Moringa oleifera Lam.: AN ALTERNATIVE FODDER IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN MEXICO

Abstract

In livestock production systems in the tropics of Mexico, especially extensive systems, the use of native pastures as a basic diet prevails. However, in the dry season the quality and quantity of the grasses decreases, making the use of supplements with high nutritional value necessary, increasing feeding costs. The search for new sources of food for ruminants, which are of good quality and are accessible because of their low cost, has motivated the evaluation of efficient and economically viable alternative food resources such as leguminous and non-leguminous tree species, among which Moringa oleifera stands out. Supplementation with M. oleifera fodder is an efficient alternative to improve the use of low to medium quality basal diets, in addition to the financial viability of using moringa in ruminant feeding reinforcing the recommendation to use the highest level because it is a highly available resource and also extremely profitable for small-scale producers.