Nutritional Values of Industrial Hemp Byproducts for Dairy Cattle

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to explore the nutritional components of industrial hemp byproducts (industrial hemp ethanol extraction byproduct, IHEEB; industrial hemp stalk, IHS; industrial hemp seed meal, IHSM; industrial hemp oil filter residue, IHOFR) and provide theoretical support for the application of industrial hemp byproducts in dairy cattle production. This experiment used a combination of a wet chemical method with Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System, in situ nylon bag technique, and three-step in vitro method to compare the chemical composition, carbohydrate and protein composition, in situ ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of industrial hemp byproducts and conventional feeds (alfalfa hay, AH; soybean meal, SBM). Available energy values were estimated based on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The results showed that the nutritional composition of different feeds varied greatly. The two types of IHEEB were enriched with ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and calcium, while the contents of neutral detergent insoluble crude protein, acid detergent insoluble crude protein, and acid detergent lignin were higher. As a result, the non-degradable carbohydrate and protein components were higher, and the effective degradation rate of rumen dry matter and protein was lower. IHS contains higher non-protein nitrogen and NDF, which enables it to provide more CP rumen effective degradation rate and carbohydrates, but the high acid detergent fiber also limits its application. IHSM possesses 296 g/kg CP and high rumen undegradable protein and intestinal digested protein, which can provide rumen bypass protein in dairy cows, making it a potentially good protein source. IHOFR had higher ether extract, rumen available protein degradation rate, and total tract digested protein, which can provide more energy and easily degradable protein for lactating cows. The available energy value of IHEEB and IHS was lower than AH, while SBM is between IHFOR and IHSM. In addition, the tetrahydrocannabinol of three industrial hemp byproducts that have not been assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was tested to evaluate their safety, and all of them were less than the limit set by ESFA. In conclusion, industrial hemp byproducts can be considered for inclusion in dietary formulations as unconventional feed sources for dairy cattle, but the purpose of use needs to be properly considered.

Replacing alfalfa hay with industrial hemp ethanol extraction byproduct and Chinese wildrye hay: Effects on lactation performance, plasma metabolites, and bacterial communities in Holstein cows

“…In addition, different diet compositions and ruminal degradation characteristics may also be responsible for the lower VFA in dairy cows after ingestion of alternative diets. It has been suggested that IHEEB contains lower ruminal effective degradation rates compared to AH ( 51 ). Acetate and butyrate are precursors of milk fat synthesis ( 52 ).…”

Larvicidal Activity of Hemp Extracts and Cannabidiol against the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti

“…Notably, hemp extracts have been shown to be non-toxic to select non-target invertebrates [43,58] and may be beneficial to honeybee workers [59]. Hemp is also an emerging, readily cultivated crop in the U.S. [13,16,19,60] and its leaves are often discarded [33,57]. Thus, availability of raw material would not appear limited as it can be for other sources of biopesticides [46].…”

“…The hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, is a rapidly emerging high value specialty crop that can be cultivated for the production of a wide array of products [13]. For example, hemp seeds, which have numerous health benefits, are used to produce a diversity of goods including milk, dietary supplements, animal feed, and oil [14][15][16][17][18]. Furthermore, hemp bark and stems are used for industrial production of textiles, paper and even concrete [17,19,20].…”

Nutritional Evaluation of Milk Thistle Meal as a Protein Feedstuff for Diets of Dairy Cattle

“…The nutritional value of the feedstuffs was evaluated using the CNCPS system following the method of Wang et al [27]. The CNCPS divides the CP in the feed into nonprotein nitrogen (PA), rapidly degradable protein (PB1), moderately degradable protein (PB2), slowly degradable protein (PB3), and unavailable protein (PC).…”