Your latest cannabis business info from Europe

Your latest cannabis business info from Europe

2024-07-23

Hemp: potential source of feed for ruminants

Hemp: potential source of feed for ruminants

For ruminant animals, hemp and its byproducts offer a promising substitute feed option. There hasn’t been much research done on the nutritional value or residues in animal products, though.

Hemp in studies as a feed

Studies show that hemp meal and seed can be used as acceptable substitute sources of protein in sheep diets without affecting the animals’ ability to breed. When compared to non-supplemented controls, ewes fed hemp seed or hemp seed meal produce more milk. Despite this, the inclusion of hemp products has little effect on important parameters including milk protein composition, milk urea nitrogen, and protein yield.

There are no notable variations in the intake and growth performance of ewes fed pellets with different amounts of hemp stubble compared to those fed pellets with oat straw. However, data interpretation is still difficult because there aren’t enough research and there are too many variables.

Hemp seed as a canola and soybean alternative

Scientists claim that you can use hemp seed meal in place of canola or soybean meal without losing any of its benefits. This replacement provides more digestible protein and more ruminal undegradable protein.

Furthermore, hempseed and hempseed oil have a very positive impact on a few characteristics. First, they have the ability to lower the amount of methane produced in the rumen. What is more, hemp delays the release of unsaturated fatty acids in the rumen, increase the concentrations of α-linolenic acid, conjugated linoleic acid, and omega-3 fatty acids, and improve the fatty acid composition of sheep milk. These modifications help to keep milk’s oxidative stability intact.

Additionally, different hemp seed meal ratios in diets can have positive impacts on energy metabolism and parameters associated with heat and cold stress. While higher antioxidant activity and microbiological quality might improve meat quality indicators, better management of faecal waste can lessen the environmental impact of sheep production.

Extensive advantages & further research

There are many benefits to using hemp seed and meal as substitute feed ingredients in sheep diets. These include boosting fatty acid profiles, demonstrating antioxidant benefits, reducing performance loss, controlling rumen metabolism, and optimizing blood parameters and meat quality.

Together, these advantages promote improved nutrition, possible anti-inflammatory properties, and general sheep health. To guarantee regulatory compliance, evaluate possible interactions, and establish the ideal inclusion levels, more study is necessary. This will fully realize the potential of industrial hemp while maintaining standards for animal welfare.

To move forward with this opportunity, farmers desperately need further research on the effects of hemp and its byproducts. It is important to use caution when adding hemp-related by-products to livestock diets because several countries have banned the presence of cannabinoid residues in commercial products like milk and meat.

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