Nutritional Evaluation of Two Grades of Defatted Cashew Kernel Reject Meal as Protein Substitute for Groundnut Cake in Broiler Diets

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the chemical composition of two grades of defatted cashew kernel reject meal (DCRM) and assess the performance characteristics of broiler chickens fed diets containing two grades of DCRM. The study used 210 day old Arbor Acre broiler chicks which were stabilized on commercial diets of 23% crude protein (CP) and 2900 Kcal/kg metabolizable energy (ME) for 2 weeks before introducedto experimental diets. Birds were randomly assigned to the seven experimental diets which consisted of a control diet without DCRM, Treatments 2, 3, 4 and 5, 6, 7consisted of 33.33%, 66.67% and 100% replacement of groundnut cake (GNC) with grade I and grade II DCRM respectively arranged in a 2 x 3 (plus 1) factorial arrangement. The study lasted for a period of eight weeks. Data were collected on body weight gain (BWG), Total feed intake (TFI), Feed conversion ratio (FCR), Feed cost and returns on investment. The results of proximate composition of both grades of DCRM showedno significant difference in crude fibre, crude protein and gross energy contents and are comparable to GNC. The performance traits measured in terms of BWG, TFI and FCR were significantly different (p<0.05) across the treatments with birds on both grades of DCRM showing superior performance than birds on the control diet, with 17.72% and 13.35% higher BWG. Fat deposition was notably (p<0.05) higher in birds fed DCRM. In economic terms, the use of DCRM reduced the heightened cost of production by 9.1%. It wasconcluded that grade I DCRM in this study could completely and favourably replace GNC in diets of chicken in terms of higher growth rate, efficiency of feed utilization and low cost.