title: Evaluation of nutritional quality of dried cashew nut testa using laboratory rat as a model for pigs.
abstract: 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 g kg(-1)DM, 190.0, 103.0, 20.1, and 20.2, respectively, with metabolizable energy of 7.12 MJ kg(-1) DM. In a feeding trial, isoproteic diets containing DCNT (O, 50, 100, and 150 g kg(-1)) were fed ad libitum to 4 groups of Sprague-Dawley male rats (110 g 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 150 g kg(-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 50 g DCNT kg(-1) supported the best growth performance with the lowest feed cost per gram live weight gain of GH¢0.18. 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. armdonkoh@gmail.com
authors.forename: Armstrong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donkoh
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Attoh-Kotoku
authors.forename: Reginald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osei Kwame
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gascar
mesh_terms: D031021:Anacardium / Q000737:chemistry*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000191:economics; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009754:Nuts / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium