EFFECT OF DIETARY FERMENTED COCOA BEAN SHELL ON NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY OF BROILER CHICKENS
Authors: Ewuola M. K. , Olowo F. P. , Fatai R. B. , Hamzat R. A. 
Published: December 2024

Cocoa bean shell (CBS) as an agro-industrial by-product is a potential feed ingredient that can be used in broiler chicken diets. However, due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors, digestibility and availability of nutrients is negatively affected. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented (FCBS) on nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens. One day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens (n=150), were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments with three replicates per treatment in a completely randomized design. The CBS was fermented using bovine rumen filtrate and incorporated into the experimental diets at varying levels of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% respectively to formulate five dietary treatments. Phytochemical analysis revealed that FCBS contained phytate (0.20%), oxalate (1.20%), flavonoids (8.52%), tannins (7.97%), saponins (1.61%), terpenoids (2.1%), steroids (1.40%) and theobromine (10.83%). Data on nutrient digestibility parameters were subjected to one way ANOVA at P<0.05. Dietary FCBS had significant influence (P<0.05) on nutrient digestibility of broiler chicken. The crude protein (84.22-81.88%) varied significantly (P<0.05) across the dietary treatments in which birds on dietary 0 and 10% FCBS values which were significantly higher than in other dietary treatments. Birds fed 10% FCBS had higher ash (66.38%) and crude fibre (71.74%) content than in other dietary treatments.Thus, FCBS can be incorporated into broiler chicken’s diet at up to 10% inclusion level to improve the nutrient digestibility.Cocoa bean shell (CBS) as an agro-industrial by-product is a potential feed ingredient that can be used in broiler chicken diets. However, due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors, digestibility and availability of nutrients is negatively affected. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented (FCBS) on nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens. One day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens (n=150), were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments with three replicates per treatment in a completely randomized design. The CBS was fermented using bovine rumen filtrate and incorporated into the experimental diets at varying levels of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% respectively to formulate five dietary treatments. Phytochemical analysis revealed that FCBS contained phytate (0.20%), oxalate (1.20%), flavonoids (8.52%), tannins (7.97%), saponins (1.61%), terpenoids (2.1%), steroids (1.40%) and theobromine (10.83%). Data on nutrient digestibility parameters were subjected to one way ANOVA at P<0.05. Dietary FCBS had significant influence (P<0.05) on nutrient digestibility of broiler chicken. The crude protein (84.22-81.88%) varied significantly (P<0.05) across the dietary treatments in which birds on dietary 0 and 10% FCBS values which were significantly higher than in other dietary treatments. Birds fed 10% FCBS had higher ash (66.38%) and crude fibre (71.74%) content than in other dietary treatments.Thus, FCBS can be incorporated into broiler chicken’s diet at up to 10% inclusion level to improve the nutrient digestibility.