COCONUT MEAL INCLUSION IN HIGH CONCENTRATE SHEEP DIETS AFFECTS FEED DIGESTIBILITY AND INTAKE1

ABSTRACT Coconut meal can be an affordable low-cost alternative to noble ingredients such as corn and soybean meal in sheep diets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of coconut meal inclusions, when used as a corn and soybean meal replacement, on the intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance of sheep diets. Twenty-four male Santa Inês lambs with body weights (BW) of 26.6 ± 3.2 kg were used in the study. The animals were housed in metabolic cages and distributed in a completely randomized block design, with three treatments and eight replications. The animals received a total mixed ratio of 30% roughage (elephant grass) and 70% concentrate. The animals were fed on two experimental diets with 11% and 22% coconut meal inclusion and a control diet (without coconut meal). Dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) intake as a percentage of BW were negatively influenced by the inclusion of coconut meal. The ether extract (EE) intake increased but did not differ between the 11% and 22% coconut meal diets. Furthermore, the digestibility of DM, CP, EE, and ADF did not differ between the two evaluated diets. The inclusion of coconut meal reduced NDF digestibility and increased that of NFC. The level of inclusion of coconut meal in the diet must be based on the EE content in the meal; keeping the EE intake below 0.16% of the BW helped to avoid limited intake of feed.

Metabolic Effects of Hydrophobic Alginate Derivative and Tetrahydrolipstatin in Rats Fed Diet Supplemented With Palm Fat and Cholesterol

The effects of octadecylamide of alginic acid (amidated alginate) and tetrahydrolipstatin on serum and hepatic cholesterol, and the faecal output of fat and sterols were compared in rats. Amidated alginate is a sorbent of lipids, tetrahydrolipstatin is inhibitor of pancreatic lipase. Rats were fed diets containing cholesterol and palm fat at 10 and 70 g/kg, respectively. Palm fat was provided by coconut meal. Amidated alginate at 40 g/kg diet significantly decreased serum total cholesterol, LDL and hepatic cholesterol, hepatic lipids, and increased faecal output of fat and coprostanol. Tetrahydrolipstatin at 300 mg/kg diet significantly decreased LDL cholesterol, hepatic lipids and increased faecal output of fat. The intake of feed was not significantly influenced, however the weight gains in rats fed amidated alginate was lower than in rats of the control group. Both amidated alginate and tetrahydrolipstatin modified fatty acid profile in excreta lipids. Concentrations of saturated fatty acids were decreased and that of unsaturated fatty acids were increased. Despite different mode of action, amidated alginate and tetrahydrolipstatin were equally efficient in the removing dietary fat from the body.

Utilization of coconut meal based diets supplemented with lysine by broiler chicken

Coconut meal (CM) was included in a broiler diet to supply 40% of the total groundnut cake protein. The diet was formulated based on the recommendations of a previous study that coconut meal protein can replace 40% of groundnut cake (GNC) in broilers diet. A control diet was formulated containing 22% GNC, the protein of which was replaced by coconut meal protein. Five diets were prepared . The control (Diet A) and 4 others that contained essentially the same proximate composition (Diets B-E) were supplemented with synthetic lysine at 0.30, 0,60, 0.90 and 1.20% dietary levels. 240 broiler chicks were alotted into 5 dietary treatment groups of 3 sub-groupa. Each sub-group contained 16 birds. The dietary lysine content from diets A-E were 1.20, 1.15, 1.45, 1.76 and 2.00% respectively and were fed to the broilers for a period of 56 days. Performance indices, average feed consumption, average body gain, live weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) were monitored. The dry matter, protein and ether extractretentions were all equally monitored twice at the 4th and 8th week. Haematological and enzyme assays were investigated at 4th and 8th week. The average feed consumption and FCR were significantly increased (P<0.05) by the increasing level of lysine supplementation both at the 4th and 8th week. The body gain also decreased significantly (P<0.05) at the 4th and 8th week while the live weight was significantly (P<0.05) better in the control and 0.6% lysine supplementation at the 56th day of the study. The dry matter, nitrogen and other extract retentions significantly decreased (P<0.05) at the 4th and 8th week. The total protein and albumin decreased significantly (P<0.05) at the 4th and 8th week while, creatinine and urea increased with increasing level of lysine supplementation. The serum glutamate amino transaminase and alanine amino transaminase both increased significantly (P<0.05) at the 4th and 8th week. The study indicated that 0.6% lysine supplementation (of diet containing coconut meal contributing 40% protein of the major vegetable protein source) enhance the utilization of the coconut meal by broilers.

Coconut meal: Nutraceutical importance and food industry application

In tropical regions coconut is the tree of great significance: it provides millions of people with food, employment, and business opportunities. The fruit is referred to as ‘miracle fruit’ due to its inherent rich profile of macro- and micro-nutrients for human nutrition and health. Different products, such as coconut water, milk, raw kernels, oil and desiccated coconut are commercially processed. Coconut flour is a byproduct of coconut milk and oil industry which is made from coconut meal leftover after processing. Being a rich source of dietary fibre and protein, it has found numerous applications in different functional foods. Coconut flour can be successfully incorporated into various food products, such as bakery, extruded products, snacks, and sweets. It has antidiabetic and anticancer effects, prevents cardiovascular diseases, and improves immune function. Coconut flour is also gluten-free and its nutritional composition is quite comparable to that of wheat flour. Gluten-free food products enriched with coconut flour are a healthy and viable option for the people with celiac disease. In this paper, we summarised the present use of coconut flour. There is an apparent need to convert the food processing byproducts into functional ingredients in order to implement their environment-friendly and efficient utilisation.

Free Choice Feeding on the Quality of Quail Eggs (Coturnix coturnix-japonica)

Quail is one of the potential sources of animal protein from poultry as egg producers. An egg contains complete nutrients, namely protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. As food, eggs must be maintained both physically and chemically to be safe for consumption. This study aimeds to examine the effect of selective feeding on the quality of quail eggs. This research was carried out at Percut Sei Tuan Subdistrict, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra, which had been implemented from August to November in 2018. The study used a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 plots. The study used egg samples from quail aged five (5) months. The treatment consists of Commercial feed (T0), 2 energy source feed (rice bran, corn) with 2 (T1), 3 (T2), 4 (T3) protein source feeds (fish meal, soybean meal, coconut meal, Poultry Meat Meal). The results showed that the treatment gave a significant effect (P<0.05) on egg weight, albumen, and eggshell weight, commercial feed showed eggs weight higher than free choice feeding treatments, while among free choice feeding treatment did not show significant effect. The free choice feeding treatment has a significant effect on the yolk weight, where T2 has the lowest yield. Percentage of yolk, albumen, quail eggshell and egg index, egg yolk index, albumen index, haugh unit and quail yolk color did not show significantly different (P>0.05) among treatment. It can be concluded that the commercial feed showed higher egg weight but had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the proportion of eggs and the interior quality of quail eggs, while among free choicee feeding treatment has no effect.

Evaluation of Agro-Industrial by Products as Potential Local Feed for Ruminant Animals: Chemical Composition, Fiber Fractions and In Vitro Rumen Fermentation

Animals are considered as source of protein should be improved their productivity with the minimum cost production. Agro-industrial by products have been used as animal feed to reduce feed cost. The purpose of this study is to evaluate agro-industrial by product in Aceh as potential local feed for ruminant animals based on chemical composition, fiber fraction and in vitro rumen fermentation. There were eight sources of agro-industrial by products (sago residues, coconut meal, soybean-ketchup by product, coffee pulp, cacao pod, sago tree, corncob, and rice brand) which were collected from 3 different locations in Aceh. All agro-industrial by product samples were dried at 600C for 24 h and ground to pass a 1 mm sieve. Grounded samples were analyzed to determine chemical composition, fiber fractions and in vitro rumen fermentation. Incubation was conducted at temperature 390C for 48 h in water bath with three replicates. Data for in vitro rumen fermentation were statically calculated by using SPSS differences between treatments were stated (P≤0.05) by using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The results indicated that agro industrial by product from coconut meal, ketchup residues, coffee by product, cacao by product, and rice brand can be used as source of protein and industrial by product from sago by product, sago tree and corncob can be used as source of energy. Neutral detergent insoluble CP (NDICP) and Acid detergent insoluble CP (ADICP) were relatively high for sago by product, sago tree and rice brand but relatively low for cacao by product and corncob. The value of incubated pH for most feed samples was in the normal range. In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were significantly difference (P≤0.05) each agro-industrial by products with the highest for sago and the lowest for coffee by product. In conclusion, agro-industrial by products had a potential feed for ruminant animals both as protein and energy sources. However, feed ingredients with high fiber content and low degradability, further treatments such as physical, chemical and biological treatments were required to improve the feed quality.