Cashew nut shell liquid: characteristics and applicability in animal production

Abstract

The use of high-grain diet can provide metabolic disturbances to the animals, due to excess of non-structural carbohydrates, which induces a decrease in rumen pH, negatively influencing the digestibility and utilization of nutrients. As an alternative to reduce the negative effects that this type of diet can provide to animals, we can use of food additives and among them stand yeasts, organic acids, plant extracts, probiotics, antibodies and secondary metabolites of plants . There is an established literature on the use of secondary metabolites, such as functional oils, such as natural additives for improving the efficiency of rumen fermentation, reduce methane production, reduce the nutritional stress and improving animal health and productivity. However, relatively few studies on the functional phenolic lipids or oils Anacardiaceae family, which in turn are represented by shell liquid cashew nuts. However, the purpose of literature review is to characterize the shell liquid cashew and present their applicability in animal production.