Vol. 11, Special Issue 11 (2022)

Tea waste or tea residue (TW), orange peels (OP) and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) pods (PPP) were assessed as animal feed using the proximate analysis and fodder quality and digestibility parameters based on factorial methods. CP was 20.82%, 6.92% and 7.39% while CF was 17.06%, 10.89% and 26.02% in TW, OP and PPP respectively. Other than CF recorded in the OP the CF of the TW and PPP was higher than the conventional ingredients used generally for non-ruminant livestock. Hence TW and PPP may probably suit to ruminant and pseudo-ruminants. TA (4.92%, 4.27% and 7.72%), moisture content (13.69%, 72.51% and 57.69%) and lipid content (5.23%, 2.90% and 1.43%) in TW, OP and PPP respectively. Calcium was 0.54%, 0.42% and 0.38%, Phosphorous was 0.36%, 0.37% and 0.31% in TW, OP and PPP respectively. NDF was 73.87%, 26.76% and 70.10% and ADF was 59.91%, 23.14% and 51.28%) in TW, OP and PPP respectively. The estimated DMI was (1.62%, 4.48% and 1.71% on DM basis) and estimated digestibility parameters i.e. Relative Feed Value (RFV) are 53.18%, 246.39% and 64.96%; Relative Feed Quality (RFQ) are 60.62%, 261.21% and 72.29% in TW, OP and PPP respectively. ADL 53.07%, 15.04% and 39.91%, HC 13.96%, 3.62% and 18.82%, AIA 0.44%, 0.17% and 0.88% and silica 0.18%, 0.81% and 1.32% in TW, OP and PPP respectively. The results of TW, OP and PPP depicts potential nutritional uses as animal feed which has to be further tested in vivo at various levels of inclusion.