Evaluation of Early Maturing Sorghum and Cowpea Varieties Intercropping for Animal Nutritive Value and in vitro Dry Matter Digestibility in Fedis District, Eastern Ethiopia

The shortage of arable land and shortage of livestock feed are major constraints in East Hararghe Zone. Thus, a field study was conducted to evaluate an early maturing sorghum varieties and cowpea genotypes intercropping for both food and feed production at Fedis Agricultural Research Center, eastern Ethiopia in 2018 cropping season. Two cowpea genotypes(lines) (9333 and 9334) were intercropped with three varieties of early maturing sorghum (Teshale, Birhan and Melkam) and compared with sole cropping of all the varieties, which were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The analyzed result showed the NDF content was significantly different (p < 0.05) among intercropped and sole sorghum the maximum NDF was recorded from sole sorghum Teshale (69.56%) and the minimum sorghum Birhan + cowpea (9333)(57.75%) and the Intercropping sorghum improved the CP of sorghum stover mean from sole (5.31%) to intercropped (6.03%). the . Cropping systems and cowpea genotypes were significantly affected (p < 0.05) the content of CP and NDF. The maximum CP obtained from cowpea (9334) + sorghum Teshale 29.19%), and the minimum CP obtained from sole cowpea (9333) (24.38%).Generally, the results of this study showed that intercropping of sorghum-cowpea were increased the productivity of grain yields and biomass yields of sorghum varieties and it increased nutritional quality of cowpea and sorghum stover. Based on the results of this study, it could be concluded that intercropping sorghum with forage cowpea; preferably sorghum Melkam + cowpea (9333) to be appropriate to increase quality of sorghum stover in the study area.