Abstract:The value of cotton seed cake as a source of crude protein in sheep diets was studied. The cotton seed cake was incorporated into diets at levels of 0, 15 and 30 YO after replacement of soya bean meal and was fed adlibitum to growing lambs.The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Sixteen lambs (8 male and 8 female) having an average liveweight of approximately 13.6 kg were used in each treatment.After being fed for 62 days and having reached a liveweight of approximately 26.7 kg, five male lambs from each treatment were slaughtered and carcass data were collected. Results of the growth trial showed that there were no significant differences in feedlot performance or carcass analysis among the lambs fed these diets. The dressing percentage was slightly higher (P > 0.05) for lambs fed the 15 YO cotton seed cake compared with the 30% cotton seed cake and control diets. However, the final weights were substantially higher ( P < 0,001) and live average daily gains and feed intakes were all higher (P < 0.10) for male animals.It was concluded that cotton seed cake is an acceptable feed ingredient for growing sheep and can satisfactorily replace soya bean meal as a source of protein in ruminant diets, a feedstuff locally produced in Greece and substantially cheaper than the imported soya bean meal.

The effect of gossypol content of cottonseed cake given as a source of CP in lamb (n = 8) rations was examined on the following blood parameters: plasma total protein, albumin, globulins, urea, glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations. The diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric and contained 0, 15, and 30% cottonseed cake for 62 d. Blood samples were taken at the beginning, middle, and end of the experiment. Plasma total protein and globulins were higher at d 30 of the experimental period, but plasma albumin concentration, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were higher at the beginning of the experiment; plasma urea concentration was higher at d 60, and plasma glucose concentration was lower at d 30 of the experiment. The highest fraction in all treatments was albumin, followed by alpha 2-globulin and beta-globulin fractions, and there was no gamma 1-globulin fraction at d 30 and 60 of the experimental period. Liver examination showed significant differences in free gossypol content and accumulation, total N, and total protein percentage among the three treatments. Gossypol toxicity was not observed. The absence of gossypol toxicity in these animals has been attributed to detoxification of free gossypol by the formation of gossypol-protein complex in the rumen.

: E †ects of diets containing increasing levels of whole cotton seed (WCS) on feed intake, liveweight gain, feed conversion, feeding margin and carcass characteristics were studied. Diets contained 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30% WCS and were fed ad libitum to growing lambs for 54 days. All diets were approximately isonitrogenous (163È186 g crude protein kg~1 dry matter) and isocaloric (19È20 MJ gross energy kg~1 of dry matter). During the Ðrst 28 days, four groups of 10 Karagouniko male lambs with initial liveweights of approximately 17É6 kg were fed diets containing 0, 5, 10 and 15% WCS and then, for the next 26 days, diets containing 0, 10, 20 and 30% WCS, respectively. Lambs fed the 15È30% WCS diet ingested about 20 mg kg liveweight~1 day~1 of free gossypol. At 54 days and liveweights of approximately 34É7 kg, Ðve lambs from each treatment were slaughtered and carcass data were collected. There were signiÐcant di †erences in feed intake, liveweight gain, cooler shrink, rumen contents, intestinal fat and liver weight among the lambs fed these diets. Cooler shrink and intestinal fat, and perirenal fat and the combined weight of intestinal and perirenal fat, were signiÐ-cantly (P \ 0É05) correlated. Pelleting of the WCS diets reduced the concentration of free gossypol in these diets. It was concluded that WCS was satisfactory as a feed ingredient for growing sheep and can be incorporated into ruminant diets as a source of energy and protein. No indication of gossypol toxicity was detected.1998 Society of Chemical Industry ( J Sci Food Agric 78, 281È289 (1998)

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