Nutritive value of full-fat rapeseeds for growing pigs

Authors

• Maija-Liisa Salo Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Helsinki, 00710 Helsinki 71

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72023

Abstract

The digestibility and nutritive value of full-fat, ground rapeseeds of two low-erucic acid, low-glucosinolate varieties, Candle (Brassica campestris) and Regent (B. napus), were determined for three pigs, weighing about 40 kg each. The ME values were 18.72 and 20.26 MJ ME/kg DM, the NE values 1,58 and 1.70 FU/kg DM (FU = 0.7 kg starch) and the DCP values 155 and 201 g DCP/kg DM, respectively, for the two varieties. Nitrogen balances in the same trials were 21.0 and 22.0 g N/d. Twenty-eight freshly weaned piglets averaging 11 kg in weight were fed during four weeks 1) a control diet containing barley and skim milk powder, or 2) the control diet with 10% finely ground Candle seeds incorporated. The calculated energy and DCP values of the diets were alike. The growth rates of both groups were equal, as were the palatabilities of the diets. The feed conversion figures were 2.0 and 2.1 FU/kg liveweight gain, respectively. Accordingly, the energy value of Candle seeds was a little poorer for piglets than for the older growing pigs.