ABSTRACT

 Raw ash content of the femur bones of three different species of animals (cow, goat and pig) were obtained by open air incineration while their dry ash content were obtained by muffle furnace ashing and their percentage content were obtained by calculation. Minerals and other compositions of the bone ashes were determined using standard analytical procedures. Data obtained showed that goat femur bone had the highest raw ash yield percentage (40.57%) while pig femur bones had the least (35.60%). On their dry ash yield in the muffle furnace, cow femur bone had the highest dry ash yield (12.93%). While goat femur bone had the least (5.99%). The result of the mineral analysis showed that cow bones contains the highest quantity of calcium, sodium, iron, zinc, manganese, sulphur, collagen and chondroitin (723.16 mg/100g, 4.07 mg/100 g, 0.193 mg/kg, 0.144 mg/kg, 0.108 mg/kg, 0.311 mg/kg, 94.82% and 24.78 mg/g). pig femur bones contained the highest amount of magnesium and copper (11.23 mg/100g and 0.004 mg/kg) while the goat femur bones had the highest quantity of phosphorus and potassium (280.62 mg/100g and 3.47 mg/100g) and least quantity of collagen and chondroitin (85.68% and 24.78 mg/g).All the bone samples contained lower non essential heavy metals than the recommended toxicity levels as their cadmium content ranged from 0.021 mg/kg in goat bones to 0.024 mg/kg in cow bones, lesser than (>0.05mg/kg toxic level of cadmium) while their lead content ranged from 0.003 mg/kg in cow bone to 0.017 mg/kg in goat bones lower than (>3mg toxic level of lead) and therefore are safe for use as fortificants in foods.