Development and Evaluation of an Extruded Balanced Food for Sheep Based on Cottonseed Meal <em>(Gossypium hirsutum)</em>

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the content of cottonseed meal (Gossypium hirsutum) and the processing variables on the functional properties and the content of gossypol of an extruded feed for sheep (Ovis aries). The diet was balanced according to the requirements of fattening Dorper sheep breed under 1 year. The extrusion process was optimized using a surface response methodology, with four independent variables: temperature in the last heating zone (120–160°C), moisture content (14–18%), screw speed (120 rpm–180 rpm), and cottonseed meal content (9 g–27 g 100 g−1), in a single screw extruder. The optimal food had 27.25% crude protein, 4.24% crude fat, 12.21% crude fiber, 46.95% nitrogen-free extract, and 9.35% ash. The composition of essential amino acids in the optimal diet was 1.00 g kg−1 of lysine, 1.25 g kg−1 of phenylalanine, 2.04 g kg−1 of leucine, 0.87 g kg−1 of isoleucine, 0.98 g kg−1 of threonine, 1.15 g kg−1 of valine, and 0.65 g kg−1 of histidine. The fatty acids present in the highest concentration in the optimal diet were 2.14% linoleic acid, 1.11% oleic acid, and 0.81% palmitic acid. The gossypol content of the optimal diet was less than 0.1%, which ensures the safety of cottonseed meal as a protein source. The optimum conditions of the extrusion process were 120°C temperature, 120 rpm screw speed, 14.00% humidity, and 27 g 100 g−1 cottonseed meal