/ ► Vegetable protein sources
Work on Sunflower seed oil meal in India is limited but studies abroad indicate that decorticated sunflower seed oil meal in combination with other protein supplement is good for poultry.
Good quality sunflower meal contains about 40-44 per cent high grade protein especially rich in methionine, but that made from unhulled seed has only 20 per cent protein. Sunflower seed meal is a satisfactory substitute to groundnut cake in starter rations and it can replace 100 per cent GNC without any adverse effect on weight gain and feed efficiency. The meal can also be satisfactorily used in layers' ration. Studies indicated that it could be used in total replacement of groundnut cake without any adverse effect on egg production and egg weight.
Guar Meal
Guar is a drought resistant legume, and the meal, a by-product from the preparation of Guar gum, is a potential source of protein. Guar meal is not palatable to cattle since its inclusion at a meagre 5 per cent level itself was refused at the initial phase by cows, although if accustomed, cows can accept rations containing as high as 15 per cent raw guar meal.
Higher levels of guar meal may cause, diarrhea, particularly in young calves. It is, therefore, always advisable to incorporate guar meal in the ration very gradually and once accustomed may be used as high as 10-15 per cent level in cows and 5-10 per cent level in calves.
Niger Cake
Niger cake compares well with other oil seed cakes in its chemical composition. It contains about 36 per cent crude protein and 5.98 per cent mineral matter, but contains about 14 to 18 per cent crude fibre.
It is suggested that niger cake can completely replace groundnut cake on protein equivalent basis for the growing chicks and the two oil cakes have a complementary effect on chick growth with better efficiency in economics of feeding.
Karanja Cake
Karanja cake is less palatable. It contains probably some polyphenolic compounds which have a deleterious effect on growth and production.
Extracted karanja cake can be included in the ration replacing til cake to the extent of 30 per cent on protein equivalent basis in starters and growing chicks (18 week) with distinct economic advantage.
The potential production of neem seed is estimated at 4.15 lakh tonnes. This can give 3.3 lakh tonnes of cake and 83,000 tonnes of oil every year provided this potentiality is fully utilized .
Neem cake contains 34 per cent protein while processed cake shows 48 per cent protein. Fibre content is only 4.4 per cent. The amino acid content in terms of lysine and methionine is also comparable to groundnut cake protein.
It is observed, however, that if this cake is introduced gradually then it can be included in the cattle ration about 15-20 per cent level. A few animals, however, may be reluctant to consume feeds at this level. 1 per cent inclusion, however, is a safe level.
Rubber seed cake
Rubber seed meal contains some cyanogenetic components. A good quality rubber seed cake contains about 30 per cent protein.
It can be used in lactating cows at 20 per cent level in concentrate mixture. Rubber seed cake can also be used at a maximum level of 10 per cent in poultry ration without any adverse effect.
Sunnhemp seed
The seed is grown throughout India but in most cases this is used as manure. In some parts, however, this is fed as fodder.
Dhaincha seed
This is a leguminous seed and is excellent in protein quality. It contains 30-33 per cent protein, and 8.32 per cent and 1,019 g / 16 g N lysine and methionine respectively.
The seed cannot be used as such, as it contains deleterious factors like gum, trypsin inhibitor and tannin. Enzymic treatment as in the case of guar meal can improve the feeding value of this material.
Fermentation by fungi decreases the gum content and trypsin inhibitory activity appreciably and increases the crude protein content of the seed.
Studies with dhaincha seed in cattle is limited. However, autocalved dhaincha seed may be used in cattle in limited quantities.
Cassia tora seed
Boiled cassia tora seeds up to the level of 15 per cent in the concentrate ration can safely be fed to milch cows.
Kapok seed cake
It can be used as one of the components of cattle feed concentrate; D.C.P. and T.D.N. being 26 per cent and 69 per cent approximately.
This feed consists chiefly of the dried residue from maize after the removal of the larger part of the starch and bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of maize starch. Occasionally it may include maize oil meal. It contains protein from 50 to 60 per cent.
The meal is produced after removal of most of the hull and oil from safflower seed. In decorticated form it has about 40-45 per cent protein while the value goes down to about 18-20 if not decorticated.