Oilseed cakes and meals are generally high in protein. Cakes have higher energy contents than meals because of their higher residual oil contents. Much of the industrially processed cake and meal is exported to the west for use in livestock industries there, but if oilseeds are grown for home oil consumption then the home-produced cakes can be valuable supplements for livestock diets. Care must be taken when feeding them, however, as all the oilseeds are characterized by the presence of different anti-nutritive factors that have a negative impact on the livestock to which they are fed.
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| Mustard |
Mustard (Brassica spp.) refers to a range of different species grown for their oil and for use as a condiment. White mustard (B. hirta Moench or Sinapis alba L.) and black mustard (B. nigra Koch) contain toxic substances which degrade to produce severe irritants. These toxins can be removed by prolonged extraction with water at 85°C. The water containing the toxin should then be strained off before the cake is fed to livestock. Mustard, including Indian or leaf mustard (B. juncea Coss.) also contains substances which affect the thyroid gland.
Detoxified mustard cake can be fed to all classes of livestock, constituting up to 9% of poultry diets and 20% of pig diets. However, it does need to be mixed with other, more palatable feeds as its bitter taste causes animals to refuse it if it is fed alone.
The protein and energy content of the cake depends on the variety and the efficiency with which the oil has been removed. The crude protein content varies between about 200 and 400 g/kg and the oil content between 30 and 100 g/kg.
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| References and Further Reading |
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| R5173. Investigation of the mycotoxins produced by fungi which colonise oilseed rape grown in a temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical climate |
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| R5178. The use of tropical feeds in non-ruminant rations, with particular reference to poultry production |
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| R5179. The use of sweet potato tuber and cassava root meals for poultry production: adaptive research on cereal-free ration development and transfer for small-scale farmers in the western highlands of Cameroon. |
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| R6994. Improved strategies for on-farm fodder production during the dry season, using participatory research techniques |
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| R7524. Can feeding locally-available plant material rich in tannins reduce parasitic burden in ruminants and hence improve their productivity? |
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| R7633. The use of alternative, tanniniferous, saponin and antioxidant containing materials as a means of improving the health and production of scavenging (desi) poultry |
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| AFRIS: Animal Feed Resources Information System. Feed Resources Group, Animal Production and Health Division, FAO, Rome. http://www.fao.org/ag/aga/agap/frg/afris/default.htm |
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| Bachmann, J. (2004). Oilseed Processing for Small-Scale Producers: Value Added and Processing Guide. ATTRA. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/oilseed.html |
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Cramb, R. and Purcell, T. (2001). Developing Forage Technologies with Smallholder Farmers: How to Monitor and Evaluate Impacts. ACIAR Working Paper Series, No. 41 |
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| FAO. (2004).
Protein Sources for the Animal Feed Industry: Expert Consultation and Workshop. Bangkok , 29 April – 3 May 2002. Proceedings, Animal Production and Health, FAO. Rome. |
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| Tingshuang, G., Sánchez, M.D. and Yu, G.P. (2002). Animal Production Based on Crop Residues - Chinese Experiences. FAO, Animal Production and Health Paper 149, FAO, Rome. |
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