Sunflower meal: GOST, composition, manufacturers

Sunflower meal is a valuable fodder product widely used in agriculture. Its application allows to significantly increase the productivity of animals and poultry, thereby increasing the profitability of the farm. Feed the sunflower cake as in pure form, and in the composition of mixed fodder.

Kinds

This food is a by-product of sunflower oil production. That is, as a raw material for its production, ordinary seeds are used. The production of sunflower meal is carried out in two stages:

• Seeds come under the press, resulting in the release of sunflower oil - a valuable food.
• The extraction procedure is carried out. From the pressed mass with the help of special solvents (most often gasoline), the residual oil is isolated.

By this technology, the so-called ordinary meal is obtained. Sometimes the final product is also subjected to heat treatment. Such a meal is called tested.

Using

As already mentioned, sunflower meal is used for the most part as feed when growing farm animals and poultry. Its value lies mainly in the fact that it contains a lot of proteins. And they, in fact, are responsible for the set of animals with muscle mass, as well as their growth. In high-quality protein meals can contain up to 60%. At the same time, proteins are completely high in amino acid composition. By this indicator, the meal exceeds even many cereals.

In the protein of sunflower meal contains amino acids such as cystine, lysine, tryptophan and methionine. The composition of this feed also includes another useful element - fiber. It directly affects the digestibility of animals, and in particular ruminants, food. Contained in the meal and all sorts of mineral trace minerals. This type of food is especially rich in phosphorus and potassium. Also in its composition include zinc, manganese, iron, copper, cobalt, iodine, nitrogen. Contained in the meal and vitamins: B, E and A.

Included in the composition of the meal and the remains of oil (up to 15%). In terms of quality, it is much higher than fodder, since it has a low degree of oxidation and a high percentage of phospholipids.

Advantages of the product

The use of such feed, as sunflower meal, allows:

• Improve the metabolism of animals that consume it;
• Increase the percentage of digestibility by animals of other types of feed;
• To reduce the risk of death;
• Increase average daily growth;
• Strengthen the immune system;
• Improve the general condition of animals;
• Improve the quality of meat, milk and eggs.

Adult animals are usually given this food in crushed form, and young animals - in the ground, both in dry condition and moistened. Also very often the meal is added to the buns.

Composition of the product

Thus, this type of feed must necessarily meet the requirements of GOST. Sunflower meal (the technical conditions, that is, the requirements for its composition, are indicated in special tables) externally is a mass of gray or brownish color, containing, as already mentioned, oil, fiber and various trace elements. The table below shows the most important indicators that clearly demonstrate the feed value of this product. The numbers indicated in it are part of the technical specifications in accordance with GOST 11246-96.

A product with such a composition is considered to be fully compliant with GOST. Sunflower meal, sold in our country, usually has a decent quality. Regulates its composition GOST 13496.

Harmful impurities

As you can see, the product is valuable and very useful - sunflower meal. The composition of this feed allows us to use it successfully in both animal husbandry and poultry farming. However, as in any other product, a small amount of harmful or useless components may be contained in the meal. Their permissible percentage is also determined by GOST.

The moisture content of the sunflower meal during storage should not exceed 6%. Otherwise, the product will begin to mold and rot.

Manufacturers

Sunflower meal is produced in many countries of the world. And Russia in the production of this product is one of the first places. Also, a lot of it is produced in Ukraine, Argentina, South Africa, Pakistan, China, the United States and India.

In Russia, numerous oil extraction plants and fat plants are produced. The most popular domestic producers include: the MEZ "Yug Rusi", "Aston", "Agrocomplex", "Atkarskiy MEZ", "Melnik" and some others.

The largest suppliers of such products as sunflower cake (photos of prepackaged and bulk feed can be seen on this page) are "August Agro", TC "Agroresurs", "Vesta", "Trionis".

Some time ago, experts of the independent Russian Institute of National Problems examined domestic food for GMOs. In the black list after that, many companies that produce sunflower cake got. Producers of Prioskolye, Cherkizovo, BEZRK-Belgrankorm are the most well-known companies with feeds containing genetically modified products. There are some other smaller firms in the list. In principle, the use of feed containing GMOs in Russia is not prohibited. However, blacklisted manufacturers sell this product without warning the buyer about the availability of genetically modified components in it.

GOST requirements

Norms prescribed by state standards, enterprises that produce cake, must comply not only with respect to the composition of the product. GOST also controls quality:

• Raw materials used to make meal. Seeds must comply with GOST 22391.
• Packings. The sunflower cake is packaged in paper bags corresponding to GOST 2226. At the same time, the weight of the meal packed in this way should not exceed 30 kg. It is also possible to dispense the product without packaging (in bulk).
• The marking should be applied in accordance with GOST 14192. The bags must be marked with the inscription "Protect from moisture". When shipping the product in bulk, all the required characteristics are indicated in the accompanying documentation.

The bags can be filled with both sunflower granulated meal and bulk.

Shrot and oilcake

Of the sunflower seeds, one more kind of valuable food is made - cake. From the cake it differs primarily in the way of production. Make the cake simply by pressing the seeds. It does not extrapolate. Therefore, he does not have the same composition as schrot. Sunflower cake contains even more useful substances. Like the meal, it is often included in the composition of mixed fodders.

History of sunflower

Thus, the cake is made from ordinary seeds. To use it for feeding animals began a long time ago. The native land of sunflower is North America, and there is evidence that this plant has been cultivated for more than 5 thousand years. In Europe, it was imported probably in 1500 by the Spaniards.

As an oilseed culture for the first time sunflower began to be used in Russia in Russia. In 1900, Russian breeders brought out new varieties of it. Their seeds contained up to 60% oil. In the cultivated varieties, this percentage was only 28%.

In addition to sunflower today are produced and other types of meal. For example, soy. It is also a very valuable fodder product. But, unfortunately, nowadays a huge amount of GMO soy is grown. And in the production of cake it is used very actively. With sunflower same geneticists, the work was practically not carried out. Farmers and large agricultural companies around the world mainly grow only ordinary varieties and hybrids. Advantage of sunflower before soybean is its undemanding to the composition of the soil and climatic conditions.

Storage Rules

You can transport sunflower meal by any means of transport. The TS must be disinfected and clean at the same time. Store the meal in bulk or in bulk in covered rooms, or in stacks in bags. Do not expose the product to direct sunlight. The warehouse must be equipped with a ventilation system. Bulk meal should be stirred periodically. Bags should be on racks or pallets. It is not allowed to heat the cake by more than 5 degrees in comparison with the ambient temperature. The shelf life of sunflower meal, made in compliance with the requirements of GOST, is three years.