Abstract
The present study examined changes in the oxidative state and the concentrations of vitamin C, glucose, and cholesterol in the serum of ewes and goats fed on alfalfa hay-based diet (AHD) supplemented with 25% Moringa oleifera (MOD) or Moringa peregrine (MPD) leaves. Thirty ewes (2 years old and 50-60 kg BW) and 30 goats (2 years old and 35-40 kg BW) were randomly allocated to 3 experimental groups, consisting of 10 ewes and 10 goats each. The 3 experimental groups of either ewes or goats were fed on one of the experimental diets (AHD, MOD, or MPD) for 6 weeks. Blood samples were collected every 2 weeks throughout the experimental period. Vitamin C concentration and the total antioxidant capacity of serum increased by > 33% in animals fed on Moringa-supplemented diets. Dietary supplementation with Moringa enhanced serum catalase activity by > 9% as a function of feeding period. Animals fed on Moringa-supplemented diets also showed reduced serum concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) by > 45% compared with AHD-fed animals. Reductions in the serum concentrations of glucose by 14 to 41%, and that of cholesterol by 18 to 40% were observed in animals fed on Moringa-supplemented diets. It is worth mentioning that MOD supplementation showed the greatest positive effect on all tested blood parameters. The results of the present study indicate the importance of dietary supplementation of Moringa on the general animal health and immunity, which might be reflected in the improvement of shelf life of animal products (milk or meat).