The Proximate, Phytochemical and Mineral analysis of mechanically extracted cotton seed meal was carried out in a laboratory. This study revelated that Cotton Seed meal (CSM) contained nutritive values and phytochemical constituents. It could be used as a protein supplement in fish feed formulation, more research should carry out on the processing of cotton seed cake to remove the anti-nutritional factors.
Animal’s feedstuffs have been in the decline in recent years, because of the diminishing output of certain traditional crops. Statistics show that the country (Nigeria) relies on imports to meet the needs of an expanding livestock and aquaculture industry. This has reaches in the increase in prices of feed resources which intensify the already high cost of fish feed which have been a major problem to fish farmers in Nigeria. The feed cost constitute 40 to 60 percent of the recurrent cost of most intensive fish farm ventures which affect the economic viability of the farm when cheaper alternatives are not available. Fish meal is the most commonly used in fish feed which is considered to be the best ingredients due to its protein requirement of fish.
The anti-nutrients component of feedstuff has to be inactivated by thermal or non-thermal processing before being used to feed fish. This may be done to increase the palatability of food, increase its quality for fish feed, minimizing risk of food spoilage and produce good product from the basics ingredients. According to there are several anti-nutritional factors that are very significant in plants used for human foods and animal feed. Trypsin present in soybean is factors that can interfere with the utilization of its protein. reported that Moringa leaves contain negligible amount of tannins, but high level of crude saponins (5%) which may have anti nutritional effects on animals. Research on the nutritive value of some fish feed ingredients of both plant and animals sources such as plantain, poultry offal, maggot meal, Calabash Seed, calabash Seed Meal and water hyacinth were reported. There was dearth of information on the nutritive value of CSM. Despite all those studies, the re indispensible to study the nutritive value of CSM. The aim of this research is to evaluate the nutritive value and the phytochemicals content of cotton seed meal.
The result shows that Cotton Seed meal (CSM) contained nutritive values and phytochemical constituents. It could be used as a protein supplement in fish feed formulation, more research should carry out on the processing of cotton seed cake to remove the anti-nutritional factors.
Source: Jibrin et al . Nutritive and phytochemical assessment of cotton (Gossypium spp.) seed meal for fish feed. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2020; 8(5): 380-385.
