Efficacy of Moringa oleifera as a ruminant feed supplement: Impacts on intake, growth, digestibility, and fermentation kinetics

This review depicts the current research on the efficacy of Moringa oleifera as a dietary supplement for ruminants, evaluating its impact on intake, growth, digestion, and metabolic efficiency. The literature indicates that Moringa exerts a dose-dependent influence on voluntary feed intake; while moderate inclusion enhances dry matter and nutrient consumption due to high protein content and palatability, high inclusion rates may inhibit intake due to physical bulk or energy density limitations. Supplementation is consistently associated with improved average daily gain and structural growth, although effects are non-linear and sensitive to the basal diet. Furthermore, Moringa foliage significantly enhances nutrient digestibility, particularly of dry matter and crude protein, relative to conventional tropical forages. In the rumen, it shifts fermentation kinetics towards improved energy efficiency by increasing volatile fatty acid production and reducing ammonia nitrogen, with potential benefits for methane mitigation. Collectively, these physiological improvements translate into a superior feed conversion ratio and production efficiency in both growing and lactating animals.