Utilization of High Protein Cottonseed Meal in Broiler Diets

Abstract

Two experiments evaluated a high-protein (44.9%) low-gossypol (0.13%) cottonseed meal (CSM) in broiler diets with amino acid values adjusted in accordance with published digestibility values. In the first experiment, a range of metabolizable energy levels was assigned to CSM to try to biologically determine its energy value. In contrast to the corn-soybean meal control, broilers fed CSM had reduced feed intake and body weight; however, feed utilization proved superior. Assigned energy value had no significant effect on performance. In the second experiment, CSM was assigned an ME value of 2000 kcal/kg and incorporated into diets at 0, 10, 20, and 30% fed with and without additional ferrous sulfate. At 42 days broilers fed diets with 10 and 20% CSM did not differ from the control group in body weight, feed intake, or feed utilization; however, broilers fed 30% CSM had significantly reduced body weight, probably as a result of reduced feed intake on this diet. Physical effects of the 30% CSM diet may have inhibited feed intake, suggesting that CSM may be used more effectively in diets with lower nutrient density.