Sesame meal (SM) is the residue after extracting the oil
from the seed. It is an excellent source of protein and has an
amino acid composition similar to that of soybean meal
(Mamputu and Buhr, 1995). An average crude protein content of 400 g/kg and crude fiber content of 65 g/kg are typical for expeller-extracted SM, but these values may vary
widely depending on the variety used, degree of decortications and method of processing. SM is an excellent source
of methionine, cystine and tryptophan but is deficient in
lysine, indicating that it cannot be used effectively as the
sole protein supplement in poultry diets (Daghir and
Kevorkian, 1970; Ravindran and Blair, 1992). Additionally,
it consists of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic
acid, oleic acid and saturated fatty acids such as palmitic
acid and stearic acid (Dan, 2005). It is also a rich source of
minerals; however, mineral availability from SM may be
lower due to the presence of high levels of oxalates (35
mg/100 g) and phytate (5 g/100 g) in the hull fraction of the
seed.