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Study on Food-feed Competitive Efficiency of Moringa Fodder in the Active Brahmaputra-jamuna Floodplain Agro-ecological Zone of Bangladesh

Bashar MK*
Animal Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka-1341, Bangladesh

KS Huque
Animal Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka-1341, Bangladesh

NR Sarker
Project Director
Fodder Research and Development Project, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka-1341, Bangladesh

N Sultana
Animal Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka-1341, Bangladesh

S Ahmed
Ph.D. Fellow
Fodder Research and Development Project, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka-1341, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The research work was carried out to evaluate the food-feed competitive efficiency of Moringa fodder in the Active Brahmaputra-Jamuna Floodplain Agro-Ecological Zone (ABJF-AEZ) of Bangladesh. For determining the competitive land use efficiency of Mornga feed (Mf) production, the Moringa fodder was cultivated in Gaibandha district at ABJF-AEZ with four replications. The annual dry matter (DM) yield of Moringa at on-farm condition was the height (26.67 ton/ha) and it was varied significantly (P<0.05) with on-station condition. Comparing the Moringa fodder with available cash crop, the cost of production of Moringa was higher than that of other two cropping system like Boro-fellow-Jute (BFJ) and Boro Fellow-Matikalai (BFM) but the gross return of Moringa cultivation was Tk.186.3 thousand, it was about five times higher income than existing cash crop. For determining the impacts of Mf on milk production and their quality, twelve local cows of third or fourth parity after 1 to 2 weeks of calving in Gaibandha Sadar Upazila were selected and divided into three dietary groups having four animals in each considering their live weight and ante-diet daily milk yield. During 50 days feeding period all experimental cows were fed freshly threshed rice straw and keeping randomly a group under on farm practice that received supplementation of conventionally mixed concentrates (CMC), the other two groups of cows were either received a commercial cattle feed available at the market or Mf replacing conventional concentrate supplements. Mf produced significant amount of milk (1.64 kg/day) and meat (441.3 g/day) followed by commercial cattle feed (1.1 kg/day and 128.2 g/day) and CMC (0.73 kg/day and 48.4 g/day), respectively. It was also indicated that Mf is better than market feed for the increase of milk yield and live weight gain. So, Mf is an unbeatable animal feed to increase the productivity of cows.

Keywords: Moringa fodder, Yield, Benefit to cost, Milk yield, Quality

Location: Gaibanda Sadar at Gaibanda district of Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-10-2016

End Date: 00-12-2017

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Fodder

Objectives:

To determine competitive land use efficiency of Mf production on farm compared to existing crops and to demonstrate feeding impacts on farm of dairy cows.

Methodology:

Location and agro-climate of the experimental site The agronomical trial was conducted Gaibanda Sadar at Gaibanda district in the ABJF-AEZ of Bangladesh during October, 2016 to December, 2017. The station was located at 25°02' and 25°39' N latitudes and in between 89°11' and 89°46' E longitudes of 4 m above the sea level. The research area is occupied by sandy and silty alluvium, rich in weather able minerals with slightly alkaline in reaction (pH 5.7-8.2) containing low organic matter (1.5%). During the experimental period temperature ranged from 21^o to 35^o C and humidity ranged from 50 to 75%. Preparation of experimental plots During the month of October, 2016 the seed of native black were propagated sexually with the moisture contain of 5 to 7%; and kept two seeds in each polythene pouch containing sandy alluvial soil were sown, and saplings were raised up to an age of five weeks. The saplings were transplanted in predesigned experimental plots. Before transplantation the soil of the plots were ploughed and fertilized with a basal dose of cattle dung at the rate of 3.0 tons/hectare and 50% of required chemical fertilizers (a mix of Urea, Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) and Murat of Potash (MP) at a ratio of 90:30:15 kg per hectare of N: P: K, and all other related agronomical practices eg. weeding, irrigation, plat density, harvesting height etc were common. Experimental layout design A uniformly plain land area of 1296.0 m2 was divided into four replications, each of 18 x 18 sq m separated by 1.0 m wide walking alleys. Each plot was planted 1080 sampling at a space of 0.3 m x 0.3 m per sapling. After 60 days of planting, the Moringa plants were harvested at 40 cm above the ground level and arranged in a t- test to determine the production response of on station and on-farm condition.Yield determination and sample collection After a post-transplantation growth period of 90 days, top plant parts with leaves (tops) were harvested at a 60 days interval. The plants were allowed to grow after each cut and fertilized after each harvest with 60 kg Urea N/ha. The biomass yield of each of different cuts of a year was added to determine annual yield of biomass production and a total of six cuts were given. Survival rate (% of saplings grew after transplantation) and number of prunes per plant were determined. Fresh tops were harvested avoiding any surface water on plants and weighed on a top loading balance and fresh yield per plot was recorded. Fresh yield (kg or ton) was converted to DM yield plot^-1 ha^-1 according to the equation: DM yield plot^-1 = Weight of fresh material × DM (%). Chemical analysis The tops were manually separated into stem and leaves to determine stem to leaf ratio and weighed accordingly. Representative samples of tops were taken to determine fresh dry matter, total ash and CP according to AOAC (1990) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) according to Van Soest (1990). All the analyses were done in the animal nutrition laboratory of the BLRI. The tops and stems were chopped manually at a range of 0.03 m to 0.05 m, dried in the sun and milled for chemical analyses of biomass. Cost-effectiveness of Moringa fodder with available cash crop M. oleifera was cultivated in a thirty two decimal (32) of cultivable land of four farmers at Sadar upazila in Gaibandha district of ABJF-AEZ of Bangladesh. This has resulted in four replications of on farm production of Moringa. The existing cereal crops of the farmers were considered to be control crops, and it was allowed comparison of profitability of Moringa production. Considering above idea, twenty farmers (20) of the research area were selected on the basis of livestock density and data were collected by direct interviewing from the respondents. A total of 5 cross breed or 5 native dairy cattle having at least two dairy cows were selected under this study. Different necessary information e.g. name of the crops, cropping patterns, yield, total cost of production, harvesting time, market price data were collected for calculating the cost effectiveness of Moringa fodder production at farmers level.

Feeding experiment of local dairy cows on farm condition For determining the Mf feeding impact on milk production, twelve local cows of third or fourth parity after 1 to 2 weeks of calving in Gaibandha Sadar Upazila were selected and divided into three dietary groups having four animals in each considering their live weight and ante-diet daily milk yield. During 50 days feeding period all experimental cows were fed freshly threshed rice straw and keeping randomly a group under on farm practice that received supplementation of CMC, the other two groups of cows were either received a commercial cattle feed available at the market or Mf replacing the CMC conventional concentrate supplements. The daily energy and CP requirement of the cows were calculated according to FAO ration tool (2016) and they were met through the diets. Statistical analysis Feeding responses of different diets on different parameters was analyzed in an ANOVA of a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Collected data of measured parameters were subjected to one way analysis of variance by using SPSS computer programme (2017). Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (2011) was applied to separate significant means.

Source of Information: Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2019. 48 (1):36-41

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Considering the above discussion it is ravel that feeding of Mf increased milk yield and live weight gain of cows compared to Market feed or CMC. In addition to increased gross return per hectare of crop land from Mf production, a higher efficiency conversion of Mf biomass into human edible protein through increased milk yield and live weight gain of cows and calves and probable reduction of enteric CH4 emission in local cows will further substantiate on farm Mf production avoiding food-feed competitions for land sustainably.

Knowledge Management: Journal