Proximate and mineral composition of raw and toasted calabash seed (Lagenaria vulgaris) cake for aquaculture feeds

Abstract

This research study was carried out to harness the potential benefits of calabash seed (Lagenaria vulgaris) cake by assessing the nutritional value on the raw and toasted calabash seed cake The study was carried out in the department of fisheries and aquaculture research farms Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. The proximate and mineral analysis was carried out in the laboratory, department of soil, faculty of Agriculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. The results of proximate composition obtained for raw and toasted calabash seed cake are; the crude protein in the raw calabash seed cake (20.87 ± 3.31%) was higher than the value recorded in toasted calabash seed cake (20.43 ± 2.70%), the moisture content in the raw calabash seed cake (4.00±0.29%) was higher than the value recorded in toasted calabash seed cake (2.50±0.87%), the lipid content in the toasted seed cake (12.25±5.50%) was higher than the value obtained in raw seed cake (2.5±0.23%), the fibre content in the toasted seed cake (3.75±0.32%) was significantly higher when compared with the value obtained in the raw seed cake (3.1±0.23%), the ash content in the toasted seed cake (23.50±6.35%) was significantly higher when compared with the value obtained in raw seed cake (19.25 ± 6.21%), the nitrogen free extra in the raw seed cake (50.28±9.75%) was higher than the value recorded in toasted seed cake (37.57±5.19%). From the proximate composition obtained in this study there were significantly (p