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INTRODUCTION
The inclusion of alternative feedstuffs in animal diets might be interesting in some circumstances such as relative price, feed quality, but it is limited because of the lack of information on their nutritive value (). Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is a perennial member of the family Leguminosae. Other common names are red gram, Congo pea, Gungo pea, Gunga pea, and no-eye pea (Salunkhe et al., 1986). It is an important grain legume crop of rain-field agriculture in the tropics and subtropics. It is used in more diverse ways than other grains (Wu et al., 2009). The extracts or components of pigeonpea are commonly used all over the world for the treatment of diabetes, dysentery, hepatitis and measles, as well as a febrifuge to stabilize the menstrual period (Grover et al., 2002). As a traditional Chinese medicine, the leaves of pigeonpea have been widely used to arrest blood, relieve pain and kill worms.
Currently, pigeonpea leaves are used for the treatment of wounds, aphtha, bedsores and malaria, as well as diet-induced hypercholesterolemia, etc. (Aiyeloja and Bello, 2006). Protective effects of extracts from pigeonpea leaf against hypoxic-ischemic brain damage and alcohol-induced liver damage has also been reported (Huang et al., 2006). Chemical constituent investigations have indicated that pigeonpea leaves are rich in flavonoids and stilbenes, which are considered responsible for the beneficial efficacies of pigeonpea leaves on human health (Duker-Eshune et al., 2004). These days it is the most essential ingredient of animal feed used in West Africa, especially in Nigeria, where it is also grown. Pigeon peas are very drought-resistant, so can be grown in areas with less than 650 mm annual rainfall. A number of processes have now been developed for converting the seed into various products such as food, feed, paste, fried ball, medicine, menstrual stabilizer, cough syrup etc. (Ekeh et al., 2013).
Pigeon pea foliage is an excellent fodder with high nutritional value. One of the most significant factors, which determine the nutritive value of a feed is its digestibility.
Dietary protein, fibre and sugar levels are the three most important factors which affect giant rat growth performance, without neglecting moisture content, ash and fat levels. As a result, an attempt should be directed to detect the exact levels of protein, fibre and...