Nutritive value of palm kernel cake and cocoa pod husks for growing cattle

H. K. Wong and M. Wan Zahari

Abstract

The results of feed intake, nutritive value and nitrogen balance studies of palm kernel cake (PKC) and cocoa pod husks (CPH) diets for growing cattle were reported. Intake of dry matter and organic matter were not significantly different between treatments. Digestibility of dry matter and organic matter in the diets decreased with increasing CPH levels in the diets. The respective values for apparent digestibility of CP, ADF, NDF, cell contents, EE, ash and energy were 72.8, 73.1, 76.0, 66.7, 83.6, 66.9 and 75.1% for Treatment I (PKC); 63.2, 61.0, 65.1, 76.8, 80.8, 63.8 and 63.8% for Treatment II (70% PKC + 30% CPH); 56.8, 51.8, 55.8, 79.5, 82.2, 64.7 and 58.9% for Treatment III (50% PKC + 50% CPH); and 49.2, 42.1, 46.1, 84.7, 69.2, 62.1 and 49.4% for Treatment IV (30% PKC + 70% CPH). The values for nitrogen retention decreased with increasing levels of CPH in the diets and were significantly different between treatments. The digestible CP, CP retention, DE and ME values of Treatment 1 were 120 g/kg, 82.5 g/kg, 3.196 Mcal/kg and 2.621 Mcal/kg respectively. These values decreased with increasing CPH levels in the treatments. Palm kernel cake had higher nutritive value than CPH for cattle.

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