Evaluation of the Nutritional Value of Sunflower Meal and the Possibility of Substitution of Sunflower Meal for Soybean Meal in Poultry Diets

Abstract

The following investigations were conducted to study the nutritional value of sunflower meal which was produced at various processing temperatures, and the possibility of replacing soybean meal by sunflower meal in poultry diets. The criteria used were: determination of available phosphorus, available lysine, net protein value (N.P.V.) and the metabolizable energy (M.E.). Also, a growth study was carried out. The results obtained are summarized as follows: Available phosphorus of sunflower meal (0.2%) was lower than that of soybean meal (0.3%). The range of processing temperature (105–125°C. of the cooker and 80–130°C. of the conditioner) had no significant effect on available phosphorus of sunflower meal samples.Processing temperature had a profound effect on available lysine of the samples. Available lysine of sunflower meal was significantly decreased by increases in processing temperature. Soybean meal was quite superior to sunflower meal samples with regard to available lysine content.Net protein value showed the same trend as lysine availability in response to processing temperature. Although the N.P.V. of soybean meal (55.23%) was higher than N.P.V. of sunflower meal (44.21–49%), supplementation of sunflower meal with lysine improved the N.P.V. of the sample and gave even a higher value than that of soybean meal (64.75% vs. 55.23%).Metabolizable energy of soybean meal (2.5 Kcal./gm.) was higher than the M.E. of sunflower meal samples (1.8–2.1 Kcal./gm.) Supplementation of sunflower meal with lysine improved the M.E., however, the effect of lysine supplementation was not significant.Growth data indicated that 50% of soybean meal protein could be replaced with sunflower meal protein with no adverse effect on gain and feed conversion. Substitution of soybean meal protein with sunflower meal even up to the level of 100% seemed to be possible provided that lysine and a rich source of energy are added.