LCP Cottonseed Flour as a Protein Source for Swine

Three experiments, involving 352 pigs, were conducted to evaluate liquid cyclone process (LCP) cottonseed flour (CSF) as a protein source for swine. When fed in meal form, a diet containing 10% CSF was preferred (P<.05) to a soybean meal (SBM)-sorghum control. Diets containing 15 or 18% CSF were less palatable (P<.05) than the control. When similar diets were fed in pellet form, no preferences in palatability were shown. In a growth trial, weanling pigs fed an 8% CSF diet performed as well as those fed a SBM control diet. Average daily gains (ADG) were reduced and feed/gain increased (P<.05) for pigs fed 16 and 24% flour diets. Average daily feed intake (ADFI) was reduced (P<.05) for pigs fed the 24% flour diet. In a second trial, ADG and ADFI were lower (P<.05) for pigs receiving 8 and 12% flour diets than for control pigs and no differences were found among treatments in feed/gain or lysine efficiency ratio (LER). Pigs fed a diet containing 4% flour performed at rates similar to control pigs. During the growing period, pigs fed a 5% CSF diet performed as well as control pigs. ADG for pigs fed 10 or 15% CSF diets was lower (P<.05) than that of pigs fed the control diet. LER of pigs fed the 10% cottonseed meal (CSM) diet was lower (P<.05) than for any other group. No differences existed among treatments in feed/gain or ADFI. During the finishing period, LER of pigs fed diets containing 4 and 12% CSF was higher (P<.05) than values of pigs fed control or cottonseed diets. No differences among treatments were found in ADG, feed/gain or ADFI.