Donkoh A., Attoh-Kotoku V., Osei Kwame R., Gascar R.
Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; College of Agriculture and Integrated Development Studies, Cuttington University, Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia
Donkoh, A., Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, College of Agriculture and Integrated Development Studies, Cuttington University, Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia; Attoh-Kotoku, V., Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Osei Kwame, R., Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Gascar, R., Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
Dried cashew nut testa (DCNT) was characterized with respect to proximate, mineral, and energy profile. The crude protein, crude fibre, and fat and ash contents were, in gkg-1DM, 190.0, 103.0, 20.1, and 20.2, respectively, with metabolizable energy of 7.12MJkg-1DM. In a feeding trial, isoproteic diets containing DCNT (O, 50, 100, and 150gkg-1) were fed ad libitum to 4 groups of Sprague-Dawley male rats (110g body weight, n=20) for a period of 4 weeks. The rats, used as model for pigs, had free access to water. As the dietary DCNT content was increased from 0 to 150gkg -1, there was a significant (P<0.01) decrease in feed intake (r=-0.99), water intake (r=-0.87), and a reduction in body weight gain (r=-0.93) and efficiency of feed utilization (r=0.78). However, no deaths or health-related problems were recorded during the study. Dietary treatments had no impact on liver, heart, lungs, kidneys, and intestinal weights. Cost per gram feed and feed cost per gram live weight gain were reduced when DCNT was used. The experimental diet containing 50gDCNTkg-1 supported the best growth performance with the lowest feed cost per gram live weight gain of GHc0.18. Seasonal increases in the prices of conventional feedstuffs like maize and fishmeal would make the use of agroindustrial by-products such as DCNT in pig diets even more attractive. © 2012 Armstrong Donkoh et al.
animal experiment; animal food; animal tissue; article; cashew nut; controlled study; dietary fiber; dietary intake; experimental rat; fat content; fluid intake; heart weight; intestine; kidney mass; liver weight; lung weight; male; nonhuman; nutritional value; protein content; rat; swine; weight gain; Anacardium; animal; animal food; animal model; body weight; caloric intake; chemistry; dietary fiber; drinking; drug effect; economics; evaluation; maize; nut; nutritional value; plant seed; Sprague Dawley rat; Anacardium occidentale; Rattus; Rattus norvegicus; Suidae; Zea mays; calcium; magnesium; plant extract; vegetable protein; Anacardium; Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Body Weight; Calcium; Dietary Fiber; Drinking; Energy Intake; Magnesium; Male; Models, Animal; Nutritive Value; Nuts; Plant Extracts; Plant Proteins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Seeds; Swine; Weight Gain; Zea mays