Recommendations for four segments
The inclusion rate depends on the species, the production stage and the other protein sources in the formulation. Below are recommendations based on feeding trials and reference formulations.
Dairy cattle
Replaces 50–75% of soybean meal in the concentrate mix. In trials on close to 4,000 cows in lactation, average milk yield rose by 13.83% with no adverse effect on health or reproduction. The nutritional profile is close to soybean meal — net energy for lactation and crude protein are clearly higher than in ordinary cottonseed meal.
How much CPC goes into the ration
| Segment | CPC share | What it replaces | Balancing notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cows in lactation | 10–15% of the concentrate mix | 50–75% of soybean meal | Watch net energy for lactation |
| Suckling and weaned piglets | 6% of the ration | Fishmeal or soy protein concentrate | Top up lysine and methionine |
| Poultry | 5–15% of the ration | Part of the soybean meal | Balance lysine, methionine and threonine |
| Carnivorous fish | 5–30% of the feed | 40–50% of fishmeal (largemouth bass) | Higher levels require formulation-specific validation |
| Herbivorous fish | up to 40% of the feed | Soybean meal (grass carp studies) | In trials, 38.4–69.2% replacement improved growth |
| Fattening sheep | protein-fat preparation | Soybean meal | +40 g average daily gain |
Reference formulations from the technology documentation. Dosage for a specific formulation is agreed together with your nutritionist.
Replacing fishmeal in carnivorous fish
Reference formulation for largemouth bass: fishmeal drops from 500 to 300 g/kg, 235 g/kg of CPC takes its place and soybean meal drops from 139 to 76 g/kg. The ration is topped up with 2 g/kg DL-methionine and 1 g/kg L-threonine, plus an adjustment of monocalcium phosphate.
Balancing amino acids
CPC is rich in arginine, with lysine as the first limiting amino acid. Formulations should balance lysine, methionine and other essential amino acids according to the target species, replacement level and complete diet.