Carthamus tinctorius

Safflower, false saffron

Useful reference: 269

The safflower plant, 0.6-1.5 m high, produces many branches with heads at the ends. Each head, as in other thistles, consists of numerous flowers, each normally producing a single seed. A head may produce from 20 to 100 seeds, which are shaped like small sunflowerseeds. The seed is composed of a kernel surrounded by a thick fibrous hull so difficult to remove that much safflower meal is made from unhulled seed. The undecorticated oil meal is also called whole pressed seed meal, whereas the decorticated meal is referred to as safflower meal.

SEEDS. The seeds contain about 17% crude protein and 35% crude fat. They have been included in pelleted products as they reduce dust in the hammer-mill and give a product that holds together and will be entirely eaten. Normally the cost of safflower seeds is too high for use as animal feed.

OILCAKE. The undecorticated cake or meal is fed only to ruminants. Though not very palatable, it is readily eaten when mixed with other feeds. It gives no off-flavours to milk. Decorticated oilcake can well be utilized in pig and poultry feeds with attention to the balance of amino acids and within the amounts the rather high crude-fibre content allows. It has no negative effect on digestion or on meat or egg quality. It has been included up to 15% in diets for monogastric animals with good results. If the meal is autoclaved, pasting of the beaks in young chicks is prevented.

HULLS. The hulls, forming about 40% of the seeds are unpalatable, reduce gain, and can constitute only a small part of the roughage requirement.