Sunflower Meal

Meal is the residual substance after oil extraction as the case with litmus or the so called sunflower. Meals are the most important by-products used in feeding animals and poultry due to its low cost of the protein unit. Sunflower meal is commonly known in many countries around the globe. There is a disparity in the nutritional value as a result of using high degree temperature during manufacturing.

Rate of protein also depends on the method of extraction. There are two types of sunflower meals: hulled with 45-47% protein and about 11% of raw fibres, and unhulled with 32-34% of protein and about 24% of fibres. Sunflower meal is low in lysine, and high in methionine, tryptophan, calcium, and phosphorous. Thus, sunflower meal is relatively better than cotton seed meal in fats since it contains a percentage of 40% against 17% in cotton seed meal.

Uses of sunflower meal

Sunflower seeds meal could be used with good percentages in poultry feeds which in turn will reduce the feed cost. This will be through replacing part of sunflower seeds meal with part of soybeans seeds meal due to higher prices of soybeans meal.
Sunflower meal is directly used without treatment, it is also one of rich in protein meals for feeding livestock.

It is the highest product in value, safety, protein and fibres. Oil could also be extracted from sunflower seeds as its percentage of protein ranges from 23% to 40% and is mechanically extracted.