Overcoming Malnutrition and Nutrient Deficiency: A Novel Approach to Zero Hunger in Nigeria

Abstract

Insufficient animal products supply due to lack of protein sources, high cost feed materials and climate change has affected the developing countries like Nigeria. This study designed to investigate the potentials of donkeys’ caecal meal (DCM), donkeys’ blood meal (DBM) and donkeys’ blood-caecal meal (DBCM) as the animal protein feedstuffs to improve feed supply of animals and its products hence enhance animal nutrient deficiency in order to zero hunger in Nigeria. The study was conducted at Ohaukwu in Ebonyi State, Nigeria and it lasted from April-May. Ceacal was opened with sharp knife and emptied into 25 litres bucket and blood was collected directly from donkeys at point of kill into a bucket. It was cooked for 30 minutes and sun dried for two (2) weeks. The parameters investigated were chemical composition of the test ingredients, essential amino acid profiles and non-essential amino acid of the test ingredients. The results of the chemical composition of the test ingredients revealed that the values of crude protein ranged from 78.09 % DBM to 26.57 % DBCM and DCM 19.42% respectively. The results of the fibre fraction showed that DBM has the least value of 0.00% which indicated that DBM is the best test ingredient as an alternative animal protein source among the test diet respectively. Essential and non-essential amino acid revealed that DBM had the highest values among the test ingredients. This study evaluated the three test ingredients DBM, DBCM and DCM which recommended DBM as the best potentially protein feed source superior with 78.09 crude protein.