage Roughage (Forage Tree)

Physical Characteristics:

The tree ranges in height from 7 to 12 m has tuberous roots, soft and spongy wood, short trunk (25 cm thick), and slender, wide spreading, drooping, fragile branches. The leaves are imparipinnate-rachis 3 to 6 cm long with 2 to 6 pairs of pinnules. Eachpinnule has 3 to 5 elliptical leaflets that are 1 to 2 cm long and 0.3 to 0.6 cm wide. The terminal leaflet is oval and often slightly larger (Ramachandran et al., 1980; von Maydell, 1986). The flowers are borne profusely in axillary, drooping panicles 10 to 25 cm long. They are fragrant, white or creamy-white with yellow stamens and 2.5 cm in diameter (Morton, 1991). The pods, borne singly or in pairs, are pendulous, brown, triangular, tapering at both ends, 25 to 45 cm long and 1.8 cm wide, and contain about 16 seeds embedded in the pith. The pods split lengthwise into three parts when dry. The seeds are round with a brownish semipermeable seed hull with three white papery wings, embedded in dry, white, tissue-like pith (Ramachandran et al., 1980; Morton, 1991). Moringa is propagated either by planting stem cuttings 1 to 2 m long or by seeding (Palada, 1996).

Production / Availability:

Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated species in the sub-Himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.  It grows very well in the semi-arid and humid areas. It is also drought-tolerant and flourishes in environments with 500 to 1500 mm of rainfall (Reyes-Sànchez et al., 2006). Additionally, optimal leaf production necessitates an average daily temperature of 25 to 30 °C (Radovich). Temperatures below 20°C result in a substantial decrease in growth. It grows at altitudes of less than 600 meters; nevertheless, it has been observed to grow at elevations of up to 1200 meters in certain tropical regions and even at 2000 meters (Martin, L.P, 2007). Moringa is relatively adaptable to a broad range of soil types (pH 4.5–9.0), with the exception of heavy clays.

Moringa oleifera is a non-leguminous multipurpose tree with a high crude protein (CP) in the leaves (251.0 -261.0 g/kg DM) and negligible content of tannins and other anti-nutritive compounds (Makkar and Becker, 1996; Sultanaet al., 2014 and Sultana et al., 2017) and therefore offers an alternative protein source to ruminants. In terms of the biomass production of Moringa oleifera, various factors like as planting density, fertilization dose, cutting frequency or cutting interval, and season have been evaluated (Foidol et.al., 2001; Manhet.al., 2005; Reyes- Sànchez, N. et.al.,2006; Fadiyimu, et.al.,2011; Araica et al., 2011; Sultana et al., 2014 and Khan et al., 2016). Moringa has seen its high productivity of fresh material per unit area compared with other forage crops to supplement ruminants as a protein source (Foidl et al., 2001 & Khan et al., 2016).

In tropical countries, forage quality is often too low to meet the nutritional requirements of animals. Furthermore, supplementation with conventional concentrates is generally too costly, and concentrate feeding levels are low. A new low-cost alternative to commercial concentrates is needed, and Moringa is one option. However, the limitation of Moringa’s general use in livestock diets is precise and reliable knowledge of its biomass production as fodder or forage. Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) started a research program for using moringa trees as cattle feed from 2011-12. Research shows two types of Moringa trees in Bangladesh: (i) Moringa tree with black seeds and (ii) Moringa tree with white seeds. The amount of foliage produced from black seeds is higher than the foliage produced from the white seeds of Moringa foliage (young twigs and branches with leaves that have protein 18.0-22.0% and acid detergent fiber 25.0-40.0%), so the Black Seed Moringa tree yields moringa foliage, which is highly nutritious for livestock. In the process of growing Moringa for livestock feed, biomass production is crucial. As a result, from 2011 to 2012, BLRI has been conducting research on various parameters related to diverse agronomy practices for the production of Moringa, including density, fertilizer dosage, cutting height, cutting interval, etc. April and May are the ideal months for growing and planting moringa seedlings; if seedlings are grown from seeds during this period, the first cut can be completed in the last week of September, which takes 150 days. An average of five or six cuts can be made annually if it is grown for fodder.

Land selection is an important issue when cultivating Moringa trees as fodder. Except for wet or low lands, all types of soil in Bangladesh, including hilly slopes and saline terrain along the coast, are suitable for Moringa cultivation as a fodder crop. According to the technology developed by BLRI, 5-7 tons of cow dung manure, 50 kg urea, 70 kg TSP, and 30 kg MP fertilizers per acre should be thoroughly mixed with the soil before starting cultivation of Moringa as fodder. Seedlings can be grown from seed at any time of the year except winter, but the best time is during Falgun-Chaitra (March-May). After cultivating the land well, the distance of line to line in the land should be 45 cm, and the distance of plant to plant should be 30 cm. In this way, 6500 seedlings per acre are required. After 120 days of planting, the first cutting should be given at a height of 60 cm from the ground level. Harvesting of Moringa foliage (including leaves, soft branches, and twigs) is done 3-4 times in the first year and 5-6 times in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th years. Moringa foliage is collected every 40 days during summer, monsoon, or autumn and every 60 days during winter or dry season. During the dry season, irrigation is required after 15-20 days. Weed control varies from region to region, but weeding every 15 days is good if weed infestation is present. Fungal infestation, known as Moringa Di-bag, is a major problem in the cultivation of Moringa as animal feed. Moringa plants can be protected from this fungal attack using anti-fungal insecticides like Bavistind 0.2%. The annual yield of fresh Moringa foliage is 264 tons per acre.

Moringa foliage can be harvested and chopped and fed to cattle, goats, sheep, and buffaloes. Additionally, Moringa foliage can be chopped and dried in the sun for 2 (two) days and then mashed and fed to ruminant animals. More moringa cuttings are presented in the rainy season than in the dry one. When there is no ample sunlight, there are more Moringa cuttings available during the rainy season. In that instance, chopped Moringa foliage can be preserved in an anaerobic condition and given to ruminant animals if it is produced in large quantities at the same time during the monsoon.

Physical properties and nutritive value of moringa silage were evaluated by keeping moringa foliage under anaerobic conditions for 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, and 63 days. The results showed that moringa silage had no decay or fungal attack for up to 56 days. Dry matter (DM) of Moringa silage at different days ranged from 18.44 to 22.5%, whereas protein content remained unchanged. But the amount of fiber (ADF and NDF) decreased significantly during the anaerobic condition, which helps to increase ruminant digestibility. Moringa foliage (Moringa leaves with soft branches and stems) and seed cake make good nutritious fodder and feed for livestock and poultry. As Livestock feed, freshly cut Moringa leaves can be fed in a ratio of 1-part leaves to 3parts of Nappier grass to increase milk production for dairy animals by up to 30%. On the other hand, dried powdered leaves can be sprinkled over chopped fodder to as a protein and mineral supplement to help in weight gain and milk production. Powdered leaves incorporated in organic poultry rations improve the color of egg yellow as well as improving the vitamin content in the egg thus giving the egg consumers a premium product as compared to ordinary free-range eggs. Moringa foliage silage also can use as ruminant feed.