Sunflower meal: GOST, composition, manufacturers

Sunflower meal is a valuable feed product widely used in agriculture. Its use can significantly increase the productivity of animals and birds, thereby increasing the profitability of the farm. Sunflower meal can be fed both in its pure form and as part of animal feed.

Kinds

This feed is a by-product of the production of sunflower oil. That is, ordinary seeds are used as raw materials in its manufacture. 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 product.
• The extraction procedure is in progress. From the squeezed mass with the help of special solvents (most often gasoline), oil residues are isolated.

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

Using

As already mentioned, sunflower meal is mainly used as feed for the cultivation of 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 animals gaining muscle mass, as well as their growth. High-quality protein meal can contain up to 60%. In this case, the proteins are absolutely full in amino acid composition. In this indicator, meal exceeds even many cereals.

The protein of sunflower meal contains such amino acids 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 especially ruminants, of food. Contained in meal and all sorts of mineral trace elements. This type of food is especially rich in phosphorus and potassium. Also it includes zinc, manganese, iron, copper, cobalt, iodine, nitrogen. Contained in meal and vitamins: B, E and A.

Oil residues are also part of the meal (up to 15%). In quality, it is much superior to feed, as it has a low oxidation state and a large percentage of phospholipids.

Product Advantages

The use of such food as sunflower meal allows you to:

• improve metabolism in animals consuming it;
• increase the percentage of digestibility by animals of other types of feed;
• reduce the risk of death;
• increase daily average growth;
• strengthen the immune system;
• improve the general condition of animals;
• improve the quality of meat, milk and eggs.

For adult animals, this food is usually given in crushed form, and young animals in crushed form, both in a dry state and in a moist state. Also very often meal is added to the mixers.

The composition of the product

Thus, this type of feed must comply with the requirements of GOST. Sunflower meal (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 fully compliant with GOST. Sunflower meal sold in our country is usually distinguished by its decent quality. Its composition is regulated by GOST 13496.

Harmful impurities

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

The moisture content of the mass of 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. Moreover, Russia occupies one of the first places in the production of this product. Also, a lot of it is produced in Ukraine, Argentina, South Africa, Pakistan, China, the USA and India.

In Russia, oilseeds are produced by numerous oil extraction plants and fat plants. The most popular domestic manufacturers include: Yug Rusi, Aston, Agrokompleks, Atkarskiy MEZ, Melnik and some others.

The largest suppliers of such a product as sunflower meal (photos of prepackaged and bulk feed can be seen on this page) are August Agro, shopping mall Agroresurs, Vesta, Trionis.

Some time ago, experts from the independent Russian Institute of National Problems investigated domestic feeds for the presence of GMOs. Many companies that produce sunflower meal were blacklisted after this. Manufacturers Prioskolye, Cherkizovo, BEZRK-Belgrankorm are the most famous companies whose feed contains genetically modified products. There are some other smaller firms on the list. In principle, the use of feed containing GMOs is not prohibited in Russia. However, blacklisted manufacturers sell this product without warning the buyer about the presence of genetically modified components in it.

GOST requirements

The standards prescribed by state standards, enterprises producing meal, must comply not only with respect to the composition of the product. GOST also controls quality:

• Raw materials used for making meal. Seeds must comply with GOST 22391.
• Packaging. Sunflower meal is packaged in paper bags in accordance with GOST 2226. In this case, the mass of the meal thus packed should not exceed 30 kg. It is also allowed to dispense the product without packaging (in bulk).
• Marking should be applied in accordance with GOST 14192. On bags, the inscription “Protect from moisture” must be affixed. When shipment of the product in bulk, all the required characteristics are indicated in the accompanying documentation.

Granulated sunflower meal and bulk can be poured into bags.

Meal and cake

Another type of valuable food is made from sunflower seeds - cake. It differs from meal primarily in the mode of production. Make cake simply by squeezing the seeds. It is not subjected to extraction. Therefore, the composition it has is not quite the same as meal. Sunflower meal contains even more useful substances. Like meal, it is often part of the feed.

Sunflower history

Thus, meal is made from ordinary seeds. Use it to feed animals began a very long time ago. The homeland of sunflower is North America, and there is evidence that this plant has been cultivated for more than 5 thousand years. It was supposedly brought to Europe in 1500 by the Spaniards.

As the first oilseed crop, sunflower began to be used in Russia. In 1900, Russian breeders bred its new varieties. Their seeds contained up to 60% oil. In previously grown varieties, this percentage was only 28%.

In addition to sunflower, other types of meal are also produced today. For example, soy. It is also a very valuable feed product. But, unfortunately, in our time just a huge amount of GMO soy is grown. And in the production of meal, it is used very actively. Work with sunflower geneticists was practically not carried out. Farmers and large agricultural companies around the world grow mainly only ordinary varieties and hybrids. An advantage of sunflower over soy is its undemanding to the composition of the soil and climatic conditions.

Storage rules

You can transport sunflower meal by any means of transport. In this case, the vehicle must be disinfected and clean. Store meal either in bulk in covered premises, or in piles in bags. Direct sunlight is not allowed on the product. The warehouse must be equipped with a ventilation system. Bulk meal should be mixed periodically. Bags should be on racks or pallets. The meal should not be allowed to heat more than 5 degrees in comparison with the ambient temperature. The shelf life of sunflower meal made in compliance with GOST is three years.