Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans and by-products

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This datasheet is pending revision and updating; its contents are currently derived from FAO's Animal Feed Resources Information System (1991-2002) and from Bo Göhl's Tropical Feeds (1976-1982).

Datasheet

Description

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Cocoa (Theobroma cacao 'Amelonado'), trunk and pod, Kew Gardens, London

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao 'Amelonado'), leaves and pod, Kew Gardens, London

Common names

Cacao, cacaoyer, cocoa, cacaoeiro, cacau

Species

Theobroma cacao L. [Sterculiaceae]

Synonyms

Theobroma leiocarpum Bernoulli, Theobroma pentagonum Bernoulli, Theobroma sativum (Aubl.) Lign. & Le Bey, Theobroma sphaerocarpum A. Chev.

Related feed(s)

Description

A tree indigenous to South America, but now cultivated mainly in West Africa within 20 of the equator. A tropical rain-forest crop, cocoa is cultivated for its beans, which are contained in large red or yellow pods growing directly on the stems and branches of the tree.

Distribution

Indigenous to South America, but now cultivated mainly in West Africa within 20° of the equator.

Processes

The beans are embedded in a white mucilage (together about one third the total weight of the pod). Both the mucilage and beans are taken out of the pod and fermented. The fermented dried beans are then processed in chocolate factories. First, they are roasted to develop flavour and aroma. After cooling, the beans are cracked and the shell winnowed away, leaving the cracked seed kernels known as the nib. The nib is ground to give cocoa mass or chocolate liquor, from which the cocoa fat (cocoa butter) is extracted by pressing. The resulting cake is pulverized into cocoa powder.
The pods, being rich in potassium, are left in the field to fertilize the cocoa trees. The pods rot very quickly.

Nutritional aspects

Nutritional attributes

Cocoa shells, beans and oilcake all have high nutritive values and could serve as feedstuffs for livestock except for their theobromine content. The shells are a good source of vitamin D.

Potential constraints

Cocoa beans and shells contain theobromine, an alkaloid poisonous to animals, which limits their use for feeding. The level of theobromine is very low in the pods. Cocoa products can be rendered harmless by being cooked in water for one and a half hours, filtered and dried.

Ruminants

Fresh pods are sometimes consumed by livestock, but for efficient use they must be dried and ground. Pod meal has been fed without toxic effects to cattle in quantities of up to 7 kg per day. For dairy cows, pod meal seems to be comparable in value to corn-on-cob meal. Rations containing cocoa pod meal have a somewhat lower feed efficiency for beef cattle, but this will be compensated by the larger intake.

Pigs

For pigs, cocoa pod meal has replaced maize and can constitute up to 35% of the ration without decreasing weight gains. It has been fed to pigs in quantities of up to 2 kg per day. To ensure that the animals consume sufficient quantities, the pods must be sun-dried (to 60% moisture content) and then chopped, ground and pelletized.
While untreated cocoa beans and oil cake can be hazardous to pigs, pig rations can include up to 25% of the processed product without reducing weight gains or feed efficiency.

Poultry

Untreated cocoa beans and oil cake can be hazardous to poultry.

Nutritional tables

Tables of chemical composition and nutritional value

Avg: average or predicted value; SD: standard deviation; Min: minimum value; Max: maximum value; Nb: number of values (samples) used

Cocoa hulls

Main analysis	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Dry matter	% as fed	88.6	2.2	85.3	93.8	368
Crude protein	% DM	17.8	0.9	15.8	19.8	361
Crude fibre	% DM	20.7	1.4	17.8	23.7	364
NDF	% DM	46.5	3.2	39.1	53.4	70
ADF	% DM	36.8	2.5	30.4	41.1	71
Lignin	% DM	17.4	1.8	14.0	21.9	116
Ether extract	% DM	5.9	1.6	2.6	9.2	197
Ash	% DM	9.3	0.6	8.3	10.7	217
Starch (polarimetry)	% DM	7.7	0.8	6.8	8.3	3
Total sugars	% DM	1.0		0.4	1.6	2
Gross energy	MJ/kg DM	18.8	0.5	18.3	19.7	6	*

Minerals	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Calcium	g/kg DM	3.7	0.7	2.2	5.1	107
Phosphorus	g/kg DM	4.4	0.6	3.2	5.8	117
Potassium	g/kg DM	26.8	2.1	22.0	30.2	45
Sodium	g/kg DM	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.3	17
Magnesium	g/kg DM	4.3		3.6	5.0	2
Copper	mg/kg DM	39				1

Amino acids	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Cystine	% protein	1.3				1
Lysine	% protein	5.1				1
Methionine	% protein	1.3				1

Secondary metabolites	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Tannins (eq. tannic acid)	g/kg DM	11.8				1

Ruminant nutritive values	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
OM digestibility, Ruminant	%	38.2				1
Energy digestibility, ruminants	%	35.8					*
DE ruminants	MJ/kg DM	6.7					*
ME ruminants	MJ/kg DM	5.4					*
Nitrogen digestibility, ruminants	%	56.9		13.1	56.9	2	*
a (N)	%	37.2				1
b (N)	%	36.4				1
c (N)	h-1	0.041				1
Nitrogen degradability (effective, k=4%)	%	56					*
Nitrogen degradability (effective, k=6%)	%	52					*

Pig nutritive values	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Energy digestibility, growing pig	%	19.6				1
DE growing pig	MJ/kg DM	3.7					*
MEn growing pig	MJ/kg DM	2.9					*
NE growing pig	MJ/kg DM	1.6					*
Nitrogen digestibility, growing pig	%	-7.7				1

Rabbit nutritive values	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Energy digestibility, rabbit	%	28.1					*
DE rabbit	MJ/kg DM	5.3				1
MEn rabbit	MJ/kg DM	5.2					*

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

AFZ, 2011; Azevêdo et al., 2011; Carvalho Junior et al., 2009; CIRAD, 1991; Maertens et al., 2001; Marcondes et al., 2009; Morgan et al., 1980; Neumark, 1970; Noblet, 2001; Onwuka et al., 1997; Owusu-Domfeh et al., 1970

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:43:29

Cocoa oil meal

Main analysis	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Dry matter	% as fed	88.8	1.7	86.3	95.0	35
Crude protein	% DM	28.3	0.8	26.3	29.4	37
Crude fibre	% DM	15.4	2.7	9.6	18.6	36
NDF	% DM	44.0	9.9	32.0	53.7	5
ADF	% DM	29.3	6.7	21.9	36.7	6
Lignin	% DM	18.5	3.7	13.9	24.1	7
Ether extract	% DM	2.0	3.4	0.2	12.5	36
Ash	% DM	8.5	2.2	5.2	12.2	19
Starch (polarimetry)	% DM	10.3	1.5	7.8	11.3	5
Total sugars	% DM	0.9	0.0	0.9	0.9	3
Gross energy	MJ/kg DM	18.5					*

Minerals	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Calcium	g/kg DM	2.1	0.5	1.5	2.7	10
Phosphorus	g/kg DM	7.4	0.3	6.9	7.9	9
Potassium	g/kg DM	20.6	3.6	16.5	24.0	4
Sodium	g/kg DM	0.1		0.1	0.1	2
Magnesium	g/kg DM	4.5	2.3	1.1	6.1	4

Amino acids	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Cystine	% protein	1.5	0.0	1.4	1.5	3
Lysine	% protein	4.0	0.1	4.0	4.2	3
Methionine	% protein	1.3	0.0	1.2	1.3	3

Secondary metabolites	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Tannins (eq. tannic acid)	g/kg DM	16.4				1

Pig nutritive values	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Energy digestibility, growing pig	%	61.0					*
DE growing pig	MJ/kg DM	11.3					*
MEn growing pig	MJ/kg DM	10.4					*
NE growing pig	MJ/kg DM	6.4					*
Nitrogen digestibility, growing pig	%	70.5					*

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

AFZ, 2011; Braude, 1943; CIRAD, 1991; Morgan et al., 1980; Owusu-Domfeh et al., 1970

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:43:30

Cocoa pod husks

Main analysis	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Dry matter	% as fed	91.0	3.6	87.2	94.9	6
Crude protein	% DM	7.7	1.4	5.9	11.1	11
Crude fibre	% DM	29.3	5.1	22.6	35.4	10
NDF	% DM	55.2	9.6	43.1	64.4	4
ADF	% DM	43.5	9.5	33.4	56.4	5
Lignin	% DM	13.4	1.2	12.2	14.6	3
Ether extract	% DM	2.7	3.3	0.5	9.9	11
Ash	% DM	11.2	3.0	7.8	17.2	11
Gross energy	MJ/kg DM	17.4	4.9	12.8	22.6	3	*

Minerals	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Calcium	g/kg DM	5.7	2.2	2.2	8.8	8
Phosphorus	g/kg DM	3.4	3.2	1.0	10.7	8
Potassium	g/kg DM	50.1	22.1	30.8	76.0	5
Sodium	g/kg DM	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.2	3
Magnesium	g/kg DM	5.4	2.3	2.2	8.0	6
Manganese	mg/kg DM	95	58	34	150	3
Zinc	mg/kg DM	85	30	40	100	4
Copper	mg/kg DM	1278	2482	6	5000	4
Iron	mg/kg DM	1180	1818	90	3900	4

Amino acids	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Alanine	% protein	5.2		4.7	5.7	2
Arginine	% protein	3.2		2.9	3.5	2
Aspartic acid	% protein	10.2		10.0	10.4	2
Cystine	% protein	1.2				1
Glutamic acid	% protein	10.5		10.1	10.9	2
Glycine	% protein	4.2		3.8	4.6	2
Histidine	% protein	2.6		2.4	2.7	2
Isoleucine	% protein	3.5		3.1	3.9	2
Leucine	% protein	6.1		5.6	6.6	2
Lysine	% protein	5.0		4.7	5.2	2
Methionine	% protein	0.6		0.5	0.7	2
Phenylalanine	% protein	4.4		4.1	4.8	2
Proline	% protein	5.2		5.0	5.4	2
Serine	% protein	5.0		4.7	5.4	2
Threonine	% protein	4.3		3.9	4.6	2
Tryptophan	% protein	0.5				1
Tyrosine	% protein	2.6		2.4	2.7	2
Valine	% protein	5.6		5.4	5.7	2

Secondary metabolites	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Tannins (eq. tannic acid)	g/kg DM	1.7				1

Pig nutritive values	Unit	Avg	SD	Min	Max	Nb
Energy digestibility, growing pig	%	44.1					*
DE growing pig	MJ/kg DM	7.7					*
Nitrogen digestibility, growing pig	%	49.2				1

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Bateman et al., 1967; CIRAD, 1991; Devendra et al., 1970; Donkoh et al., 1991; Gowda et al., 2004; Kuan et al., 1982; Ohlde et al., 1982; Okai et al., 1984; Orskov et al., 1992; Ridzwan et al., 1993; Sobamiwa et al., 1994; Tuah et al., 1996; Vadiveloo et al., 1992

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:45:43

References

Ankrah, E. K., 1974. Chemical studies of some plant wastes from Ghana. J. Sci. Food Agric., 25 (10): 1229-1232
Antongiovanni, M. ; Bruni, R. ; Acciaoli, A. ; Martini, A., 1993. Valore nutritivo delle bucce deteobrominizzate di semi di cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) stimato attraverso una prova di accrescimento di agnelli. Zoot. Nutr. Anim., 19 (6): 235-242
Bateman, J. V. ; Fresnillo, O., 1967. Digestibility of Theobroma cacao pods when fed to cattle. J. Agric. Sci., 68 (1): 23-25
Braude, R., 1943. Toxic effects in the feeding of cacao meal to pigs. Vet. J., 99 (12): 302
Carvalho Junior, J. N. de; Pires, A. J. V. ; Silva, F. F. da; Veloso, C. M. ; Santos-Cruz, C. L. dos; Carvalho, G. G. P. de, 2009. Performance of sheep fed diets with elephant grass ensiled with different additives. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 38 (6): 994-1000
Cirad, 2008. Laboratory data 1993-2008. CIRAD
Devendra, C. ; Göhl, B. I., 1970. The chemical composition of Caribbean feedingstuffs. Trop. Agric. (Trinidad), 47 (4): 335
Donkoh, A. ; Atuahene, C. C. ; Wilson, B. N. ; Adomako, D., 1991. Chemical composition of cocoa pod husk and its effect on growth and food efficiency in broiler diets. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 35: 161-169
Eeckhout, W. ; De Paepe, M., 1994. Total phosphorus, phytate phosphorus and phytase activity in plant feedstuffs. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 47 (1-2): 19-29
EU, 2000. Directive 2000/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 June 2000 relating to cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption. Official Journal of the European Communities, 3.8.2000, L 197/19
Kuan, K. K. ; Mak, T. K. ; Razak Alimon, Farrell, D. J., 1982. Chemical composition and digestible energy of some feedstuffs determined with pigs in Malaysia. Trop. Anim. Prod., 7(4): 315-321
Lin, K. O. ; Zainal, Z. A. ; Quadir, G. A. ; Abdullah, M. Z., 2000. Plant based energy potential and biomass utilization in Malaysia. Int. Energy J., 1 (2): 77-88
Maertens, L. ; Van Herck, A., 2001. Digestibilité de quelques matières premières couramment utilisées dans l'alimentation du lapin. 9èmes Journ. Rech. Cunicole, Paris, 2001
Morgan, D. E. ; Trinder, H., 1980. The composition and nutritional value of some tropical and sub-tropical by-products. In: By-products and wastes in animal feeding. Occasional publication no 3 - British Society of Animal Production - Edited By Dr E. R. Orskov 91-111 (NUT 545)
Neumark, H., 1970. Personal communication. Volcani Institute of Agricutural Reseach, Israel
Noblet, J., 2001. Données antérieures à 2001. INRA UMR VP
Ohlde, G. ; Becker, K., 1982. Suitability of cell-wall constituents as predictors of organic matter digestibility in some tropical and subtropical by-products. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 7 (2): 191-199
Okai, D. B. ; Easter, R. A. F. ; George, R., 1984. Nutritive value of some non-conventional feed ingredients. World Rev. Anim. Prod., 20 (2): 11-16
Okai, D. B. ; Easter, R. A. ; Frank, G. R., 1984. The nutritive value of non-conventional ghanaian feed ingredients : nutrient composition and effects on the performance on weaning rats. World Rev. Anim. Prod., 20: 11-16
Onwuka, C. F. I. ; Adetiloye, P. O. ; Afolami, C. A., 1997. Use of household wastes and crop residues in small ruminant feeding in Nigeria. Small Rumin. Res., 24: 233-237
Ørskov, E. R. ; Nakashima, Y. ; Abreu, J. M. F. ; Kibon, A. ; Tuah, A. K., 1992. Data on DM degradability of feedstuffs. Studies at and in association with the Rowett Research Organization, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, UK. Personal Communication
Owusu-Domfeh, K. ; Christensen, D. A. ; Owen, B. D., 1970. Nutritive value of some Ghanaian feedstuffs. Can. J. Anim. Sci., 50 (1): 1-14
Oyenuga, V. A., 1968. Nigeria's foods and foodstuffs. Ibadan, University Press
Rajaguru, A. S. B. ; Ravindran, V., 1985. Metabolisable energy values for growing chicks of some feedstuffs from Sri Lanka. J. Sci. Food Agric., 36 (1): 1057-1064
Reynolds, S. G., 1995. Pasture-cattle-coconut systems. RAPA publication n° 7, Bangkok, Thailand
Ridzwan, B. H. ; Fadzli, M. K. ; Rozali, M. B. O. ; Chin, D. T. F. ; Ibrahim, B. M. ; Faridnordin, B. I., 1993. Evaluation of cocoa-pod husks on performance of rabbits. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 40: 267-272
Silva, H. G. de O. ; Pires, A. J. V. ; Silva, F. F. da ; Veloso, C. M. ; Carvalho, G. G. P. de ; Cezario, A. S. ; Santos, C. C., 2005. Effects of feeding cocoa meal (Theobroma cacao L.) and palm kernel cake (Elaeis guineensis, Jacq) on milk intake and yield for lactating goats. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 34 (5): 1786-1794
Silva, H. G. de O. ; Pires, A. J. V. ; Cunha Neto, P. A. da; Carvalho, G. G. P. de; Veloso, C. M. ; Silva, F. F. da, 2007. Digestibility of nutrients in diets containing ammoniated elephant grass and cocoa meal or palm kernel cake fed to sheep. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 36 (2): 499-506
Sobamiwa, O. ; Longe, O. G., 1994. Utilization of cocoa-pod pericarp fractions in broiler chick diets. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 47: 237-244
Tuah, A. K. ; Okai, D. B. ; Ørskov, E. R. ; Kyle, D. ; Wshand; Greenhalgh, J. F. D. ; Obese, F. Y. ; Karikari, P. K., 1996. In sacco dry matter degradability and in vitro gas production characteristics of some Ghanaian feeds. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 8 (1)
Vadiveloo, J. ; Fadel, J. G., 1992. Compositional analyses and rumen degradability of selected tropical feeds. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 37 (3-4): 265-279
Wohlt, J. E. ; Fiallo, J. F. ; Miller, M. E., 1981. Composition of by-products of the essential-oil industry and their potential as feeds for ruminants. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 6: 115-121

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DATASHEET UNDER CONSTRUCTION. DO NOT QUOTE. https://feedipedia.org/node/23 Last updated on April 5, 2010, 18:12

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Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans and by-products