Epsilon Open Archive

Abstract

The aim of the thesis was to evaluate the effects of cutting frequency and planting density on biomass production, nutritive value and digestibility of Moringa oleifera and Cratylia argentea in the dry tropics in Nicaragua and to evaluate the effect of feeding foliage from Moringa and Cratylia to creole dairy cows on intake, digestibility and milk production and composition. Supplementing B. brizantha hay (BBH) with Moringa significantly increased milk production from 3.1 to 4.9 and 5.1 kg day-1 when feeding BBH hay alone or with 2 kg or 3 kg DM of Moringa, respectively. Supplementation with Cratylia increased milk production from 3.9 to 5.1 and 5.7 kg day-1 for sorghum silage alone and supplementation with 2 kg and 3 kg DM of Cratylia, respectively. Milk composition and organoleptic characteristics were not significantly affected by feeding Moringa or Cratylia. The digestibility of DM, crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) increased (P<0.05) in the diets supplemented with Moringa compared to BBH alone. Supplementation with Cratylia did not affect digestibilities significantly, with the exception of CP digestibility, which increased (P<0.05) in the diets supplemented with Cratylia compared to sorghum silage alone. The cutting frequency of 75 days resulted in the highest DM yield from Moringa, 24.7 and 10.4 Mg ha-1 year-1, during the first and second year, respectively. DM yield from Cratylia increased from 8.7 to 18.2 Mg ha-1 as harvest interval was prolonged from 8 to 16 weeks. All planting densities produced the highest DM yield at 75 days cutting frequency and at sixteen weeks harvest interval by Moringa and Cratylia, respectively. In the first year, the density of 750 000 plants ha-1 of Moringa produced the highest DM yield, 18.9 Mg ha-1, but in the second year 500 000 plants ha-1 gave the highest DM yield, 8.1 Mg ha-1. For Cratylia the density of 40 000 plants ha-1 gave the highest DM yield (18.2 Mg ha-1). During the first year of growing Moringa, DM, NDF and ash contents were highest and IVDMD was lowest in the longest cutting frequency, while CP and ADF contents were not affected significantly by cutting frequency. In the second year DM and CP contents and IVDMD were not significantly affected by cutting frequency, whereas NDF, ADF and ash contents were lowest in the cutting frequency of 60 days. Planting density had no significant effect on chemical composition and IVDMD during the first and second year. For Cratylia CP content decreased and ADF content increased as harvest interval and planting density increased from 8 to 16 weeks and from 10 000 to 40 000 plants ha-1, respectively. Planting density and harvest interval had no significant effect on NDF content. In conclussion, for intensive biomass production both species should be planted densely, 50 to 75 plants per square meter, and cut every 75 days for Moringa, and at least 40000 plants ha-1 with a harvest interval of sixteen weeks for Cratylia. Moringa and Cratylia fed at 2 kg or 3 kg DM day-1 can significantly improve DM intake and milk yields of creole dairy cattle (Reyna) without affecting milk composition or organoleptic characteristics of milk.