The Comparative Value of Hydraulic, Expeller and Solvent Processed Oil Meals for Ruminants

Abstract

The comparative value of cottonseed meal prepared by hydraulic and solvent processes and soybean oil meal prepared by expeller and solvent processes was determined in digestion and nitrogen balance trials with steers and lambs. The meals were fed on an equivalent protein basis in amounts which furnished about 60 percent of the total nitrogen in maintenance-type rations of prairie hay and oil meal and about 28 percent of the total nitrogen in fattening rations of corn, prairie hay and oil meal. All rations contained about 10 percent of protein. Differences among the meals attributed to differences in processing were not evident in the results. The digestibility of nutrients was higher in the soybean oil meal rations than in the cottonseed meal rations of similar type for both steers and lambs. The cottonseed meal rations and the corresponding soybean oil meal rations were of equal value, however, in promoting nitrogen retention. The protein of the low carbohydrate maintenance rations was poorly utilized. The average percentages of total nitrogen intake retained by steers on the maintenance-and fattening-type rations were 17.4 and 31.5, respectively, and by lambs on these rations 14.4 and 19.2 respectively. Copyright © . .