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All content in this area was uploaded by Ishaya Gadzama on May 30, 2020
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Cottonseed cake as a source of by-
pass protein for dairy cows
Ishaya U. Gadzama & Fernando Diaz
Cottonseed cake is the co-product of oil extraction from cottonseeds. Cottonseed
meal is the term applied to the ground cottonseed cake from which most of the oil
has been extracted. Cottonseed cake is used as a protein supplement and can
replace soybean meal and other protein sources in the ration. It is a good source
of protein, energy, fiber, phosphorus and vitamin E for dairy cows. However, the
nutritional value of cottonseed cake depends on the method of oil extraction,
proportion of husk and lint and degree of decortication.
Cottonseed cake has relatively low rumen degradability and is therefore a good
source of bypass protein for dairy cows. Despite its high nutritional value,
cottonseed cake contains gossypol, a phenolic compound which can produce
intoxication, liver damage and reproductive problems in animals. Interestingly,
ruminants can detoxify free gossypol by converting it into bound gossypol in the
rumen, thereby impeding its absorption into the blood. Therefore, cottonseed
cake has shown promise as a plant protein substitute in dairy cow diets.
Recently, Webb et al. (2019) evaluated the effects of replacing soybean meal with
cottonseed cake on dairy cow performance. The study was conducted on 48 mid-
lactation Holstein cows of 190.7 ± 64.3 days in milk at the Department of Animal
and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Tifton. The cottonseed cake used for
this experiment was a product of dry extrusion of whole cottonseeds at 121 to 149
°C for 12 to 20 seconds.
Three experimental diets were formulated each containing 45.03% corn silage,
4.33% Bermuda grass hay, 10.8% ground corn, 9.5% citrus pulp, plus 0.43% urea
on a dry matter (DM) basis. Diet one (control) contained 5.20% of solvent-
extracted soybean meal, 4.50% expeller soybean meal, and 0% cottonseed cake.
Diet two contained 0% inclusion levels of solvent-extracted soybean meal, 4.50%
expeller soybean meal, and 8.66% cottonseed cake. Diet three contained 6.23%
inclusion levels of solvent-extracted soybean meal, 0% expeller soybean meal and
8.66% cottonseed cake.
The table below shows the chemical composition of cottonseed cake, soybean
meal and expeller soybean meal used in the experiment. From the results,
cottonseed cake had lower crude protein concentration (CP; 32.3% of DM) than
solvent-extracted soybean meal (50.8% of DM) or expeller soybean meal (48.7% of
DM). However, the concentrations of soluble crude protein, neutral detergent
fiber, acid detergent fiber and ether extract were higher in cottonseed cake than
in solvent-extracted soybean meal or expeller soybean meal.
Nutrients
Cottonseed
Cake
Soybean
Meal*
Expeller
Soybean Meal
Dry Matter (DM, %) 93.6 90.4 89.5
Crude Protein (% of DM) 32.3 50.8 48.7
Soluble Crude Protein (% of CP) 16.7 12.9 8.13
Neutral Detergent Fiber (% of DM) 43.8 8.03 17.7
Acid Detergent Fiber (% of DM) 34.0 4.88 7.65
Ether Extract (% of DM) 5.53 1.85 1.32
Intestinally Digestible Protein (% of
CP) 30.2 24.8 65.9
Rumen Undegradable Protein (% of
CP) 54.6 34.0 78.0
Rumen Degradable Protein (% of
CP) 45.3 66.0 22.0
Total-Tract Digestible Protein (% of
CP) 75.5 90.9 87.9
*Solvent-extracted soybean meal
Similarly, the concentration of intestinal digestible protein in cottonseed cake was
slightly higher (30.20% of CP) than in solvent-extracted soybean meal (25.85%)
but lower than that obtained in expeller soybean meal (65.90%).
The researchers also observed that the concentration of rumen undegradable
protein in cottonseed cake was higher (54.65% of CP) than that (33.98%) in
solvent-extracted soybean but lower (77.98%) than the one recorded in expeller
soybean meal. On the other hand, the concentration of rumen degradable protein
in cottonseed cake was lower than the values reported for solvent-extracted
soybean meal or expeller soybean meal. Furthermore, total-tract digestible
protein for cottonseed cake was lower than solvent-extracted soybean meal and
expeller soybean meal.
The replacement of solvent-extracted soybean meal or expeller soybean meal with
dry-extruded cottonseed cake did not affect dry matter intake (27.8 kg/d), milk
production (33.1 kg/d), as well as milk protein (0.96 kg/d) and fat (1.32 kg/d)
yields.
Milk protein percentage was higher (2.96%) in cows fed solvent-extracted
soybean meal plus expeller soybean meal. The lowest percentage of milk protein
(2.84%) was observed in cows that received expeller soybean meal plus
cottonseed cake. Milk urea nitrogen was similar (8.92 mg/dL) in cows fed diets 1
and 3, which was higher than the 7.58 mg/dL reported in cows on diet 2. There
were no treatment differences in body weight changes and body condition score.
Similarly, the efficiency of production was not affected by the different
treatments.
This study shows that cottonseed cake could replace solvent-extracted soybean
meal as a source of protein in lactating dairy cow diets.
Reference:
Webb, N.W., Bernard, J.K. and Tao, S. 2019. Production Responses to Diets
Supplemented with Soybean Meal, Expeller Soybean Meal, or Dry-extruded
Cottonseed Cake by Lactating Dairy Cows. Applied Animal Science. 35:543 – 549.
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