Effects of Various Moringa Leaf Preparations in Complete Rations Based on Fermented Lemongrass Waste on Nutrient Composition

¹ Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Mahaputra Muhammad Yamin, Solok city, Indonesia
² Department of economic education, Faculty of Education, Universitas Mahaputra Muhammad Yamin, Solok city, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: tri.astuti@ummy.ac.id

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf supplementation using different preparation methods on the dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) content of complete rations formulated with fermented lemongrass (Cymbopogon nardus) waste. The lemongrass waste was fermented to enhance its nutritional value, while Moringa leaves—renowned for their high antioxidant and protein content—were incorporated in various forms to assess their impact on overall feed quality. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was employed, comprising four treatments: T0 (control, no Moringa supplementation), T1 (supplementation with dried Moringa leaves), T2 (Moringa leaf extract), and T3 (Moringa leaf extract concentrated using a rotary evaporator). The results demonstrated that Moringa supplementation significantly affected (P < 0.01) all evaluated parameters. Dry matter content notably decreased in treatments utilizing Moringa in liquid form, particularly in T2 and T3. Conversely, organic matter and crude protein content increased markedly with the application of Moringa leaf extract. Among all treatments, T2 (Moringa leaf extract) yielded the most favorable results, with the highest crude protein content (15.02%) and organic matter content (90.97%), despite a lower dry matter content (47.24%). These findings suggest that Moringa leaf extract can improve the nutritional quality of rations based on fermented lemongrass waste, especially in terms of crude protein and organic matter content. However, attention should be paid to the resulting moisture level.