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Pumpkin, squash, gourd and other Cucurbita species

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This datasheet is pending revision and updating; its contents are currently derived from FAO's Animal Feed Resources Information System (1991-2002) and from Bo Göhl's Tropical Feeds (1976-1982).

Datasheet

Description
Click on the "Nutritional aspects" tab for recommendations for ruminants, pigs, poultry, rabbits, horses, fish and crustaceans
Cucurbita maxima
Cucurbita pepo
Common names 

Pumpkin, squash, gourd

Species 

Cucurbita spp. [Cucurbitaceae]

Feed categories 
Related feed(s) 
Description 

Many varieties of pumpkins are cultivated. The seeds are sometimes extracted for their oil or fed to animals.

Distribution 

Native to tropical and subtropical climates and now grown all around the world.

Nutritional aspects
Nutritional attributes 

Pumpkin and squash are sometimes planted as a relish for cattle and pigs. Because the fruits are very low in dry matter and accordingly in nutrients, they are of little value for animal feeding.

Ruminants 

Pumpkin was found to have potential as a ruminant feed with a ME value of 16.9 MJ/DM and a crude protein and DM ruminal disappearance higher than those of beet pulp (Enishi et al., 2004).

Pigs 

They have a softening effect on the fat in pigs and should not be fed too freely. Pigs have difficulty digesting the kernels. The kernels can be removed from the fruit and used for feed after shelling.

Rabbits 

Leaves

Squash leaves can be used to replace up to 75% of soybean meal in commercial rabbit diets without any negative effects on reproductive performance (Mahmoud et al., 1998).

Nutritional tables
Tables of chemical composition and nutritional value 

Avg: average or predicted value; SD: standard deviation; Min: minimum value; Max: maximum value; Nb: number of values (samples) used

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This datasheet is pending revision and updating; its contents are currently derived from FAO's Animal Feed Resources Information System (1991-2002) and from Bo Göhl's Tropical Feeds (1976-1982).

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 7.6 1
Crude protein % DM 14.5 1
Crude fibre % DM 13.2 1
Ether extract % DM 2.6 1
Ash % DM 7.9 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 17.8 *
 
Minerals Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Calcium g/kg DM 3.9 1
Phosphorus g/kg DM 2.6 1
 
Ruminant nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
OM digestibility, Ruminant % 91.7 1
ME ruminants (FAO, 1982) MJ/kg DM 13.6 1
Nitrogen digestibility, ruminants % 90.0 1
 
Pig nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Energy digestibility, growing pig % 69.4 *
DE growing pig MJ/kg DM 12.4 *

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Neumark, 1970

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:44:50

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 90.3 1
Crude protein % DM 9.4 1
NDF % DM 25.1 1
ADF % DM 9.7 1
Lignin % DM 1.7 1
Ether extract % DM 6.2 1
Ash % DM 5.4 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 18.8 1
 
Ruminant nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
a (N) % 58.5 1
b (N) % 33.9 1
c (N) h-1 0.111 1
Nitrogen degradability (effective, k=4%) % 83 *
Nitrogen degradability (effective, k=6%) % 81 *

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Enishi et al., 2004

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:45:41

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 14.0 1
Crude protein % DM 19.8 1
Crude fibre % DM 19.1 1
NDF % DM 27.0 1
ADF % DM 27.9 1
Ash % DM 32.0 1
 
Minerals Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Calcium g/kg DM 46.4 1
Phosphorus g/kg DM 5.0 1
 
Ruminant nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
OM digestibility, Ruminant % 76.2 *
Energy digestibility, ruminants % 72.9 *

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Alibes et al., 1990

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:45:41

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 89.8 1
Crude protein % DM 19.0 1
Crude fibre % DM 72.0 1
Ether extract % DM 5.9 1
Ash % DM 2.8 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 22.1 *
 
Ruminant nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
OM digestibility, Ruminant % 21.9 1
ME ruminants (FAO, 1982) MJ/kg DM 4.2 1
Nitrogen digestibility, ruminants % 38.0 1

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Liebscher, 1942

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:44:50

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 92.2 89.5 94.9 2
Crude protein % DM 59.6 47.0 72.1 2
Crude fibre % DM 34.0 1
Ether extract % DM 1.3 1
Ash % DM 8.5 1
Total sugars % DM 9.1 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 21.0 *
 
Minerals Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Calcium g/kg DM 1.6 1
Phosphorus g/kg DM 17.8 1
Potassium g/kg DM 13.7 1
Sodium g/kg DM 0.3 1
Magnesium g/kg DM 5.7 1
Manganese mg/kg DM 80 1
Zinc mg/kg DM 190 1
Copper mg/kg DM 16 1
Iron mg/kg DM 211 1
 
Amino acids Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Alanine % protein 0.4 1
Arginine % protein 1.7 1
Aspartic acid % protein 1.0 1
Cystine % protein 0.2 1
Glutamic acid % protein 1.8 1
Glycine % protein 0.6 1
Histidine % protein 0.4 1
Isoleucine % protein 0.3 1
Leucine % protein 0.6 1
Lysine % protein 0.5 1
Methionine % protein 0.1 1
Phenylalanine % protein 0.4 1
Proline % protein 0.4 1
Serine % protein 0.5 1
Threonine % protein 0.3 1
Tryptophan % protein 0.2 1
Tyrosine % protein 0.3 1
Valine % protein 0.3 1
 
Secondary metabolites Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Tannins (eq. tannic acid) g/kg DM 1.8 1
 
Ruminant nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
OM digestibility, Ruminant % 66.8 1
ME ruminants (FAO, 1982) MJ/kg DM 10.5 1
Nitrogen digestibility, ruminants % 81.0 1
 
Pig nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Energy digestibility, growing pig % 36.7 *
DE growing pig MJ/kg DM 7.7 *

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Liebscher, 1942; Mansour et al., 1993

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:44:50

Amino acids Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Arginine % protein 11.0 1
Histidine % protein 2.1 1
Isoleucine % protein 3.6 1
Leucine % protein 5.4 1
Lysine % protein 5.1 1
Methionine % protein 2.1 1
Phenylalanine % protein 4.3 1
Threonine % protein 2.3 1
Tryptophan % protein 1.5 1
Valine % protein 4.2 1

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Lyman et al., 1956

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:44:50

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 88.0 1
Crude protein % DM 63.2 1
Crude fibre % DM 5.7 1
Ether extract % DM 13.0 1
Ash % DM 9.0 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 22.6 *
 
Pig nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Energy digestibility, growing pig % 81.2 *
DE growing pig MJ/kg DM 18.4 *

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Juillet et al., 1955

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:44:50

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 90.0 1
Crude protein % DM 31.6 1
Crude fibre % DM 19.7 1
Ether extract % DM 38.9 1
Ash % DM 4.0 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 27.8 *

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Staehlin, 1957

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:44:50

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 92.6 1
Crude protein % DM 35.7 1
Crude fibre % DM 2.3 1
Ether extract % DM 49.9 1
Ash % DM 4.2 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 29.8 *
 
Ruminant nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
OM digestibility, Ruminant % 88.4 1
ME ruminants (FAO, 1982) MJ/kg DM 19.3 1
Nitrogen digestibility, ruminants % 84.0 1

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

DLG, 1961

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:44:51

References
References 
DLG, 1961. Futterwerttabellen. Frankfurt am Main, DLG Verlags GmbH
Douglas, J. H. ; Daghir, N. J., 1987. Buffalo gourd seed in broiler starter rations under different dietary regimens. Poult. Sci., 66 (8): 1372-1378
Dreher, M. L. ; Weber, C. W. ; Bemis, W. P. ; Berry, J. W., 1980. Cucurbit seed coat composition. J. Agric. Food Chem., 28, 364-366 web icon
Enishi, O. ; Yoshioka, T. ; Nakashima, K. ; Saeki, M. ; Kawashima, T., 2004. Analysis of in situ ruminal digestive characteristics and nutritive value of pumpkin and carrot juice residue for ruminant feeds. Grassland Sci., 50 (4): 360-365 web icon
French, M. H., 1944. Feeding values of different varieties of pumpkins for live stock. E. Afr. Agric. For. J., 9 (4): 221-224 web icon
Juillet, A. ; Susplugas, J. ; Courp, J., 1955. Les oléagineux et leurs tourteaux : botanique, caractères, préparation, emplois. Paris, Lechevalier
Liebscher, W., 1942. The digestibility and mineral content of the residue from pumpkin-oil manufacture. Z. Tierernähr. Futtermittelk., 6: 97-106 web icon
Ly, J. ; Delgado, E., 2009. A note on in vitro (pepsin/pancreatin) digestion of pumpkin (Curcubita maxima) products in pigs. Revista Computadorizada de Produccion Porcina, 16 (1): 23-25 web icon
Lyman, C. M. ; Kuiken, K. A. ; Hale, F., 1956. Essential amino acid content of farm feeds. J. Agric. Food Chem., 4 (12): 1008-1010 web icon
Magouze, F. I. ; Mahmoud, S. A. ; El-Kelawy, H. M. ; Homouda, I. A. ; Alla, S. A. Z. G., 1998. Productive and reproductive performance of rabbits fed diets containing different agricultural by-products. 1. Productive performance of growing rabbits.. Egyptian J. Rabbit Sci., 8 (1): 49-60
Mahmoud, S. A. ; Magouze, F. I. ; El-Kelawy, H. M. ; Homouda, I. A. ; Alla, S. A. Z. G., 1998. Productive and reproductive performance of rabbits fed diets containing different agricultural by-products. 2. Reproductive performance of male and female rabbits. Egyptian J. Rabbit Sci., 8 (1): 61-68
Mansour, E. H. ; Dworschak, E. ; Lugasi, A. ; Barna, E. ; Gergely, A., 1993. Nutritive value of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo Kakai 35) seed products. J. Sci. Food Agric., 61 (1): 73-78 web icon
Moshkutelo, I. ; Krokhina, V. ; Khrenov, A. ; Khaustov, V., 1988. Combined silage in diets for sows. Svinovodstvo, Moscow, 5: 20-23
Olivo, J. ; Combellas, J de, 1984. Supplementation of housed lambs with Cucurbita sp. Informe Anual '83, Instituto de Produccion Animal, Universidad Central de Venezuela. 1984, 95. Maracay, Venezuela
Staehlin, A., 1957. Beurteilung der Futtermittel. Berlin, Radebul/Neuman
Yushkova, L. G. ; Kertieva, N. M., 2010. Utilization of locally available feedstuffs in the production and rearing of young pigs. Svinovodstvo (Moskva), 1: 29-30
16 references found
Datasheet citation 

DATASHEET UNDER CONSTRUCTION. DO NOT QUOTE. https://feedipedia.org/node/44 Last updated on March 15, 2012, 23:47

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