[Terrapreta] moringa oleifera

[Gerald Van Koeverden]

Nikolaus,

Do you use the moringa oleifera for goat feed like the Vietnamese?

Gerrit

English Title: Introduction and evaluation of <i>Moringa oleifera</i>  
for biomass production and as feed for goats in the Mekong Delta.
Personal Authors:Luu Huu Manh, Nguyen Nhut Xuan Dung, Tran Phung Ngoi
Author Affiliation: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of  
Agriculture, Cantho University, Cantho, Vietnam.
Document Title: Livestock Research for Rural Development, 2005    
(Vol. 17)  (No. 9) 104

Abstract:
Experiments were conducted to study the growth and biomass production  
of M. oleifera (Moringaceae) planted at different spaces (40×20,  
40×30 and 40×20 cm) and its use as a sole feed for goats compared  
with Leucaena leucocephala. It was shown that the different spacings  
did not affect plant height and biomass yield of M. oleifera The  
estimated biomass yields were 8.6, 11.1 and 7.6 (first cutting); 7.6,  
7.9 and 6.3 (second cutting) and 6.3, 6.3 and 4.9 tonnes/ha (third  
cutting) for spacings of 40×20, 40×30 and 40×40, respectively. Four  
local male goats with a average liveweight of 14 kg were used in a  
4×4 Latin square arrangement to study the effect of feeding method  
(hanging or putting in the trough) on eating, ruminating rate and  
digestibility of M. oleifera compared with L. leucocephala as the  
sole feed. Time for eating and ruminating, and the apparent  
digestibility of dry matter, protein, neutral detergent fibre (NDF),  
acid detergent fibre (ADF) and nitrogen retention in goats fed M.  
oleifera were not different from those fed L. leucocephala. These  
results suggest that M. oleifera can grow on the sulfate acid soil  
but the young plant does not adapt well to waterlogging compared to  
mature plants. It is suggested that the plants could be harvested 7  
times/year, when the annual fresh biomass yield would be from 43-52  
tonnes/ha. M. oleifera can be used as the sole feed for goats.

On 23-Sep-07, at 7:50 PM, Nikolaus Foidl wrote:

>
> Dear Brian!
>
> I am growing a forest like a grass since years ( Moringa oleifera)  
> I have to
> confess in very high density ( 1 million trees per ha) and cut this  
> forest
> every 35 days!! Down to 20 cm high and let it re grow.With ten  
> cuttings a
> year I manage in very good soils and with good fertilizer and good  
> quantity
> of sun shine hours a biomass production of around 98 to 105 tons of  
> dry
> matter per ha and year. No grass comes even close to it.
> So forests win.
> Best regards Nikolaus
>
>
>
>
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