Pelletted Cotton seed hulls versus regular

Cattledog · Oct 16, 2009

I've been looking at switching feed mills and the mill I am looking to switch to says they will only use pelletted cotton seed hulls. Does anybody have any experience with this?

Chap · Oct 16, 2009

same product in a different package. pelleted hulls flow better through standard milling systems . if you are getting a grind and mix type feed, it will act the same way.

Doc · Oct 16, 2009

I actually like them better. The pellets that is.

farwest · Oct 16, 2009

What about fertility concerns one versus the other. ?

Cattledog · Oct 16, 2009

Chap said:
same product in a different package. pelleted hulls flow better through standard milling systems . if you are getting a grind and mix type feed, it will act the same way.

That's the reason they told me they use pelleted cotton seed hulls.

Chap · Oct 16, 2009

nutritionally there is no difference between the 2. i guess some might suggest that the heat and pressure required to pellet the hulls may tie up some of the gossypol, but I would not worry about gossypol in hulls when fed in a mixed ration.

Cattledog · Oct 16, 2009

Chap said:
nutritionally there is no difference between the 2. i guess some might suggest that the heat and pressure required to pellet the hulls may tie up some of the gossypol, but I would not worry about gossypol in hulls when fed in a mixed ration.

So really the only difference would be the appearance then? Sorry, I'm OCD about my feed!

Jill · Oct 16, 2009

We have fed the pelleted product for about 2 years now and have no problems with it at all. The advantages are, it doesn't clog up in the self feeders and the feed is cleaner.

Cattledog · Oct 16, 2009

Thanks Jill, I didn't think about the clogging. Hmmmmm.....I may really need to seriously consider this.

shortdawg · Oct 16, 2009

I've been told the heat required to pelletize the cóttonseed hulls drastically reduce the gossoypol (sp?) We have access to whole cottonseed down here but we can only feed 5 lbs/hd/day b/c of fertility concerns.

Chap · Oct 16, 2009

whole cottonseed feeding is correct as indicated by Shortdawg. Cotton contains a naturaly occuring chemical called gossypol that is toxic in high levels. low levels are toxic to monogastrics. Ruminants can handle at higher rates as the gossypol is tied up by proteins in the rumen. Most adult cattle can handle 5-6 lbs/hd/day of whole cottonseed without adverse effects. Most of the gossypol is found in the oil and therefore is of little concern in hulls.
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1952/VTMD-9116.pdf
good article on gossypol toxicity.

Please excuse my fervor for this subject. I trade cottonseed for a living to support my cattle habit.
Chap

Cattledog · Oct 16, 2009

Chap said:
whole cottonseed feeding is correct as indicated by Shortdawg. Cotton contains a naturaly occuring chemical called gossypol that is toxic in high levels. low levels are toxic to monogastrics. Ruminants can handle at higher rates as the gossypol is tied up by proteins in the rumen. Most adult cattle can handle 5-6 lbs/hd/day of whole cottonseed without adverse effects. Most of the gossypol is found in the oil and therefore is of little concern in hulls.
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1952/VTMD-9116.pdf
good article on gossypol toxicity.

Please excuse my fervor for this subject. I trade cottonseed for a living to support my cattle habit.
Chap

I appreciate all of the information I can get. I came away from this topic with alot more knowlege than just if pelleted hulls are equivalent to regular hulls.

GONEWEST · Oct 16, 2009

In my experience, pelleted cottonseed hulls serve no purpose in a ration other than to ad fiber to the diet. We use cottonseed hulls to ad texture and bulk to the feed and ad volume and shape to the animal as beet pulp does. Pelleting the hulls negates all of that. If that is the fiber source in the feed for cows or replacement heifers that's fine. But IMO pelleted cotton seed hulls serve zero purpose in a show cattle ration as they provide little nutrition and no bulk.

PLKR · Oct 17, 2009

FWIW--- Purina/Honor Show Chow has switched a significant portion of the CS hulls in their feed to the pelleted form, at least in our area--looks a bit different but seems to feed the same.

Jill · Oct 17, 2009

Nice to hear from you Gonewest, we've missed you!

inthebarnagain · Oct 17, 2009

I like the pelleted hulls much better. They work the exact same for the cattle, at least on my cattle it has. Plus, the big bonus is that the pelleted takes up much less room in the grinder and the food bin. We can get 2 tons of feed in our bin when we use the pelleted, versus a little less than 3000 pounds when we use the hulls that aren't pelleted

GONEWEST · Oct 17, 2009

inthebarnagain said:
I like the pelleted hulls much better. They work the exact same for the cattle, at least on my cattle it has. Plus, the big bonus is that the pelleted takes up much less room in the grinder and the food bin. We can get 2 tons of feed in our bin when we use the pelleted, versus a little less than 3000 pounds when we use the hulls that aren't pelleted

Fits in the cow the same way. That's why pelleted cottonseed hulls are useless in a show calf ration. Not good for anything other than bulk and if they have no bulk they have no use.

Jacob B · Oct 18, 2009

Gonewest, I actually agree with you. Yes, whole fuzzy cotten seed does have a drawback when fed to bulls as far as fertility. The reason why I use cotten seed hulls, and not whle fuzzy is for the bulk and to help get rid of many of the fines that accur when your pellets get beat around in the mixer, you loose mineral and soybean meal from most pellets to fines. The cotten seed hulls when mixed with more molasses get those fines to attatch to the hulls. The cattle will not leave a bunch in the bottom of a feed pan. It does add some fill, where pelleted hulls add next to none, and they are just another pellet to get smashed around in a mixer and create fines that your cattle won't eat. Pelleted hulls serve no purpose in my feed rations, I can get anything I need from them in a cheaper more afficient way. Hulls are the only way to go.
Mills don't like mixing with the hulls because it clogs up EVERYTHING. I have experience first hand with feed mills that just can't handle it. Those that can are just a step above everyone else when it comes to show feed.

Jill · Oct 18, 2009

Our show feeds are mixed by hand and we add beet pulp and cottonseed hulls on our heifers we are trying to hold, you really don't need either for calves you are trying to grow

inthebarnagain · Oct 19, 2009

I disagree on the hull pellets being useless. If you get them wet they swell like crazy. So once they go in the stomach they will fill just like the hulls do

Pelletted Cotton seed hulls versus regular

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