The role of feeding palm kernel cake on nutrient digestibility in small ruminants: A meta-analysis

Abstract The present meta-analysis aimed to assess the role of palm kernel cake feeding on the nutrient digestibility of small ruminants by applying a meta-analysis approach. The database was formed based on 14 relevant studies comprising 54 experiments. The data were analyzed using mixed modeling with palm kernel cake level as a fixed effect and different experiments categorized as a random effect. The result revealed that the palm kernel cake in small ruminant feed insignificantly affects the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and total digestible nutrients (P>0.05), except crude fat digestibility (P=0.024), which was decreased quadratically. It can be stated that the good digestibility of PKC makes it a viable and sustainable option as a cost-effective local feed for small ruminants.