2005 Poultry Science Association, Inc.

Nutrient Composition of Peanut Meal

A. Batal,* N. Dale,* and M. Cafe

*Department of Poultry Science, Poultry Science Building, University of Georgia,

Athens, Georgia 30602-2772; and Department of Animal Science,
School of Veterinary, University of Goias, Goiania, Brazil 74001-970

Primary Audience: Nutritionists, Researchers, Quality Control Personnel

SUMMARY

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Solvent-extracted peanut meal is receiving increased attention as a feed ingredient for poultry.
Due to limited availability, levels of inclusion in US broiler diets are generally from 3 to 4%.
Because the origin of nutrient values for peanut meal reported in standard tables of nutrient
composition is unclear, a study was undertaken to document the nutrient composition of peanut
meal samples currently available to the poultry industry. Seventeen samples of peanut meal were
obtained during 2003 from commercial sources in the southeastern United States. Each sample
was analyzed for proximate composition, TMEn, and mineral composition. Seven representative
samples were analyzed for total and available amino acid contents. All values were adjusted to a
90% dry matter basis, this being representative of the meals evaluated in this study. Although
considerable variation was noted between sources, a reasonable consistency was observed among
samples from each of the 5 suppliers, presumably reflecting modest differences in processing
procedure.
Nitrogen-corrected metabolizable energy ranged from 2,273 to 3,009 kcal/kg with a mean of
2,664 kcal/kg, whereas CP ranged from 40.1 to 50.9% with a mean of 45.6%. Mean values for
fat, fiber, and ash were 2.5, 8.3, and 5.0%, respectively. Total concentration and percentage
availability, respectively, of several critical amino acids were: lysine, 1.54% (85); methionine, 0.52%
(87); cystine, 0.64% (78); threonine, 1.17% (81); and arginine, 5.04% (90). Average levels of
calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium were 0.08, 0.57, 0.01, and 1.22%, respectively. The
variation observed among samples strongly indicates that confirmatory analyses should be
conducted prior to use of samples from a new supplier.

Key words: nitrogen-corrected true metabolizable energy, amino acid digestibility, peanut meal,
crude protein
2005 J. Appl. Poult. Res. 14:254257

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM acceptable for human food products. Such pea-

Peanut meal is the high-protein solid resi-
due obtained from the extraction of oil from
whole or broken peanuts. Peanuts not suitable
for human consumption are obtained from 2
product streams: farmer stock refers to peanuts
arriving at the oil extraction facility still in
the shells, and oil stock is shelled peanuts not
nuts may be discolored, shriveled, or simply
broken. The very high oil content of peanuts
(35 to 40%) necessitates removal of part of the
oil from the seed (prepressing) prior to solvent
extraction. In addition, small amounts of hull
are frequently added to peanut meals to provide
the texture needed for efficient oil extraction.
Prepress solvent peanut meal is the type that

1
To whom correspondence should be addressed: batal@uga.edu.
BATAL ET AL.: COMPOSITION OF PEANUT MEAL 255

TABLE 1. Proximate composition and TMEn of peanut meal (90% DM basis)

Sample TMEn1 CP Crude fat Crude fiber Ash

(kcal/kg) (%)
1 2761 46.8 2.58 5.77 4.92
2 2765 48.2 1.50 6.89 5.13
3 2716 47.9 1.43 6.88 5.03
4 2627 46.0 2.46 11.00 4.85
5 2677 40.1 5.97 10.80 5.31
6 2838 45.6 1.99 9.25 4.82
7 2621 44.9 2.78 7.80 4.65
8 2386 44.0 1.79 12.60 4.84
9 2502 42.7 2.57 10.50 4.82
10 2654 41.0 5.35 10.50 5.30
11 2710 44.5 2.37 7.27 5.05
12 3009 45.7 1.82 6.87 5.09

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13 2273 46.4 1.02 8.53 4.49
14 2842 46.5 5.41 6.21 7.01
15 2644 49.4 0.80 6.73 4.31
16 2629 50.9 0.68 6.56 4.44
17 2638 45.3 1.49 6.98 5.20
Average2 2,664 171 45.6 2.8 2.47 2.47 8.30 2.05 5.02 0.59
Low High3 2,273 3,009 40.1 50.9 0.68 5.97 5.77 12.60 4.31 7.01
1
Determined with 10 conventional Single Comb White Leghorn roosters per sample.
2
The average SD of 17 peanut meal samples.
3
The low and high values observed in 17 peanut meal samples.

has become increasingly available to the feed MATERIALS AND METHODS

industry.
In contrast to soybean meal, peanut meal
is low in lysine but is an excellent source of
arginine [1]. Zhang and Parsons [2] demon-
strated that overheating of peanut meal reduces
amino acid availability (especially lysine),
which can be quantified using the protein solu-
bility in KOH assay. Because standard tables
of nutrient composition [1, 3, 4] do not specify
the number or origin of samples contributing
to values contained therein, the nutrient compo-
sition of peanut meals currently available to the
poultry industry is inadequately documented. It
was the purpose of this study to evaluate a
representative sampling of peanut meals for
those parameters of most interest to poultry
industry nutritionists.
Seventeen commercially produced, pre-
press, solvent-extracted peanut meals were ob-
tained from 5 suppliers during 2003. Each sam-
ple was evaluated for proximate composition
[5], TMEn [6, 7, 8], and mineral composition
[9]. Seven samples from 4 suppliers were eval-
uated for amino acid composition and avail-
ability [10, 11]. The data were analyzed using
the general linear models procedures of SAS
[12] to determine the minimum, maximum, and
standard deviations of the samples. Correlation
and regression analyses were also applied with
the general linear model procedure of SAS [12]
to determine the chemical components that best
predicted the TMEn of peanut meal.

TABLE 2. Prediction equations for TMEn of peanut meal based on 1, 2, or 3 variables (90% DM basis)

Variables
(n) Variable1 Prediction equation R2 CV (%)

1 Fiber TMEn = 3007 41.1 (fiber) 0.25 5.75

2 Fiber, fat TMEn = 2985 + 42.0 (fat) 52.1 (fiber) 0.39 5.36
3 Fiber, fat, ash TMEn = 2728 + 27.5 (fat) 45.7 (fiber) + 49.5 (ash) 0.40 5.51
1
Variable(s) that lead to prediction equations with the highest R2 values were selected.
256 JAPR: Research Report

TABLE 3. Total and digestible amino acid composition (%) of peanut meal (90% DM basis)

Average1 Low2 High2

Amino acid Concentration Digestibility3 Concentration Digestibility3 Concentration Digestibility3

Aspartic acid 4.96 0.39 89.6 1.7 4.23 86.2 5.30 91.1
Threonine 1.17 0.08 81.0 2.8 1.05 76.0 1.26 83.7
Serine 1.71 0.19 83.7 3.0 1.49 77.8 2.07 86.8
Glutamic acid 8.36 0.73 92.2 1.6 6.96 89.0 9.08 93.4
Proline 1.96 0.18 88.3 3.0 1.72 84.8 2.29 94.5
Alanine 1.76 0.13 85.6 3.0 1.52 79.5 1.89 88.0
Cysteine 0.64 0.07 78.3 4.7 0.51 69.0 0.71 83.6
Valine 1.87 0.13 87.2 2.3 1.65 82.8 2.00 89.6
Methionine 0.52 0.04 86.7 3.2 0.45 80.1 0.56 89.9
Isoleucine 1.54 0.12 87.9 2.3 1.39 83.6 1.68 90.0
Leucine 2.89 0.21 89.6 2.1 2.55 85.6 3.13 91.5
Tyrosine 1.64 0.18 91.7 1.5 1.46 88.6 1.88 92.8

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Phenylalanine 2.27 0.20 93.1 1.7 1.96 89.3 2.48 94.2
Histidine 1.10 0.09 87.9 1.9 0.97 84.1 1.19 90.0
Lysine 1.54 0.12 84.6 2.7 1.36 79.8 1.67 86.9
Arginine 5.04 0.38 89.8 3.5 4.49 83.7 5.39 94.1
Tryptophan 0.45 0.03 93.1 0.7 0.39 92.1 0.50 94.3
1
The average SD amino acid level observed in 7 peanut meal samples.
2
The low and high amino acids levels observed in 7 peanut meal samples.
3
Determined with 5 cecectomized Single Comb White Leghorn roosters per sample.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION relatively constant. In contrast to the lower val-

Proximate composition and TMEn of all
samples are presented in Table 1. For consis-
tency, all values have been adjusted to a 90%
DM basis. Crude protein values were found to
range between 40.1 to 50.9% with an average
of 45.6%. This was markedly lower than the
CP value of 50.7% reported by the NRC [1].
However, it must be noted that the average
CP content was influenced by several values
between 40 and 41% from a single supplier,
whereas another source had consistently higher
values. Substantial differences in fat and fiber
were noted among samples, whereas ash was
ues for CP, samples evaluated in this study had
a substantially higher TMEn than reported by
the NRC [1] (2,664 vs. 2,408 kcal/kg at 90%
DM). Most standard published tables of nutri-
ent composition [1, 3] underestimate the energy
value of peanut meal by as much as 25%. Equa-
tions to estimate TMEn on the basis of proxi-
mate composition were developed based on 1,
2, or 3 variables (Table 2). The best single
indicator of TMEn was fiber (R2 = 0.25). The
inclusion of a second or third variable (fat or
fat and ash) improved the accuracy of the TMEn
prediction equation (R2 = 0.39 and 0.40, respec-
tively). However, the relatively low R2 ob-

TABLE 4. Mineral composition of peanut meal (90% DM basis)

Item Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium

(%)
Average1 0.57 0.06 1.22 0.12 0.08 0.02 0.31 0.04
Low to high2 0.48 0.65 1.00 1.44 0.05 0.11 0.25 0.38

Item Sodium Iron Aluminum Copper Zinc Manganese

(ppm)
Average1 117 54 542 465.4 423 348 12 2 56 6 33 5
Low to high2 51 247 150 1787 165 1571 9 16 46 67 26 42

Average SD of 17 peanut meal samples.

1
2
The low and high mineral levels observed in 17 peanut meal samples.
BATAL ET AL.: COMPOSITION OF PEANUT MEAL
tained for all the prediction equations suggest
a limited benefit of these prediction equations.
In spite of the somewhat lower CP content
in the current set of samples, levels of critical
amino acids were remarkably similar to those
reported by the NRC [1]. The average, low, and
high amino acid concentrations are presented in
Table 3. Very good agreement was noted
among the average amino acid availabilities of
the 7 samples assayed in this study and those
reported by the NRC [1] and Green et al. [13].
The average and range of mineral contents
of peanut meals is presented in Table 4. Very
good agreement with the NRC [1] was noted for
phosphorus and potassium, whereas average
values for most other minerals were generally
in reasonable agreement. By contrast, the level
CONCLUSIONS AND APPLICATIONS
1. Currently available peanut meal generally has lower CP than reported by the NRC, although
considerable variation was noted among suppliers.
2. The digestibility of amino acids in currently available peanut meal is very similar to that reported
by the NRC.
3. The TMEn value of currently available peanut meal is higher (2,664 kcal/kg) than reported by
the NRC.
REFERENCES AND NOTES
1. National Research Council. 1994. Nutrient Requirements of
Poultry. 9th rev. ed. Natl. Acad. Press, Washington, DC.
2. Zhang , Y., and C. M. Parsons. 1996. Effects of overprocess-
ing on the nutritional quality of peanut meal. Poult. Sci. 75:514518.
3. Dale, N., and A. Batal. 2003. Ingredient analysis table: 2003
2004 edition. Feedstuffs 75(38):1617.
4. Rostagno, H. S. 2000. Tabelas Brasileiras Para Aves e Su-
inos-Composicao de Alimentos e Exigencias Nutricionais. Imprensa
Universitaria, Vicosa, Brazil.
5. Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 1980. Official
Methods of Analysis. 13th ed. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem., Washing-
ton, DC.
6. Sibbald, I. R. 1976. A bioassay for true metabolizable energy
of feedingstuffs. Poult. Sci. 55:303308.
7. Dale, N. M., and H. L. Fuller. 1984. Correlation of protein
content of feedstuffs with the magnitude of nitrogen correction in
true metabolizable energy determinations. Poult. Sci. 63:10081012.
8. AgriServices Laboratory, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA.
257
of calcium found in current samples was ap-
proximately half that reported by NRC [1]. Ex-
tremely wide ranges in composition were noted
for iron and aluminum.
No effort was made to quantify degree of
processing of peanut meals, as this ingredient
does not require the degree of heating needed
with soybean meal to destroy antinutritional
factors. For peanut meal, it is presumed the
principal criterion is solvent recovery. None of
the samples tested in this study were noticeably
darker than any of the others, suggesting that
overprocessing is not a serious problem at the
present time. No attempt was made to deter-
mine the aflatoxin in the test samples, as com-
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monly encountered levels would not be ex-
pected to affect parameters included in this
study.
9. Maxfield, R., and B. Mindak. 1985. EPA Method study 27.
Method 200.7. EPA-600/85/05. National Technical Information Ser-
vice, Springfield, VA.
10. Experiment Station Chemical Laboratories, Univ. of Mis-
souri, Columbia, MO. Determination of amino acids was conducted
using an HPLC procedure with a Beckman 6300 analyzer (Beckman
Coulter, Inc., Fullerton, CA) with an ion exchange column.
11. Parsons, C. M., F. Castanon, and Y. Hen. 1997. Protein and
amino acid quality of meat and bone meal. Poult. Sci. 76:361368.
12. SAS Institute Inc., 1990. SAS STAT Users Guide. Release
6.08. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.
13. Green, S., S. L. Bertrand, M. J. C. Duron, and R. Maillard.
1987. Digestibilities of amino acids in soyabean, sunflower and
groundnut meals, determined with intact and caecectomized cocker-
els. Br. Poult. Sci. 28:643652.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by a grant from the Georgia Commodity
Commission on Peanuts, Tifton, GA.