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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
With the installation of more factories for the decortication of cotton-seeds in Pakistan, the utilization of cotton-seed hulls as a feed is likely to assume great importance. During 1949–50, the writers made determinations of the chemical composition and the feeding value of Pakistan cottonseed hulls by conducting a digestibility trial on dry Sahiwal cows. They are found to contain 39.89–56.47% total digestible nutrients (mean value = 48.68%) and 0.0–0.38% digestible protein. It was observed during the trials that the cows could eat about 20 lb. of hulls per head per day without difficulty. The cows also ate hulls in preference to wheat straw.
Being low in calcium and phosphorus, cotton-seed hulls should not be used as a sole roughage for long periods, unless supplemented with calcium or phosphorus in mineral form, or preferably with silage, legume hay or green fodder of good quality.
Pakistan cotton-seed hulls appear to be equal, if not better, than wheat straw as a cattle feed. From the economic point of view, hulls should be used as a cattle feed only if they are purchasable at about the same price as wheat straw.