Jatropha kernel meal a viable protein source

Harinder  Makkar, livestock production officer at the FAO has been looking into the possibilities of using non-toxic Jatropha kernel meal  in animal and fish diets. The animal feed industry is growing at a rapid pace, and production is switching to intensively managed high-input systems. The main input in any livestock production system is feed, and demand for feed for aquatic organisms is expected to nearly triple by the end of the decade.

Jatropha  kernel meal as a protein source in aqua feed

Aquaculture continues to grow at a faster pace than the farming of terrestrial animals. For fish and shrimp feeds, the most pressing need is to find alternative protein sources. Several studies performed on partial replacement of protein sources, especially fishmeal, by detoxified J.­ curcas kernel meal (DJKM), heated J.­ platyphyllakernel meal (H-JPKM) and detoxified jatropha protein isolate (DJPI) in fish and shrimp diets are presented in the study.

Using detoxified Jatropha in poultry feed

Soybean and canola meals (i.e. rapeseed meal) are the major protein meals used worldwide in poultry feed (USDA, 2010). However, SBM competes with human food  and there is a need to search for alternative plant-protein  sources for poultry feed.

Research carried out on  3-week-old turkeys showed that detoxified Jatropha kernel meal was a valuable protein source.

Jatropha  kernel meal in pig feed

The most commonly used source of supplemental protein  in diets for non-ruminants is (soybean meal) SBM because of its excellent amino acid profile and dependable supply. In a typical pig diet, soybean supplies about 50% of the protein and amino acids and about 25% of the metabolizable energy. Wang et al. (2011) investigated the effects of replacing SBM by detoxified J.­ curcas kernel meal (DJKM)  in the diet of the growing pig. The result showed that incorporating detoxified Jatropha kernel meal had no ill effects  on health and could replace 50% soymeal protein in diets of growing pigs.

The full study can be read here from page 1 to 28.

Use of detoxified jatropha kernel meal and protein isolate in diets of farm animals

Authors: Harinder P.S. Makkar,Vikas Kumar and Klaus Becker

Source: FAO