Tomato Pomace In Poultry Ration

Tomato Pomace In Poultry Ration

By Dr.Ir. I Dewa Gede Alit Udayana,MS.

Tomato pomace can be used as a source of protein for poultry and other livestock. Chemical analysis carried out to measure nutritional levels showed that this product contains 20 - 25% crude protein, even in terms of its amino acid content, containing the amino acid lysine 13% higher than the amino acid lysine in soybean protein (Esmail, 1999). In addition, this tomato pomace is a good source of B vitamins and is quite good as a source of vitamin A. Its high xanthophyll content, 200 - 240 mg/g, is worth comparing to conventional xanthophyll sources, such as corn and alfalfa flour. Xanthophylls are important for laying hens (laying hens } to give the yolk a yellow color (egg yolk), and are also important for giving the yellow color to broiler meat and legs. Logically, this xanthophyll-rich product is good to use as a source of these pigments. the study of 2 Polish researchers, Mlodkowski and Kuchta (in Esmail, 1999), slightly doubted it. According to them, the addition of dry pulp was in fact inefficient in improving egg yolk color, xanthophyll and carotenoid levels of egg yolk. It was not explained further, why the inefficiency that can happen.

            Before being used as raw material for livestock rations, there were efforts for members! specific treatment of this product. A study tried to give a different treatment to this tomato pomace before it was used as a raw material for preparing chicken rations. The treatments are: (1). Heated to a temperature of 121° C for 30 minutes, (2). Acidification (addition of acid) with 0.2 HCI solution for 20 hours at room temperature, (3). Soaked in water with the addition of toluene with a concentration of 1.5 ml/1 to prevent microbial growth, and (4). Alkali treatment with 0.0458 NaOH for 24 hours and followed by a neutralization process with HCI. In treatments 2, 3 and 4 before being given to cattle, the tomato pomace was heated in an oven at a temperature of 52 "C, so that the water content was only 10%. The tomato pomace that had received this treatment was then used as raw material for the preparation of broiler rations. with a total of 20% of all rations made (Table 1) The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using tomato pomace in the ration on the performance and use of rations in broilers.

Table 1 . The composition of the research ration contains tomato pomace*

Ingredient

*Sources: Esmail (1999).

               The result, somewhat unexpectedly. In fact, broilers who consumed rations containing unprocessed tomato pomace showed better performance than broilers fed rations containing processed tomato pomace. Broilers consuming rations containing unprocessed tomato pomace showed better growth, better feed efficiency, higher metabolic energy value and better N utilization. These results indicate that the antinutritional substances that may be present in tomato pomace do not have a negative effect on broiler performance (Table 2.).

Tabel 2 . Effect of tomato pomace used in the ration on performance and feed utilization in broiler chickens*.