Utilization of cake for feed

Throughout history, wild nuts and wild animals have evolved together. Squirrels, chipmunks and even snakes have planted nuts in the soil in the fall to be dug up in the spring and eaten. Pecans, hickory nuts and walnuts are favorites. Crows, turkeys and jay birds picked nuts from the hulls and dropped them in another field to be later eaten or germinate. Kangaroo rats harvest native pine nuts into piles and protect them from rain to be used for food later. There is a near symbiotic relation between wild nuts and wild animals. 

When nuts are harvested, dehulled, shelled and defatted, the residue is excellent as a feed for domestic animals. The protein, carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, most of the vitamins, and some of the fat remain in the residual cake or powder. The meal of coconuts, sunflowers, peanuts, and other nuts and seed is ground and/or pelletized as concentrates in feed for many animals. The residue from the respective nuts or seed is formulated into balanced rations for dairy cattle, beef cattle, racing horses, draft horses, pigs, sheep, poultry, turkeys, wild birds, fancy birds, catfish, goldfish and other domestic animals. 

Protein of the presscake of peanuts has been purified and isolated for food purposes. For the finished product to be of food grade, only high grade raw products can be used and each step in the processing must be sanitary. Although expenses may be high, more products of this nature are expected. 

Feed from nut and seed residues are subject to spoilage from insects, molds, bacteria and rancidity. Aflatoxin from mold is one of the most serious problems. It is deadly to all animals and there is no way to counteract it. Control is by preventing mold, and storing all products at 65% relative humidity or lower. Aflatoxin is not a problem in stored fats since the alkali in the oil-refining process destroys the toxin. 

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