Vitamin composition and fibre fractions of cashew nut shell: Implication for animal nutrition

Abstract

Raw cashew nut shells from both red and yellow varieties, obtained from Kogi State university campus, Anyigba, were screened for their vitamin content and fibre fraction. Vitamins A and C were found to be very high, vitamins B1 and B2 contents were found to be high, while vitamins B6 D, E and K were moderate in content vitamin B12 (cynoconalamin) was found to be completely absent in cashew nut shell. The Neutral detergent fibre (25.30%) was moderate for lignin. The crude fibre content of cashew nut shell was found to be high (23.05%) the values for cellulose lignin and Hemicellulose were 7.45, 11.5 and 7.35%, respectively. The vitamin content of cashew nut shell was found to be adequate for the difference species and classes of livestock except for vitamin B12 which is completely absent. It was recommended that the level of inclusion of cashew nut shell in diet for livestock should be very low so as to keep the overall fibre content of compounded ratio at recommended level. Cashew nut shell can also be used to jack up the fibre content of rations, where all the other ingredients are very low in fibre, it can also be used as a fibres material in livestock diets.