Cottonseed Meal

Brief Overview

Cottonseed meal is a by-product of oil extraction from cotton seeds, it is used for animal feeding due to its richness in oil and protein. Cottonseed meal also provides a distinctive blend of protein, fibre, and energy compared to other feed materials. Cottonseed meal is commonly used as a source of protein for adult ruminants, pigs, poultry, rabbits, horses, fish, and crustaceans.

Manufacturing Process

The common manufacturing process of cottonseed meal is to clean the seeds, remove fiber covering them, the hulls are cut and separated from the kernels. The kernels are then crushed, cooked, and the oil is extracted using a hydraulic press or a screw press (expeller). This extraction method uses heat, thereby increasing the protein binding, converting more free-gossypol(toxic form) to the bound form (non-toxic).

Animal Feed Industry

In the industry, the product is used as raw feed material to provide good source of protein for monogastric animal. Another function is to be partial substitute for soybean meal. The product is mostly fed to adult ruminants. Moreover, it is good source of fiber, protein, fatty acids, and energy