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Sunflower meal (SFM) is a basic and cheap source of feed protein in Bulgaria. Its use is limited by the high content of hulls, which decrease its energy and protein value, and by low content of the amino acids lysine and threonine. In ruminants, an additional problem is a high degradability of protein. For more than ten years a new technology for separation of SFM in low and high cellulose fractions was developed and applied. The low cellulose fraction contains 46 or 50% crude protein (HPSFM-46 or -50). It is suitable for feeding poultry, growing pigs and lactating sows. To increase utilization of diet is necessary for SFM to be supplemented with fat, synthetic amino acids (lysine, threonine), enzymes (phithase, ß-glucanase, xylanase, protease) and eventually to be pelleted. The high cellulose fraction (17% crude protein) contains too much impregnation by lignin and silica hulls, which limit including in rations. After additional removal of parts of hulls and supplementation with molasses, minerals and vitamins, it may become acceptable concentrate feed (app. 25% CP) for low productive ruminants (dry cows, first stage of fattening animals, replacing heifers, lambs, and kids). It is necessary to prove possibilities to use this low protein fraction in rations of rabbits, pregnant sows and during the finishing period of fattening pigs. SFM for high productive ruminants should be toasted to decrease degradability and increase utilization of protein. Studies are needed for better estimation of the feeding characteristics of different new SFM products, for optimizing combinations with other protein sources, and for establishing the best composition of feed mixtures for different species and categories of animal. Trials are needed for estimation of the degree of replacement of soybean meal by new SFM products and its economic impact on animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of various dietary levels of high-protein sunflower meal (HiSFM) in compound feed for broiler chickens on their carcass characteristics and meat quality. The experiment was conducted with four groups (one control; three experimental), each with 6 128 unsexed day-old Cobb 500 broiler chickens. In the diet of experimental groups, soybean meal (SBM) was replaced with three different levels of HiSFM and in the diet of 3rd experimental group, it replaced entirely the SBM. The chickens were slaughtered at 42 days of age. As carcass characteristics were concerned, no significant differences among the four groups were established, except for "grill" weight which was the highest in control group (p = 0.05). The substitution of SBM with HiSFM had a negative effect on meat protein content, which was higher in control group than in experimental ones (p = 0.001). Among meat technological properties, value of pH was lower while water holding capacity (WHC) - better in control group. The consumer panel gave the highest organoleptic score to the second experimental group, whose diet was characterized with a medium level of SBM replacement with HiSFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 210 one day-old male Ross-308 broiler chicks allotted in 7 dietary treatment groups of 30 birds each, balanced for body weight, were reared to 49 days of age and fed with diets consisting different HiSFM (CP-45.4%) and SBM (CP-46.0%) levels. During the starter period (1-10 d) diets contained HiSFM from 5 to 15% and SBM from 20 to 29.9%; in the grower period (11-24 d) diets contained HiSFM from 10 to 25% and SBM from 5.5 to 20% and finally in the finishing (25-49 d) period - HiSFM was from 15 to 26.5% and SBM was from 0 to 11.3%. The results showed that at 49 days of age, broilers attained a body weight of 3010±91.9 g (group 5) and 3180±112 g (group 6), with nonsignificant differences among groups (P>0.05). The inclusion of higher dietary HiSFM levels in rations of broiler chickens balanced for L-lysine did not pose risk for the growth performance of birds. The inclusion of HiSFM in broiler diets could provide about or more than half of necessary crude protein during the grower (52.79%) and finisher period (53.55 - 61.70%). Recommended dietary HiSFM level for the starter period is up to 10%, for the grower period - up to 20% and for the finisher period - up to 23%. The replacement of 10% SBM with an equal amount of HiSFM reduces the costs of diets by 3.74% to 4.61% depending on the feeding period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is insufficient data on the direct use of grain legumes as protein sources in the feeding of ruminants and, in particular, of sheep and lambs. The purpose of this study is to track the growth and consumption of feed in female lambs for breeding in weight of 19.4 kg when replacing sunflower meal "Sunpro 46" with a high protein content, with peas and thermally treated soybean grain. 30 female lambs of Pleven Black face breed were used. Lambs from all three groups received an equal amount of compound feed of 18% protein content. It was found that the thermally treated soybean and pea grains as protein sources in compound feed for lambs did not have a meaningful impact on the weight development of female lambs for breeding with weight from 19 kg to 28 kg. An average daily weight gain of 0.205-0.209 kg for female lambs was obtained in the three types of rations, respectively with the participation of sunflower meal "Sunpro-46" and grain of soybeans and peas. Feed intake per 1 kg weight gain is 4.9 kg DM, regardless of the protein source in the ration (sunflower meal, soybeans and peas). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility for using compound feeds with various levels of highprotein sunflower oil and its effect on main productive traits of broiler chickens. The experiment was carried out in the Experimental Base of the Faculty of Agriculture with 4 groups Ross 308 broiler chickens (30 birds in group, one control and 3 experimental). On the basis of chemical analysis of feed ingredients, isocaloric and isoprotein rations were formulated according to hybrid's requirements. The protein component of control ration was based on soybean meal as the only source of dietary protein. The birds from experimental groups were fed as follows: group I - compound feed with 5, 8 and 12% pelleted high-protein sunflower oil during the starter, grower and finisher periods, respectively; group II - as the Ist group, but with higher level of high-protein sunflower oil -15, 20 and 22%, respectively; group III - high-protein sunflower oil was the only protein feed (32.95%, 28.55% and 26.50%), respectively. The replacement of soybean meal with pelleted highprotein sunflower oil in the isocaloric/isoprotein diet of broiler chickens resulted in reduction of body weight, most pronounced in experimental group III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate the effect of feeding poultry compound feed with diff erent level of highprotein sunflower meal on growth performance of broiler chickens. The experiment was performed with 3 groups of chickens (30 birds in group) -- one control and two experimental ones. Feeding isocaloric and isoprotein diets, containing flour of sun-flower meal -- 10% for the second group and 15% for the third group during the three growth periods, had an adverse effect on growth performance: at the end of the finisher period the reduction of live weight was by 1.6% and 4.1% for the second and third groups respectively. Feed intake per 1 kg weight gain was increased by 2.7% and 4.2% in experimental groups. It could be assumed that worse production traits resulting from increased proportion of low-cellulose high-protein sunflower meal in diets was due to the lower feed intake associated to excessively fine meal particles -- 150-300 µm. The optimum size of particles in corn or sorghum based poultry compound feed, preferred by broiler chickens, was from 600 and 900 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate variability in the nutritional value of sunflower meal (SFM) protein by determining both its ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility. Three non-lactating Jersey cows fi tted with a rumen and T-type duodenal cannulas were used to estimate rumen degradability and intestinal digestibility of SFM dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP). Samples of SFM were collected from seven sunflower processing plants (SFM1 to SFM7). The SFM were incubated in the rumen of the cows for 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 h in 6 replications. The soluble or rapidly degradable fraction a of SFM DM ranged from 208 to 264 (SD = 21.2) g/kg. The effective degradability of DM at assumed rumen outflow rate of 0.06/h ranged from 533 to 585 (SD= 22.1) g/kg. Fraction a of CP ranged from 208 to 279 (SD = 26.8) g/kg. Effective degradability of SFM CP at rumen outflow rate of 0.06/h was relatively high and ranged from 639 to 723 g/kg (SD = 29.4). Intestinal digestibility of SFM DM and CP measured by mobile bag technique varied from 387 to 473 g/kg (SD = 25.9) and from 863 to 930 (SD = 22.5), respectively. Estimated Protein Digestible in the small Intestine (PDI) was 159 to 201 (SD = 14.1) g/kg DM, and Protein Balance in the Rumen (PBR) varied from 105 to 146 (SD = 14.9) g/kg DM. This study showed that protein degradability and digestibility of commercial SFM samples varied considerably, suggesting that nutritive value of SFM protein will fl uctuate depending on agronomic conditions, sunflower variety, and processing technology. This variability should be considered when formulating rations with SFM for ruminant animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]