EVALUATION OF GRADED LEVELS OF STARCH AS BINDER IN LIVESTOCK WAFER FORMULATION

Abstract

A trial was carried out at the Department of Animal Science Biochemistry laboratory, Federal University Kashere. The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of five levels of starch as binder in the formulation of livestock wafers. Five (5) graded levels of starch inclusion (10, 14, 18, 22 and 26%) were evaluated in the formulation of livestock wafers using completely randomize design. The variables evaluated were tensile strength (g) and the proximate composition (%).The results obtained showed that as the level of starch increased, the tensile strength increased linearly by the equation Y = 85.7x +70.1 (R2 = 0.974). Proximate variables examined were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the inclusion level of the binder. Higher significant effects were obtained due to treatment examined in 26% starch for DM (92.70%), Ash (9.38%), and CP (18.23%) CF (21.97%), EE (1.45%), NFE (51.34%). It can be concluded that starch is a good binder in livestock wafer formulation and showed good results. It is therefore recommended that starch at 26% level of inclusion be used in livestock wafer production due to its binding effect and the resultant values of proximate composition components would meet the nutritional requirement of ruminant at maintenance level.