Peanut Oil Meal as a Source of Protein for Chicks

Author

Ebenezer Winston Agudu, University of Rhode Island

Date of Award

1963

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Poultry Science

Department

Poultry Science

First Advisor

Earl E. Gardiner

Abstract

Four experiments, each of tour we&ks' duration were conducted to determine the protein quality of peanut 011 meal in broiler chick diets. In the t1rst experiment, samples of united States peanut 011 meal, and some samples from Brazil, supposed to be toxic, were compared in all-vegetable rations. Both peanut 011 meals were found to be interior to so7bean oil meal. An equal mixture of soybean 011 meal and peanut oil meal sustained growth as good as the soybean 011 meal diet. There was high mortality of chicks on the suspected toxic meal.

A biological test tor toxieit7 of the meals, showed that the sample of Brazilian peanut oil meal was highly;y toxic 11h1le the sample from United States was probabl7 sate. The symptoms and post-mortem lesions suggest that the causal agent was probabl7 a toxin(s} from Aspergillus flavus.

Soybean oil meal and the two sources of peanut oil meal wer supplemented with lysine, methionine and glyoine.

Lysine was the first limiting amino acid in the peanut oil meal. Supplementat1oi,. of the peanut oil meal with the three amino acids resulted in growth rate almost as good as that of chicks on the soybean oil meal diet. Addition of amino acids to the toxic peanut 011 meal did not improve its quality nor decrease the high mortality.

In the soybean oil meal diet, methionine was found to be the first limiting amino acid. Growth rate due to lysine, glycine or combinations of the three amino acids was lower than that due to methionine supplementation alone.

In the last experiment, the peanut oil meal was supplemented with fish meal. Supplementation above 50 percent may probably not be economical under the conditions of this experiment.

Regression of weight gain per unit of feed consumed on the three amino acids gave significant (P< 0.01) coefficients of 0.301, 0.562 and 0.350 for lysine, sulfur amino acids and glycine respectively. The correlation coefficients respectively were r 1 = + 0.96, r2 = + 0.98 and r 3 = + 0.96. These results would indicate that sulfur amino acids may be the best guide for protein quality in peanut oil meal and fish meal combinations.

In diets formulated to contain a constant crude protein, that containing 13.3 per cent peanut oil meal and 16.8 per cent fish meal resulted in the highest weight gain. Increasing the fish meal above this level resulted in lower weight gains.

Recommended Citation

Agudu, Ebenezer Winston, "Peanut Oil Meal as a Source of Protein for Chicks" (1963). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 937.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/937