Green Pea Pod Residue-As an Alternative Feeds for Dairy Animals: A Review

Abstract

Livestock gives a substantial contribution in sustaining rural economy and livelihood and up liftment of socio-economic status of rural people. The contribution is nearly 4.11 per cent to total GDP and 25.6% of total Agriculture GDP. Present livestock population of 535.78 million registered an increase of 4.6% over Livestock Census 2012. In India availability of feed stuffs both in quantitative and qualitative forms has been the major constraint for sustaining positive growth in Indian livestock sector. Latest estimate on demand-supply gap in fodder availability shows a net deficit of 30.65% green fodder and 11.85% dry crop residues in year 2020. Pea seeds are regarded as a highly valuable protein source for nutrition due to their high protein content (about 22-24%) which is intermediate between cereals and oil meals. Empty pea pods have been reported to contain 19.8% crude protein and 1.0% ether extract, rich in total soluble sugars (35.8%), total phenolics (9.4%) and macro and micro minerals. The digestion kinetic parameters for dry matter revealed that pea pods had 82.3 per cent degradable fractions and 68-69 per cent effective and true degradability. In India, total quantity of green pea pods available on annual basis accounts to 68.5×103 tones. Pea pods are relished by ruminants and are highly palatable with high nutritive value and an effective method of utilization of pea waste after removal of pea grains from pea pods as complete feed in ruminant animals.