Detoxifying effect of palm nut (Elaeis guineensis) shells' charcoal on peanut meal used as main source of plant protein in broiler feed.

The study of the detoxifying effect of charcoal from palm nut shells on peanut meal used in broiler feed was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Dschang, within main objective the valorisation of available local food resources. Frequently contaminated by Aspergillus flavus, a mould that secretes aflatoxins harmful to animals, peanut meal is therefore less used as an ingredient in chicken feed. In order to ensure an aflatoxin contamination required in this study, a useful quantity of peanut meal was infested by A. flavus, during one and two months. Thereafter, peanut meal was sun-dried, ground and incorporated in the poultry diet. Results showed that including, at the same time, 0.4 % of charcoal from palm nut shells as a detoxifier in the broiler diet led to a successful substitution of soybean meal by peanut meal as the main source of plant protein.