MINERAL AND VITAMIN COMPOSITION OF CORN HUSK: A POTENTIAL FEED SUPPLEMENT

Corn husk, the fibrous outer covering of maize ears, is an abundant agricultural by-product with potential value as a feed supplement. This study evaluated the mineral and vitamin composition of corn husk to assess its suitability in livestock nutrition. Corn husk samples were collected from multiple maize farms, cleaned, air-dried, and milled to uniform particle size prior to analysis. Samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) for mineral determination and a UV–visible spectrophotometer for vitamin analysis. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics and SPSS to assess variability and significance among measured parameters. Results showed that corn husk contains appreciable amounts of essential minerals, particularly calcium (1,093.51mg/L), magnesium (467.47mg/L), and iron (105.69m/L), with smaller quantities of manganese (0.52mg/L) and zinc (0.98mg/L). In contrast, the vitamin content was generally low; vitamin A (25µg/100 g) and vitamin B1 (0.14 mg/100 g) were present in trace amounts, while vitamins C, D, and E were negligible. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences (p < 0.05) among mineral concentrations, while vitamin values remained consistently low. These findings indicate that corn husk can serve as a valuable mineral-rich roughage, contributing to the supply of macro- and micro-minerals in animal diets, but it is insufficient to meet vitamin requirements. Therefore, its use in feed formulation should be complemented with protein- and vitamin-rich ingredients to ensure balanced nutrition. The study highlights the potential of corn husk as a cost-effective, sustainable feed resource, particularly for ruminants, provided that its limitations in vitamins and energy are addressed through supplementation. (Word count 250)