Evaluation of the Nutritional Potential of Sansevieria liberica Gérôme and Labroy Leaf Meal using Wistar Albino Rats.

The nutritional quality of Sansevieria liberica leaf meal was investigated on Wistar albino rats. The reference group received the reference diet whose protein source was 100% from casein; the first test group received the test diet whose protein source was 100% from the test protein; the second test group received the diet whose protein source was 70% from the test protein and 30% from corn protein, while Basal group received the basal or non-protein diet. The net protein utilization of the test protein was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the reference diet. When combined with maize protein, the test protein produced significantly (P<0.05) higher net protein utilization, biological and net protein values than the test protein. There were no significant differences in the mean daily weight gain and food intake, protein and nitrogen intake, faecal, carcass and absorbed nitrogen, feed conversion ratio, feed efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio, net protein retention, relative net protein retention, protein retention efficiency, true digestibility, nitrogen efficiency ratio, protein rating, protein calories, heart weight, heart/body weight ratio, kidney/body weight ratio and lung/body weight ratio of all the groups. These results imply a great potency of Sansevieria liberica leaf protein as a source of high quality protein especially in the preparation of protein concentrates and formulation of new feeds for animals: and that the performance can possibly be improved by combining with maize protein.