COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ANTI-NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS OF Enterolobium cyclocarpum SEEDS BASED TOTAL MIXED RATIONS AND FEED BLOCKS

The study was carried out to evaluate a comparative study of anti-nutritional contents of Enterolobium cyclocarpum seeds based on total mixed rations (TMR) and feed blocks (FB). The materials that were used for the complete feed blocks production are E. cyclocarpum seeds, cassava peels, wood ash, common salt, groundnut haulms, and cassava starch. The E. cyclocarpum seeds were toasted for about 15 minutes at 170^oC until the testa started breaking. Feed blocks (FB) and Total Mixed Ration (TMR) containing varying levels of Toasted Enterolobium cyclocarpum Seeds Meal: TECSM (0g/kg, 60g/kg, 120g/kg, 180g/kg, and 240g/kg) were formulated. The TECSM inclusion levels for FB1, FB2, FB3, and FB5 were 0g/kg, 60g/kg, 120g/kg, 180g/kg, and 240g/kg, respectively. TMR1, TMR2, TMR3, TMR4, and TMR5 were evaluated at TECSM inclusion levels of 0g/kg, 60g/kg, 120g/kg, 180g/kg, and 240g/kg respectively. Samples of raw E. cyclocarpum seeds, toasted E. cyclocarpum seeds, and feed blocks were oven-dried at 65°C until a constant weight was attained and ground for the determination of Tannin, Saponin, and Oxalate. Data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and significant means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range tests. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the anti-nutritional content of the test samples. The saponin content ranges from 0.06 % in FB 3 to 0.80 % in TMR 3 and TMR 1. The tannin contents were significantly different (p<0.05) across all treatments. The tannin content value ranges from 0.08 raw E. cyclocarpum seeds to 0.19 in FB 2 and FB 3 while the oxalate content was significantly the highest in raw Enterolobium cyclocarpum seeds (8.80mg/Kg) and lowest in FB 2, FB 5, TMR 4, and TMR 5 (2.20) mg/kg. Toasting Enterolobium cylcocarpum seeds reduced the saponin and oxalate contents as against the raw E. cylcocarpum seeds.