Article Archives
Sunflower Meal Applications - For Livestock & Poultry Feeds
Sunday, August 1, 1999
filed under: Utilization/Trade
* Beef - Sunflower meal can be used as the sole protein source of
the ration for finishing beef cattle, as well as for the sole source of
protein for wintering or grazing mother cows. Sun meal also can be used
in combination with soybean meal and/or cottonseed meal in calf or creep
feeding programs.
* Dairy - Sunflower meal may be used as the sole protein source as
long as the rumen bypass protein requirement has been met. When sun
meal is used as a blend with soybean meal (50:50 blend of total
protein), a better blend of amino acids is provided. Research has
demonstrated that the blend feeds better than if the two separate
ingredients are fed alone. In calf and heifer developer feeds, the
inclusion of sun meal should be limited to 50 percent of the protein.
* Swine - Sunflower meal can be used in swine feeds, realizing that
the lysine is limiting. It may be used at levels of 25 to 35 percent of
the utilized soybean meal, given adequate lysine supplementation.
Additional fat may be necessary in very high energy rations. Sunflower
meal should not be used in pigs weighing less than 30 pounds. With
properly balanced rations, sun meal can be used for up to 60 percent of
the ration for sows and boars.
* Sheep - Sheep can be fed sun meal as the sole protein source in
the diet. The same is true for lambs.
* Poultry - Sun meal can be used in broiler feeds at up to 7.5
percent, provided all amino acid and energy requirements have been met.
In laying hens, levels of 20 percent can be fed - assuming adequate
lysine and threonine supplementation is made. The same is true for
developing pullets. There are limited data on turkeys; but levels up to
7.5 percent could be fed with adequate amino acid supplementation.
"With very competitive pricing of industrial amino acids today -
especially lysine and threonine - the feed formulator or practicing
nutritionist should be evaluating sunflower meal in all their rations."
Source: Northern Sun / ADM