SITE INDEX
LINSEED
The origin of the flourishing Belgian linseedoil industry is closely related with the linen cloth, for which linseed was traditionally grown in our region. The seed was crushed to produce the valuable linseed cake, which was a highly appreciated feed for the local cattle, and the linseedoil, which was a major ingredient for most of the paint in that period.
The growing importance of an economical production of linseedoil, selection and improvement of the linseed species yielded in a variety of flaxseed species with an increasing oilcontent of over 40%.
Canada and some northern states of the USA have become the main suppliers to the European crush. The heart of this production is located in Sascatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, North Dakota and Minnesota. The seed is shipped from the ports of Thunder Bay or Duluth (Great Lakes) to Europe (Gent, Antwerp and Rotterdam) to supply the European consumption. Large and specialized elevators and warehouses on both sides of the ocean assure a constant availability of the linseed. Finally, the seed is brought to us by barges of over 1.000T over the river Schelde (Scaldis) delivering the seed to us in the most economical way.
LINSEED
CAKE
Linseed cake is a traditional and even indispensable ingredient in Western European feed for cattle. A typical formulation, called allmash, is a mixture of texturelike, natural products, which is highly appreciated by ruminants.
The incorporation of linseed cake in the feed has favourable influences:
| ● feed taste |
increased retention in the digestive tract ● |
| ● water absorption during digestion |
stimulated microbial digestion ● |
| ● better regulation of faecal secretion |
a shiny coat ● |