Nutritional evaluation of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan).

Abstract

Animal Production in Australia NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM) AND PIGEONPEA (CAJANUS CAJAN) T. VISITPANICH* and E.S. BATTERHAM** Experiments were conducted with growing pigs and rats to determine the protein quality of two strains of chickpeas (C.P.56296b-low fibre content and C.P.61277-high fibre content), and pigeonpea in comparison to soyabean meal. The diets were formulated on an equal crude protein (16.6%), lysine (0.8%) and digestible energy (14.7 MJ/kg) basis and were supplemented with minerals and vitamins. The diets were fed restrictively to growing pigs during the 20-48 kg growth phase. The pigs were fed frequently, at three hourly intervals, to enhance the utilization of the added free amino acids. With rats, diets were offered ad zibitwn for 14 d from an initial weight of approximately 50 g. Results were as follows. i Values with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05). The results indicated that for pigs the protein quality of both strains of chickpeas were similar to soyabean meal, while the pigeonpea was inferior, on a carcass basis. With rats, the chickpeas were both inferior to soyabean meal, on a carcass basis, while pigeonpea was inferior to all the meals (P < 0.05). The lower protein quality of pigeonpea may be due to the presence of antinutritional factors such as trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors (Honavar et al. 1962; Weder 1981), and or tannins (Jambunathan and Singh 1980). The different results between pigs and rats for chickpea suggests a species difference in tolerance to unidentified nutritional factors. HONAVAR, P.M., SHIH, C.V., and LIENER, I.E. (1962). J. Nutr. 2: 109. JAMBUNATHAN, R., and SINGH, U. (1980). In 'Proceedings of the International Workshop on Pigeonpeas', Vol. I., p. 351, editor v, Kumble. (ICRISAT: Patancheru, India.) WEDER, J.K.P. (1981). In 'Advances in Legume Systematics', Part 2, p. 533, editors R.M. Polhill and P.H. Raven. (Hobbs: Southampton.) * Dept of Agriculture, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld 4067. ** Agricultural Research Centre, Wollongbar, N.S.W. 2480. 665