Review article
https://doi.org/10.33128/k.59.1.4
THE USE OF PUMPKIN IN ANIMAL NUTRITION
Željka Klir
orcid.org/0000-0003-4078-6864
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta J.J. Strossmayer u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Josip Novoselec
orcid.org/0000-0001-9763-3522
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta J.J. Strossmayera u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Zvonko Antunović
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta J.J. Strossmayer u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Abstract
The aim of the present paper was to research from available scientific literature possibility of using pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) in animal nutrition. Pumpkin is a good quality feedstuff considering high total digestible organic matter and metabolizable energy. Pumpkin is not treated with pesticides, that is why it is suitable for animal nutrition in organic production as well. In animal nutrition pumpkin seeds
can be used, as well as pumpkin seed cake, pulp, oil and peel of pumpkin. Pumpkin seed cake is very tasty to ruminants and improves palatability of feed mixtures. Seeds, as well as pumpkin seed cake, are rich in crude protein and crude fat with adequate concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic (C18:1 n-9) and linoleic (C18:2 n-6). Pumpkin seed cake contains higher metabolizable energy and higher crude proteins content compared to soybean meal. In reasearch with broilers lower concentration of total cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood was determined, as well as lower mortality influenced by feeding broilers with 5 g/kg dry matter of diet, while no changes were determined in production traits. Addition of pumpkin seed meal in diets of laying hens decreased concentration of total cholesterol in egg and yolk compared to control group. Besides, pumpkin seed
meal increased concentrations of C18:1 n-9, C18:2 n-6 and α-linolenic (C18:3 n-3) acids with decrease of n-6/n-3 ratio in yolk. Pumpkin seed cake in lambs’ diets can partially (10 and 15%) substitute soybean meal, without significant changes of production traits of lambs in organic farming. Pumpkin is acceptable feedstuff and its use in animal nutrition is applicable considering high crude proteins content and beneficial fatty acids.
Keywords
pumpkin; nutrition; livestock; production; fatty acids
Hrčak ID:
187239
URI
Publication date:
5.10.2017.
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