The Effects of Moringa oleifera (L.) and Medicago sativa (L.) Supplementation on Milk Yield and Composition in Tropical Dairy: A Review
Addressing the growing demand for high-quality milk production and mitigating environmental impacts are crucial challenges in tropical dairy farming. This review examines the effects of supplementing dairy cow diets with moringa (Moringa oleifera (L.)) leaf meal (MOLM) and Lucerne (Medicago sativa (L.)) hay (LHM) on dairy production. The increasing global population, particularly in tropical Africa, necessitates the exploration of sustainable feed alternatives to enhance milk production and quality. The global dairy sector faces significant challenges in feed quality and availability, particularly in developing nations. This review examines dairy production systems focusing on Kenya’s dairy industry and explores the potential of alternative feed sources. Kenya’s dairy sector, contributing 14% of agricultural GDP and 3.5% of total GDP, demonstrates the economic significance of dairy farming in developing economies. While dairy cattle in developed nations produce in the range of 7,000-9,000 liters of milk annually, developing nations vary widely from 800 to 1,500 liters, highlighting a substantial productivity gap. Climate change, shrinking cultivable lands, and expensive conventional feedstuffs compound these challenges. The research investigates Moringa leaf meal and Lucerne hay as alternative feed sources to address these issues. Small-scale dairy farmers, who contribute 70-80% of Kenya’s total dairy output, particularly stand to benefit from these feed alternatives. Moringa oleifera leaves contain 92% digestible protein and essential nutrients, while Lucerne hay provides 18-22% crude protein and vital metabolisable energy. Despite promising nutritional profiles, both feeds contain anti-nutritional factors requiring feed formulation consideration. The study analyses feed composition, biological roles, and impacts on milk production, providing insights for improving dairy productivity in tropical regions.
Keywords: Dairy Cattle, Feed Supplementation, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Medicago Sativa, Milk Composition, Moringa Oleifera, Milk Yield, Sustainable Farming.
