Some other oil crops

These species are mentioned mainly because, although not grown in this country, there is an interest in extracted meals or cakes from them to be used as feed ingredients for livestock compound feed.

SeSAME (Sesamum indicum)

The sesame is an annual tropical herb in the family Pedaliaceae. It is grown mainly in India, China, Sudan, Burma and Mexico.

Seeds

Importance and seed composition:

The sesame is used in the food and feed industry, and in other industries. For human consumption, seeds and cold-pressed oil are used. Seeds are used for seasoning, and pastry and confectionery production. Ground seeds mixed with sugar of honey are an oriental delicacy called chalva. Oil is used for direct consumption, for manufacture of confectionery, food preservation, manufacture of solidified edible fats and in the medicine. Warm-pressed oil and extracted oil are used for soap production. For animal nutrition, cakes and extracted meals are used that are very palatable for animals. Traditionally, sesame cakes and meals are part of game feed. From flowers, essential oil is obtained that is used for perfume manufacturing.

Seeds contain 35-57 % fat, about 20 % crude protein, 14 % carbohydrates, 5 % crude fibre and about 2 % minerals. Macroelements are represented mainly by phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium, microelements by iron, copper and manganese.

Cultivation requirements:

Sesame is not grown in this country.

PeAnUT (Arachis hypogaea)

The peanut or groundnut is an annul plant in the legume family Fabaceae, native to South America. Nowadays it is grown mainly in Asia, Africa and the U.S.A. The peanut forms legumes in a special way. After pollination the fruit develops into an indehiscent legume containing 1 to 3seeds, which forces its way underground to mature. This phenomenon is called geocarpia and the Latin name of the plant is derived form it.

Importance and seed composition:

The peanut is used in the food and feed industry, and other industries. For human nutrition, seeds and oil are used. Seeds are eaten directly or added in various meals, often are used as filling for sweets. Beside food production, oil is used for the manufacture of soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, paints and drugs, etc. For livestock feeding , cakes and meals are used, obtained form husked, partly husked or unhusked seeds. They are palatable for animals. Cakes and meals from unhusked seeds are not suitable for monogasters and young animals because of a high fibre content.

Seeds contain up to 50 % fat high in oleic and linoleic acids. They are also rich in protein; protein content is about 30 %. Crude fibre content is only about 5 %, but that of unhusked seeds is more than double. Carbohydrate content is about 12 % and mineral content about 2 %.

Seeds contain some antinutritional substances. These include antigenic proteins that can induce food allergies, and probably show cross-reactivity with soy protein. Another risk is a frequent infestation of seeds, meals and cakes with the fungus Aspergillus flavus. It develops mainly in seeds stored under bad conditions (high moisture, high ambient temperature). This fungus produces highly toxic carcinogenic mycotoxines - aflatoxines. Aflatoxines damage the liver and kidneys, impair fat metabolism of the liver and can also cause liver cirrhosis and tumours. High-producing lactating cows and young animals are particularly sensitive to aflatoxin effects. In piglets, the ingestion of high amounts o aflatoxin may lead to death. Alflatoxins may also pass into animal products and pose a risk to human health.

Cultivation requirements:

The peanut is not grown in this country.

COTTON (Gossypium sp.)

Cotton plants are tropical or subtropical half-shrubs or herbs in the family Malvaceae. Each cotton seed is surrounded by downy white unicellular fibers called lint. The fibres on episperm provide cotton. The cotton has been known since the Old Age. The Chinese cultivated it as early as 2500 years B.C. It was also grown by the Aztecs who developed the cotton processing technology which is used in some parts of Mexico to this day. Modern enslavement in North America is associated with cotton cultivation.

Seeds
 

Importance and grain composition:

Cotton seeds are a by-product of cotton manufacture. They are high in fat, though. Cotton oils is used in the food industry and for technical purposes. From cotton oil soaps, cosmetics, etc. are made, it is also used for drug production. Cotton cake and meal is used for livestock production because they are high in crude protein (40-45 % husked, 20-25 % unhusked). Protein is obtained from partly husked or unhusked seeds. Cotton cake and meals are not suitable for monogastric animals because it is difficult to separate seeds form fibres so they have a high fibre content even when husked. (25 % unhusked, 12 % husked). Cotton cake contains about 7 % residual fat, 30-35 % carbohydrates and about 2 % minerals.

Cotton seeds contain antinutritional substances. The most significant is polyphenolic yellow pigment gossypol. There are several modes of toxic action. It binds iron thereby causing anemia, reacts with free amino groups of dietary and tissue aminoacids. Thus, it lowers availability of dietary nutrients, and by reacting with different enzymes it interferes with other biochemical processes. It decreases fertility in male animals, as well as in men. In monogastric animals, its deleterious effect is reflected in decreased feed intake, weight loss, scours, hair discoloration, hemolytic anemia, heart and lung edema, degenerative changes in the liver and spleen, liver, small intestine and gastric hemorrhages. In ruminants, the harmful effect is not so great, but still levels of cake and meal should not exceed 15 % of the diet, and higher levels of dietary minerals should be provided because these bid gossypol forming insoluble compounds. After three to four months of use, cotton meal or cake should be excluded from the diet, to enable the slow excretion of accumulated gossypol from the body.

Cultivation requirements:

Cotton is not grown in this country.