Extensive research has been done on the nutritive value of cottonseed meal and use recommendations have been established. The rumen will detoxify gossypol, however, research has shown that overloading can occur in the rumen. Caution should be exercised when feeding high levels of high gossypol meal. In addition, exposure to gossypol should be very limited in immature animals with nonfunctioning rumens. Nonruminant tolerance of gossypol depends upon specie, age, and other components of the ration.
Older animals are less sensitive than young animals.
Poultry are less sensitive than swine, but discoloration of eggs stored longer than three months can occur at levels of use lower than those which reduce performance. Addition of iron salts increases gossypol tolerance. See the discussion included with the Cottonseed Meal Section.