Moringa oleifera lam.: una alternativa forrajera en la producción pecuaria en Mexico

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) is a tree species, native of northwestern India, which has a great potential to be used as forage in animal nutrition, due to its high protein content. Nevertheless, some studies present controversial results. In this sense, the objective of this review article is to analyze the information based on scientific knowledge of moringa, which allows supporting the possibility of its use as a fodder source in livestock production in Mexico. In the Mexican territory, this species is widely distributed along the Pacific coast, where it is cultivated primarily for ornamental and nutraceutical purposes. In other countries this species is used as a supplement in animal nutrition because of its protein content, which ranges between 226.0 to 268.0 g kg1dry matter (DM). In addition, the inclusion of moringa in up to 50 % of the diet of animals increases daily gain weight, which decreases the use of commercial supplements to cover the requirements of animals, mainly in the dry season. It is concluded that moringa forage contains high amounts of protein, so it can be considered as a complement in animal nutrition; however, it is necessary to carry out studies of the cultivation of this species in Mexico, to potentiate its production and application in animal nutrition.