Effect of Moringa oleifera in in vitro rumen fermentation tests and its impact on greenhouse gases

The rumen environment has been biotechnologically manipulated to improve animal productivity and natural, healthy, and ecological alternatives have recently been sought for this purpose. Moringa oleifera has been tested as livestock feed because its leaves are rich in minerals, protein, and secondary metabolites. The objective was to evaluate the changes in rumen activity due to the presence of M. oleifera. Three treatments were tested: CA (control 100 % alfalfa), LM (15 % Moringa-85 % alfalfa), and HM (30 % Moringa-70 % alfalfa). The experiment was performed in vitro with sheep rumen fluid. No differences were observed (P>0.05) for pH and ammoniacal nitrogen (N-NH3). Dry matter digestibility differed (P<0.05) between treatments. Gas production showed differences (P<0.05) among treatments. There were differences (P<0.05) for the concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). CO2 and CH4 were different between treatments (P<0.05), with LM being the lowest for both variables. It is concluded that adding moringa to a ration of alfalfa has no effect on pH and N-NH3; nevertheless, it increases the digestibility of the dry matter and decreases the concentration of VFAs and the digestibility of fibers. In addition, including 15 % of moringa in a ration of alfalfa can reduce the production of greenhouse gases. It is recommended to continue evaluating this alternative for animal nutrition.