Gutierrez et al., 2012. La Calera, 12 (18) : 37-44

A study was performed with the aims of determine the ruminal degradability rate and to calculate prediction equations for dry matter, organic matter and crude protein fractions on Moringa oleifera foliage. The study was carried out during the period September 2009 to December 2010 on Santa Rosa Farm, National Agrarian University, Managua, Nicaragua. Two fistulated dry Reyna cows were used. Treatments were 9 incubation times: 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours with 4 repetitions per treatment and cow. Variables studied were degradation of dry matter (DMS), degradation of organic matter (DMO) and degradation of crude protein (DPB). The experimental design was a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement were time was considered as fixed effect. Ørskov and McDonald (1979) model was used to estimate degradability of nutrients; in order to know the effect of time over degradability rate analysis of variance and honest test of Tukey was performed to know the difference among incubation times. Significant differences (P>0.01) were found in all variables under study. DMS was between the range of 37.43 % at 48 h with a maximum of 64.85 % at 120 h, DMO increased while time to a maximum of 86.7 % at 120 h and DPB increased from 28.18 % at 24 h to 79.92 % at 120 h. It can be conclude that degradability of Moringa foliage put this material as an interesting feedstuff to tropical livestock systems and the dry matter, organic matter and crude protein fraction prediction equations are adjusted to the physiological process of cows under study