Cajannus cajan

Pigeon pea, congo pea, red gram, non-eye pea, dahl

Erect short-lived perennial shrub attaining a height of 2-4 m. One of the most common legumes of the tropics and subtropics because of its very wide adaptability. Deep rooted and drought resistant, growing especially well on semidry land. Because of its poisonous roots, often planted as a hedge around cassava patches to keep out mole rats, and sometimes around houses for protection against termites. Pods, seeds and leaves are excellent fodder for cattle, which can be folded on the unharvested crop. Widely used for hay and silage (often with molasses), especially the small-seeded varieties. If cut for hay when the pods are well developed, it should be cut successively higher. Grazing may damage the plants. The ground seeds can be incorporated as a source of protein in poultry rations. Up to 30% has been included in the ration of starting chickens with the same weight gain obtained from an isonitrogenous mixture of soybean oil meal and maize.

As % of dry matter

DM

CP

CF

Ash

EE

NFE

Ca

P

Ref

Fresh upper third

of plant, Hawaii

29.5

24.1

34.6

8.8

5.8

26.7

273

Fresh aerial part,

late vegetative,

Puerto Rico

24.4

21.4

30.8

5.8

6.0

36.0

0.89

0.24

32

Fresh aerial part,

milk stage, Hawaii

49.7

18.9

29.7

5.7

5.3

40.4

515

Dried leaves, India

11.0

18.3

18.5

6.9

45.3

378

Hay, aerial part,

Hawaii

88.8

16.7

32.5

3.9

1.9

45.0

273

Pods, Hawaii

87.3

20.3

35.2

3.3

1.7

39.5

"

Seeds, Malaysia

89.0

23.4

10.6

4.3

0.9

60.8

0.14

0.45

292

Seeds, cracked,

India

91.8

20.2

6.2

4.0

1.9

67.7

378

Pod husks, Trinidad

93.0

6.7

38.0

4.1

0.3

50.9

1.10

0.09

117

Digestibility (%)

Animal

CP

CF

EE

NFE

ME

Ref

Browse, pre-bloom

Sheep

60.0

36.0

59.0

65.0

2.08

32

Browse, milk stage

Cattle

69.0

50.0

69.0

78.0

2.53

515

Seeds, dried

Pigs

84.8

48.8

57.3

81.6

2.93

378

Seeds, fresh

Pigs

92.0

86.0

36.0

86.0

3.55

168

Amino acid composition as % of crude protein

Seed

Ref

92

Arg

Cys

Gly

Hys

Ils

Leu

Lys

Met

Phe

Thr

Try

Tyr

Val

6.7

1.2

3.6

3.4

3.8

7.6

7.0

1.5

8.7

3.4

0.3

2.2

5.0