Copra Meal
pp. 42-43 · Read in the full issue
By-Product Has Restricted Use as Stock Fodder
THOUGH recent practical experiments have shown that raw copra is un suitable as stock fodder, coconut (or copra) meal manufactured after the oil is extracted has proved to be quite suit able as a general food for cattle, pigs, sheep, and poultry.
In a report issued by the Victorian Agricultural Department, Mr. A. C T Hewitt, M.Agr.,Sc., states that the Commonwealth Government is seeking to dispose of 82,500 tons of copra an nually, the output of Papua and New Guinea, and he estimates that 33,000 tons of coconut meal would be available from this, having a market value of £6 per 2,000 lb., f.0.r., Australian capital cities.
Coconut meal has a 20 per cent, higher food value than pollard, but it is not so palatable, declares Mr. Hewitt in his re port; and it should not comprise more than 25 per cent, of the total ration on account of deleterious properties. These are associated with a high water absorb ing capacity which largely accounts for the laxative effects attributed to the meal. When fed in excess of the propor tion mentioned, the meal absorbs so much water that the capacity of the stomach is seriously reduced, with the result that it may not be possible for the animals to consume the remainder of their required ration.
The tendency of the oil in the meal to become rancid reduces its feeding value.
This is worse in a poorly dried meal, or when kept in a moist atmosphere. It is customary to moisten the meal before feeding, thereby increasing its pala tability, but this also increases the labour cost of feeding. The protein is of only slightly higher quality than cereal protein.
Because of the foregoing restrictions on its use, and because copra meal is relatively unknown as a stock food and will require forceful selling, I give it the same monetary value as pollard, viz., £6 per 2,000 lb.
Coconut meal is self-balanced and not a protein-rich foodstuff, as is frequently claimed. When fed to dairy cows and pigs, very hard butter and lard are pro duced. Horses, sheep and poultry can also be fed on coconut meal as portion of the ration.
Normally, more than 500,000 tons of bran and pollard are produced in Aus tralia each year, but considerably less wheat is now being gristed on account of lost flour markets and, therefore, pro portionally less bran and pollard will be produced. Little difficulty should there fore be encountered in disposing of an increased quantity of coconut cake to the dairy, pig and poultry industiSes in place of bran and pollard at the price already quoted.
At the present time, about 4,000 tons of coconut meal is, with difficulty, sold annually in Australia, at prices ranging up to £lO/5/- per 2,000 lb. in Victoria.
Probably this meal is costing £4 per ton (in selling expenses only) to sell at this price.
The annual Australian production of coconut meal is about 10,000 tons, of which about 6,000 tons was being shipped to Europe before the war. Since the war large stocks have accumulated be cause the price asked per ton has been far too high to attract attention, though owing to dry conditions and higher prices for stock foods generally, in creased movement ha's been taking place.
My enquiries indicate that only 1,000 tons of copra could be handled with existing plant in Victoria. In addition to this, there are mills in other States,
and the Council for Scientific and In dustrial Research is investigating their possibilities. It seems probable, however, that to handle 82,500 tons of copra con siderable capital expenditure on plant would be required.