Hempseed Cake a Safe and Nutritious Livestock Food?

Livestock producers are always looking for feed that is nutritious, natural, and economical. Hempseed cake – made from oil extracted from industrial hempseed – is a highly nutritious food for livestock. Although hempseed oil is commonly used in food, health care, and cosmetic products, hempseed cake currently is not used in livestock feed because cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) residue levels remaining in edible tissues have not been determined

ARS scientists in Fargo, ND, ND, incorporated hempseed cake into cattle feed for approximately 16 weeks and then tested meat products from the cattle for CBD and THC levels. Researchers found sporadic or low levels of CBD and THC in the cattle tissue and blood – levels that were below conservative dietary THC regulatory thresholds. The research suggests that the human consumption of meat from cattle that were fed hempseed cake would not result in significant levels of THC or CBD. These data will be valuable to State and Federal officials who regulate industrial hemp byproducts use.

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Topic

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