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SeaweedSeaweed has long been used in livestock feeding in temperate climates, but its use in warm climates has not been well investigated. The results of feeding temperate species of seaweed have not been sufficiently encouraging to justify the high production costs, and despite the plentiful supplies, seaweed has never become an important feed. As the digestibility of its protein is usually low, seaweed serves mainly as a source of minerals and, to an extent, of vitamins and energy. The iodine content is so high that prolonged feeding of large amounts of seaweed may produce symptoms of iodine poisoning. High levels of seaweed in the diet may also affect the digestibility of the other ingredients in the feed. Seaweed is almost always used as dried meal. After harvest, the seaweed is rinsed in fresh water, partially dried in the sun, washed again with fresh water containing 0.2% hydrochloric acid and then dried in a vacuum before grinding. The nutritive value depends on many factors, such as species, time of the year and water temperature. To produce a meal of good quality the seaweed should be dried quickly without overheating. Seaweed meal of good quality has constituted up to 10% of cattle feeds with good results, and 35 g a day have been fed experimentally to sheep with increased gains as compared to the control animals. Seaweed meal is less suitable for pigs, and in some cases it can give the pork a fishy smell. It can be included a low levels without any decrease in animal production. The optimum level of about 6% in poultry diets has a positive effect on the yolk colour and usually supplies the required vitamin A. Seaweed seems to help combat intestinal parasites.
References109, 144, 193, 409 Abstracts | ||||||||||||