Chemical Composition and Nutritional Characterization of Cotton Seed as Potential Feed Supplement

Abstract

The potential of cotton seeds to serve as animal feed in reducing feed-food competition betweenhumans and animals was examined in this research. Proximate analysis, mineral characterization, andfatty acid composition of the seed were determined using standard analytical techniques. The proteincontent of cotton seeds found to be 24.81 ± 0.42% was observed to be above the protein requirement of18% by rabbits and chicken and 12% for goats and sheep. The combination source of carbohydrates,protein, and fat in which cotton seed is endowed offers an adequate nutritional diet for animals.Carbohydrate and crude fat accounted for 19.30 ± 0.1% and 24.81 ± 0.42%, respectively, making cottonseed a valuable source of lipids, protein, and carbohydrate, all major nutrients needed to maintain animals'proper maintenance. The most abundant mineral was potassium (K), at 126.70 ± 5.77 mg/g, which canhelp maintain body weight. It could assist in the modulation of electrolyte and water balance in thesystem. Quality assessments indicate that cotton seed, when properly processed, can serve as anaffordable alternative to soybean, maize, and groundnut and is currently used as the major sources ofanimal protein and energy, thereby reducing the competition between feed and fo