Nutritional Value of Expeller Extracted Rape and Safflower Oilseed Meals for Poultry

Abstract

The objective of these studies was to evaluate the nutritional value of on-the-farm expeller-extracted rape (RSM) and safflower (SM) oilseed meals for chicks. The RSM and SM contained 30.7 and 25.8% crude protein (CP) and 21.7 and 8.7% fat on a dry matter basis, respectively. The RSM contained a total glucosinolate concentration of 78.3 μmoles/g. True metabolizable energy values for RSM, SM, and soybean meal (SBM) with adult New Hampshire roosters were 3483, 2402, and 2928 kcal/kg. A 22-day trial was conducted with 6-day-old chicks. The RSM and SM replaced 25 or 50% of the SBM protein in isonitrogenous (23% CP), isocaloric (3250 kcal ME/kg) diets. Birds fed SBM and 25 or 50% SM consumed more (P<.01) feed and gained more (P<.01) weight than those fed 25 or 50% RSM. Birds fed 25 and 50% RSM had higher (P<.05) thyroid length-to-bird weight ratios than those fed SBM or 50% SM.