FEEDING RESPONSE OF MORINGA OLEIFERA FRESH LEAVES ON BODY WEIGHT MILK PRODUCTION AND COMPOSITION IN BUFFALOES

Current study was designed during 2019-2020 at Agricultural Research Farm, Agronomy (Fodder Production) Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan with main objective to evaluate the varying supplementary dietary levels of Moringa oleifera fresh leaves for optimum production in Nili-Ravi buffaloes. A trial of 9 buffaloes was selected having 3-4 parity and were divided into 3 groups: A, B and C. Buffaloes in group A, B and C were supplementary fed 2 kg, 3 kg and 4 kg Moringa oleifera fresh leaves per day for one week each. The influence of Moringa oleifera fresh leaves was studies on following parameters: animal weight gain, milk yield and milk composition. The collected data were analyzed statistically. The result of this study indicated that optimum weight gain was found in the animals supplementarily fed 4 kg Moringa oleifera fresh leaves per day and average body weight of animals increased from 669, 503 and 644 kg to 678, 507 and 651 kg in group A, B and C, respectively. Similarly animals fed 4 kg Moringa oleifera fresh leaves per day yielded optimum milk production as compared to other groups of animals wherein average milk yield was increased from 5.05, 6.50 and 5.45 liters to 5.6, 6.7 and 5.9 liters in group A, B and C, respectively. Total solids in the milk were also increased in the treatment where 4 kg Moringa oleifera fresh leaves were fed to animals per day where fat % increased from 6.5, 6.9 and 6.8 to 6.8, 7.0 and 6.9, Crude protein % from 4.72, 4.5 and 4.51 to 4.81, 4.64 and 4.6 % and calcium % increased from 0.112, 0.117 and 0.101 to 0.13, 0.129 and 0.116 in group A, B and C, respectively. It was concluded that in addition to all other feeding requirements, 4 kg dietary Moringa oleifera fresh leaves might affect the body weight and production performance of Nili-Ravi buffaloes positively without any ill effects on milk aroma and appearance.