Use of Expander Cottonseed Meal in Broiler Diets Formulated on a Digestible Amino Acid Basis

This experiment was designed to evaluate the use of expander cottonseed meal (CSM) in broiler diets formulated on a digestible amino acid basis and to determine the tissue distribution of gossypol enantiomers and their relationship to gossypol consumption. Gossypol is an antinutritional polyphenolic pigment found in cottonseed. A total of 800 1-d-old broilers (Arbor Acres) was randomly divided into 40 groups of 20 birds each and placed in a broiler house with wood shavings litter. The CSM was included in starter and grower diets at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28% of the diet. Diets were formulated to have similar levels of digestible methionine and lysine as the 0% CSM control diet. At 21 d of age, five birds per pen were randomly selected for the determination of gossypol enantiomers in plasma, liver, heart, and breast muscle. Tissues were again collected at 42 d of age. Results of (