Effects of seasonal changes on the nutritive quality of Moringa oleifera and Panicum maximum silage

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of season and plant types on the chemical composition and in vitro fermentation of Moringa oleifera and Panicum maximum (local) silage. Leaf samples of M. oleifera plants and P. maximum were randomly collected during the rainy and dry seasons from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. The design of this study was 2 × 5 factorial arrangements with 3 replicates (2 seasons and 5 mixture ratios). The forage samples were both chopped into 2-3 cm lengths and divided into different proportions of 100 % : 0 %, 0 % : 100 %, 30 % : 70 %, 50 % : 50 % and 70 % : 30 % and were carefully packed into 30 laboratory bottles (960 ml) silos after mixing thoroughly. Season x plant species interactions were observed for some chemical and in vitro fermentation parameters. The CP content of the samples was significantly higher (p < 0.05) and ranged from 69.9 to 165.5 g.kg DM-1 and fibre concentrations ranged from 246.3 to 710.5 g.kg DM-1, 193.2 to 578.0 g.kg DM-1 and 63.5 to 133.3 g.kg DM-1 for NDF, ADF and ADL respectively. 100 % Moringa + 0 % Panicum silage recorded the highest (p < 0.05; 165.5 g.kg DM-1) CP content in all the silages evaluated. All the silages had high calcium contents (7.0-11.7 g.kg DM-1). Values obtained for the in vitro fermentation characteristics of the forage species indicated the presence of potentially degradable nutrients. 100 % Moringa + 0 % Panicum and all the forage mixtures silages have potentials that could be harnessed as feed supplements for ruminants both in the rainy and dry seasons.