Omoikhoje, 2008. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 20 (4)

Sixty growing albino rats of the Wistar strain were used to assess the performance and protein quality of bambara groundnut as influenced by cooking time. Five treatment diets (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) that contained raw bambara groundnut meal (RBGM), bambara groundnut meal cooked for 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes (CBGMa, CBGMb, CBGMc and CBGMd) respectively were randomly assigned to five groups of 12 rats each in a completely randomized design (CRD). Proximate analysis results showed that only the ether extract and ash were significantly (P<0.05) reduced as the cooking time increased. Performance data indicate that daily weight gain and feed to gain ratio were significantly (P<0.05) better in rats fed bambara groundnut meal cooked for 60 minutes and above than those on CBGMa and RBGM based diets. Feed intake was highest significantly (P<0.05) in rats fed RBGM and decreased from CBGMd to CBGMa. Increase in cooking time significantly (P<0.05) increased the protein quality of bambara groundnut seeds as reflected in apparent digestibility, biological value, net protein utilization, net protein ratio and protein efficiency ratio values. To enhance the nutritive value of bambara groundnut seeds therefore, an optimum cooking time of 60 minutes at 100°C is adequate.