Feeding Canola, Camelina, and Carinata Meals to Ruminants

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe world population is estimated to reach 9 billion people by 2050, which is estimated to increase the demand for food, fuel, and fiber by 60%. Domesticated ruminants play a vital role in this scenario because they can consume food byproducts that are nonedible for humans, contributing to livestock sustainability. Meals extracted from oilseed plants, such as soybean, canola, carinata, and camelina, are examples of food byproducts. Soybean meal is likely the byproduct most used worldwide, due to its availability and high-quality nutritional composition. However, the dependency on monocultures such as soybean is problematic due to price fluctuation and, in some countries, import dependency. Canola, camelina, and carinata meals have been investigated in the past two decades. Therefore, we aimed to summarize the results from studies in which canola, camelina, and carinata meal were fed to ruminants in order to evaluate how comparable these are to soybean meal and other common protein supplements in terms of animal digestion and performance. Based on this review, we conclude that canola meal is at least as good as soybean meal; and that camelina and carinata meal can be a valuable alternative feedstuff for livestock animals.AbstractSoybean meal (SBM) is a byproduct from the oil-industry widely used as protein supplement to ruminants worldwide due to its nutritional composition, high protein concentration, and availability. However, the dependency on monocultures such as SBM is problematic due to price fluctuation, availability and, in some countries, import dependency. In this context, oilseeds from the mustard family such as rapeseed/canola (Brassica napus and Brassica campestris), camelina (Camelina sativa), and carinata (Brassica carinata) have arisen as possible alternative protein supplements for ruminants. Therefore, the objective of this comprehensive review was to summarize results from studies in which canola meal (CM), camelina meal (CMM), and carinata meal (CRM) were fed to ruminants. This review was based on published peer-reviewed articles that were obtained based on key words that included the oilseed plant in question and words such as “ruminal fermentation and metabolism, animal performance, growth, and digestion”. Byproducts from oil and biofuel industries such as CM, CMM, and CRM have been evaluated as alternative protein supplements to ruminants in the past two decades. Among the three plants reviewed herein, CM has been the most studied and results have shown an overall improvement in nitrogen utilization when animals were fed CM. Camelina meal has a comparable amino acids (AA) profile and crude protein (CP) concentration to CM. It has been reported that by replacing other protein supplements with CMM in ruminant diets, similar milk and protein yields, and average daily gain have been observed. Carinata meal has protein digestibility similar to SBM and its CP is highly degraded in the rumen. Overall, we can conclude that CM is at least as good as SBM as a protein supplement; and altho...

Symposium review: Strategies to improve the efficiency and profitability of heifer raising

“…Camelina and carinata are both alternative oilseeds being researched for the development of biofuels, biopesticides, and bioplastics. Co-products of this research are camelina meal and carinata meal, which could be used as livestock feedstuffs (Paula et al, 2019). However, both oilseeds are noted for having higher concentrations of glucosinolates compared with canola meal, although they are different types of glucosinolates.…”

Brassica carinata: Biology and agronomy as a biofuel crop

“…Seeds contain about 80 μmol g −1 of GSLs comprising mainly of sinigrin, but can be as high as 160 μmol g −1 (Marquez‐Lema et al, 2008; Mnzava & Olsson, 1990; Seepaul et al, 2020; Seepaul, Small, Mulvaney, et al, 2019). After oil extraction, carinata seed meal can be used as supplemental protein for animal feed since it contains up to 53.5% crude protein, 76% of which are rumen degradable protein (Ban et al, 2017; Paula et al, 2019). However, carinata meal must contain less than 2.0% erucic acid and less than 30 μmol g −1 of GSLs like sinigrin due to their detrimental effects on the health of animals by reducing palatability and interfering with iodine uptake (Nega & Woldes, 2018; Tripathi & Mishra, 2007).…”

“…However, carinata meal must contain less than 2.0% erucic acid and less than 30 μmol g −1 of GSLs like sinigrin due to their detrimental effects on the health of animals by reducing palatability and interfering with iodine uptake (Nega & Woldes, 2018; Tripathi & Mishra, 2007). Therefore, carinata meal is restricted to 10% of the total diet or 0.3% of body weight per day (Paula et al, 2019; Schulmeister et al, 2019). The seed meal containing high GSL levels (44–168 μmol g −1 ) can be used as a soil amendment due to its biofumigant properties to suppress pest and disease activity (Gimsing & Kirkegaard, 2009; Mazzola & Manici, 2012; Pattison et al, 2006).…”

Stability and Variability of Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz Economically Valuable Traits in Various Eco-Geographical Conditions of the Russian Federation

“…Camelina oil is widely used in cosmetology: medical cosmetics based on camelina oil helps to increase the skin's resistance to environmental chemical factors [29,30]. Camelina seeds are characterized by a low content of glucosinolates [31], camelina oil cake and meal are used in the production of compound feeds and biological mineral and vitamin supplements [32][33][34].…”