CORN AND COB MEAL: NUTRIENT COMPOSITION AND NUTRITIVE VALUE

Abstract

The need to broaden the varieties of feed ingredients available to livestock producers has prompted research into the use of non-conventional, low-cost, and typically abundant feed resources. While corn remains a primary source of energy in most feed rations, studies have proven that maize cobs are either dumped or burned for fuel; thus, they are available and widely abundant but not a usual feedstuff. Corn and cob meal (CCM) a product of grinding the grain and the cob together has potential as livestock feedstuff. The use of CCM is limited by accurate knowledge and application of its nutrient composition, especially fibre. With the right processing, the level of inclusion of CCM could be increased. Various researches have been carried out on CCM for livestock, but there is inconsistency amidst examined nutritive values for CCM, therefore diverse results exist from livestock studies. This paper reviews the nutrient composition of CCM and its value as an alternative energy and fibre source in livestock diets.