Castor Meal: A Sustainable Alternative for Beef Cattle Feed

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Castor Meal: A New Option for Beef Cattle Feed

A groundbreaking study led by Embrapa is exploring the use of detoxified castor meal as an alternative to soybean meal in beef cattle diets, while also assessing its potential to reduce methane emissions. The research, conducted in Bagé at Embrapa Pecuária Sul in collaboration with Embrapa Algodão and the Federal University of Santa Maria, aims to examine the consumption, digestibility, and safety of incorporating castor meal into livestock feed.

Castor beans naturally contain ricin, a toxic substance. However, detoxification during processing transforms castor meal into a valuable nutritional resource for ruminants, offering up to 45% crude protein—around 10% more than soybean meal—at a lower cost.

Preliminary trials with small ruminants have shown no adverse effects from detoxified castor meal, as these animals, being polygastric, can digest it. In contrast, monogastric animals like poultry, fish, and swine cannot tolerate castor meal.

According to Bruna Machado, the animal scientist leading these studies as part of her doctoral thesis, the goal is to safely introduce castor meal into the Brazilian livestock market. “We are working to establish safe and appropriate conditions for using castor meal in the diets of both pasture-raised and confined ruminants,” she explained.

Liv Severino, a seasoned researcher at Embrapa Algodão with two decades of experience in castor, emphasizes the global significance of these trials.

Highlighting that despite India and China being the world’s top producers of castor, neither country has successfully integrated castor meal into animal feed, making this a remarkable global breakthrough.

Methodology

The research project, titled “Safe Use of Castor Meal as Feed for Ruminant Animals and for Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions,” involves collaboration with UFSM’s Pasture and Supplements Laboratory.

The study includes 20 Brangus heifers, divided into four groups, each receiving a specific feed treatment. Under the supervision of researchers at Embrapa and UFSM, the study evaluates varying levels of detoxified castor meal replacing soybean meal (10%, 20%, and 30%) against a control group.

This innovative technology ensures precise feeding, allowing each animal to access only its designated feeder through identification via an ear-implanted chip.

Diet and Methane Emission Reduction

One of the potential benefits of the castor meal tested in the study is the reduction of enteric methane production and emissions in beef cattle. This is one of the factors being evaluated, along with ruminant nutrition, with the goal of making livestock farming increasingly competitive and sustainable.

“One of the main sources contributing to the emission of this gas is the process of enteric fermentation in ruminants, with methane being a highly relevant gas for the goal of reducing global warming. Since Brazil has one of the largest cattle herds in the world, one of the ways the country can meet its internationally committed methane emission reduction goals is through efficient diet management and formulation,” highlights Bruna.

In addition to using animal nutrition as a tool to reduce methane emissions, livestock farming can significantly contribute to carbon sequestration through practices such as proper pasture management.

Castor Bean Detoxification

Castor beans are cultivated for oil extraction from their seeds. The meal remains as a by-product and, until now, has been used only as organic fertilizer due to its toxicity from the presence of ricin in its composition. The toxic protein is capable of inactivating ribosomes, impairing protein synthesis, and causing cell death.

However, it is possible to efficiently detoxify castor meal in the oil extraction industry, making its use in ruminant feed viable. When subjected to the appropriate process, the by-product can be used as a substitute for soybean meal in ruminant diets, benefiting from its high crude protein content and lower cost.

Source: Embrapa

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