Hyphaene spp.

Doum, dum palm

Useful reference: 333

One of the few branching palms, 10-15 m high, with a very hard and fibrous kernel once used in the manufacture of buttons (see also Phytelephas macrocarpa) and cultivated for that purpose in North Africa. The kernel consists mainly of the carbohydrate mannan.

As the nutritive value is increased so much by shelling the nuts, only the kernels should be used. Mature nuts and kernels should be ground into meal as they are very hard. If used together with protein supplement, doum kernel meal is an excellent feed for all animals that is comparable to maize. The carcasses of animals fattened on doum kernel meal tend to have less back fat than those fattened on maize and will therefore be graded higher.