*Ilaboya, I. I., Imouokhome, J. I., Okuna, R., Oyibo, R. and Bamigboye, D. O
Department of Animal Science and Animal Technology, Benson Idahosa University, Edo State. Nigeria
*Email: iilaboya@biu.edu.ng *Mobile: +2348058768730
Abstract
Categorization of the chemical composition of animal feed for principal nutrients is one
of the most dynamic considerations in the field of animal nutrition. In this study, the
proximate constituents, of dried groundnut shell meal and the experimental diets in the
Northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria were evaluated. A total of 90 one-day old ROSS 308
broiler chickens were allotted to five dietary treatments having three replicates of 6 birds
each in a completely randomized. The study was designed to evaluate the proximate
compositions of dried groundnut shell meal (DGSM). The collected samples of DGSM were
processed and analyzed using standard analytical procedures and the data obtained
were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result for the proximate composition
showed the moisture contents (7%), dry matter (93%), ash (4.2%), crude fibre (37.8%),
crude protein (7.5%), ether extract (1.31%), carbohydrate (49.19%) and calorie value of
2129.68kcal/kg. Birds were fed 5 treatments (T); T1 (0% DGSM), T2 (5% DGSM), T3 (10%
DGSM), T4 (15% DGSM) and T5 (20% DGSM). Dry matter, moisture, energy and ash were
not significantly different (P>0.05) across all the treatments. Crude protein in T4 (21.54%)
was significantly lower (P<0.05) than in T1 (25.27%), T2 (23.94%), T3 (24.62%) and T5
(24.96%). Ether extract increased significantly (P<0.05) in T5 (5.50%) while carbohydrate
(Nitrogen Free Extract) decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the same treatment, T5
(47.98%). The control diet, T1 (6.22%) and T2 (6.84%) had significantly higher crude fibre
(P<0.05) than T3 (7.92%), T4 (7.73%) and T5 (7.99%). The results showed that dried
groundnut shell meal contained essential and valuable nutrients that were within the
normal range for broiler chickens, which are beneficial to broiler diets. Utilisation of
DGSM also addressed a waste disposal problem by helping in spinning waste into a
treasure.