Palm kernel expeller & dairy cattle growth

Suitability of Palm Kernel Expeller for fattening & supplementary feeding

Suitability of Palm Kernel Expeller as feed for cattle has become the basic feed in rations for cattle fattening. It is also the primary supplementary component feed for dairy cattle, which is usually mixed with ingredients such as ground maize and soybeanl.

"...mixtures of 60% palm kernel expeller (PKE) with 40% Palm oil mill effluent (POME) results in the highest daily growth rate of 0.83kg in Droughmasters breed... "

Cattle fattening using Palm Kernel Expeller

Table below summarizes on the impact of various composition of feed on the dairy cattle daily weight gain. Comparing breeds fattened using palm kernel expeller, it has been found that the beef characteristics of Droughtmaster cattle put it in good stead to perform better than the dairy type Local Indian Dairy crossbreds and the Sahiwal-Friesian animals (Yusoff et al. 1987). Their respective daily gains were 0.85, 0.63 and 0.65kg, though their feed conversion ratios were not significantly different at 7.4, 7.8 and 7.8 respectively, indicating a higher intake of feed by the Droughtmaster cattle.

Feed Mixture	Cattle Breed	Daily weight gain (kg)
100% palm kernel extraction	Zebu cross	0.79
100% palm kernel extraction	Sahiwal Friesian crossbred	0.76
100% palm kernel extraction	Local Kedah - Kelantan	0.56
100% palm kernel expeller	Beef crosses	0.63
100% palm kernel expeller	Local Kedah - Kelantan	0.34
100% low fat [2] palm kernel expeller	Sahiwal Friesian crossbred	0.74
100% low fat [2] palm kernel expeller	Australian Commercial cross	0.60
50% palm kernel extraction + 50% fodder grass	Zebu cross	0.65
50% palm kernel extraction + 50% palm Kernel expeller	Sahiwal Friesian crossbred	0.70
60% palm kernel extraction + 40% POME	Brahmam	0.79
60% palm kernel extraction + 40% POME	Droughtmasters	0.83
60% palm kernel expeller + 40% POME	Local Kedah - Kelantan	0.51
60% low fat [2] palm kernel expeller + 40% POME	Sahiwal Friesian crossbred	0.59

Source: Hawari & Chin (1985); Mustaffa (1987); Mustaffa et al. (1987); citing various workers.
[1] All diets were supplemented with the required minerals & vitamins
[2] Low fat palm kernel expeller has about 7 % ether extract.

Table 2. Weight gains of cattle fed 100% Palm Kernel Expeller[1] & Palm Kernel Expeller mixed diets