Cottonseed meal

Cottonseed meal is valued as a protein feed, but the protein content is highly variable as it depends on the amount of dehulling and on the efficiency of oil extraction. The range of protein content is from 30% DM for non-dehulled cottonseed meal up to 50% DM for fully dehulled meals. Lower and higher values than these extrema have also been recorded. The fibre content varies accordingly, from 25% (non-dehulled) to 5% (fully dehulled) crude fibre. The various methods used for oil extraction also explain the large range of residual oil present in cottonseed meal. Some solvent-extracted meals contain less than 2% oil, like the other major oilseed meals, but many cottonseed meals contain higher oil values, often in the 5-10% range, and over 20% is possible. The cottonseed meal protein is less rich in lysine than soybean meal (4% vs. 6% of the protein) and since the protein content is generally lower, the total content of lysine and essential amino acids is lower for cottonseed meal (Feedipedia, 2012). The main constraint of cottonseed meal is the presence of gossypol, which limits its use in non-ruminant animals and in reproductive ruminants