Performance of Arsi-Bale kids supplemented with graded levels of pigeonpea in dry season in Mid Rift valley of Ethiopia

Abstract

Free grazing/browsing Arsi-Bale kids in dry season were supplemented with different levels of dried pigeon pea (Cajanus cajun) leaves to study its effect on weight gain. Kids browsed freely (PP 0), and/or supplemented with 66 g (PP 66), 99 g (PP 99) and 132 g (PP 132 PP) of sun dried pigeon pea leaves. Supplementation significantly (P<0.05) increased average daily gain of kids but there was no significant (P<0.05) difference between kids supplemented with PP 99 and PP 132 g in terms of total weight gain. There was a significance difference among treatments for net profit and the highest net profit was obtained for PP 99 . Therefore, supplementing kid with PP 99 dried pigeon pea leaves was found to be the most profitable level for rift valley kid under farmer condition in dry season.