COTTONSEED MEAL OR FEATHER MEAL AS PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS IN THE DIETS OF GROWING SHEEP

Abstract

Chemical analyses and in vivo digestion trial were conducted to compare cottonseed meal (CSM) with feather meal (FM) as supplements in the diets of growing sheep. The supplements were analysed for the proximate components and gross energy. The digestion trial (using 20 crossbred whether lambs) compared a basal ration (a) which contained 65% ground maize. 28% chopped ryegrass straw, 6% molasses and 1% limestone flour (8.9% CP) with rations in which (b) CSM was added to the basal to supplement 50% of total nitrogen (CSM-50, 14.8% CP), (c) commercial FM was added to the basal to supplement of total N (FM-40), 14.60% CP) and (d) commercial FM was added to the basal to supplement 50% or total nitrogen (FM-50. 15.8% CP).

FM contained higher CP, ether extract (EE) and gross energy (GE) than CSM. However. CSM had higher acid detergent fibber (ADF), total ash and nitrogen free extract (NFE) than FM. Both protein supplements (FM and CSM) were digested to a similar degree (P>.05). However, protein digestibility was significantly higher (P<.05) the supplemented rations than for the basal ration. N retention was higher (P>.05) for the FM 40 diet than for the CSM-50 and FM-50 with no difference (P>.05) among the two latter diets. Digestibility Of EE was in the order: FM40 =(P<.05) Digestibility of ash was higher (P<.001) for the CSM-50 diet than any of other diets. Digestibility or NFE was higher for the supplemented diets than tor the diet (P<.05). The study showed that FM compared well with CSM as protein supplements for growing sheep (per unit of N basis).