Nutritional Evaluation of Shear Butter (Vitellaria paradoxa) Meal as Affected by Different Days of Fermentation

Abstract

A laboratory studies were carried out to investigate the effect of fermentation duration on nutrients and anti-nutrient composition of Shear butter meal. Five grams of unprocessed SBC sample labeled T1 (UP) was milled to a size of 0.5 mm. Fermentation: another portion of the wet unprocessed SBC was cooked for 1 hr. after which it was cooled and bagged in different air-tight polythene bags and allowed to ferment for 3, 4, 5 and 6 days and labeled as T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. At the end of the processing, each treatment was replicated twice and samples were taken for analysis. There was a significant reduction (p<0.05) in the crude protein as fermentation duration increases. Similarly, ether extract, ash and gross energy were significantly (p<0.05) reduced as the time of fermentation increases. However, the values of crude fibre and NFE were significantly (p<0.05) improved with an increase in the time of fermentation. Fermentation generally reduced (p<0.05) all the minerals analyzed except for Mg which was unaffected by the treatment; the best results were obtained in treatment T3. The values obtained for saponin and phytate were significantly improved (p<0.05) as the duration of fermentation increased. However, that of trypsin inhibitor was significantly reduced (p<0.05) with an increase in the time of fermentation; there was no variation (p>0.05) in the values obtained for tannin, oxalate and flavonoids. The concentration of vitamins A, B6 and E as well as lysine, methionine and tryptophan, were significantly reduced (p<0.05) as the duration of fermentation increases. Monogastric animal farmers can therefore, ferment Shear butter meal for at least 3 days and conveniently feed their animals as a replacement for conventional energy source without affecting the growth performance of the animals.