Effect of borage meal on nutrient digestibility and performance of ruminants and pigs

Abstract

Borage meal (BM) is derived from the processing of borage ( Borago officinalis) seeds. A series of experiments was conducted to determine the nutritive value of BM as a protein supplement for ruminants and pigs. In situ ruminal effective crude protein degradability (ECPD) was determined for BM relative to four other protein supplements using two ruminally fistulated cows in a randomized complete block design. The protein supplements used for comparsion purposes included two that are high in rumen degradable protein (soybean (SBM) and canola (CM) meals) and two high in rumen undegradable (corn gluten (CGM) and heated canola (HCM) meals) protein. ECPD of borage meal was intermediate to that of the other four protein supplements studied with the following order observed: SBM > CM > BM > HCM > CGM. Voluntary intake (VI) and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients and digestible energy (DE) content of barley grain and dehydrated alfalfa based diets containing graded levels of BM (0, 6, 12 and 18%) were determined in a completely randomized design using 16 growing lambs. No effect ( P > 0.05) of BM inclusion rate was observed on VI, nutrient digestibility coefficients and DE values. In two experiments with swine, BM was included at 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% in grower diets and 0, 6.75, 13.5, 20.25 and 27% in finisher diets. Both rate and efficiency of gain were depressed in a linear fashion ( P < 0.05) as the level of BM in the diet increased. Digestibility coefficients for dry matter, crude protein and gross energy also declined linearly ( P < 0.05) as dietary BM increased. It was concluded that BM has potential as a protein supplement for ruminants. However, results of the pig experiments showed poor performance when BM was included in grower and finisher diets.