An evaluation of the nutritive value of canola meal for young pigs. (Short Communication)

Abstract

24A AN EVALUATION OF THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CANOLA MEAL FOR YOUNG PIGS F. AHERNE AND S. BAIDOO In Europe rape with less than I-1 mol/g of glucosinolate is called double-low and in Canada cultivars of rape with less than 30 l.~ mol/g of glucosinolates are termed canola. Several experiments have demonstrated reduced feed intake and reduced performance of voung pigs fed canola meal (CM) supplemented diets (Baidoo ett al.i 1987). s s i b l e t h a t thedreducedclfeed I s po intake is due to a low palatability of CM. The objective of this experiments was to determine if prior exposure to CM-or the addition of a feed flavour to CM-supplemented diets would increase the feed intake of pigs fed CM-supplemented diets. Seventy-two crossbred pigs with an initial weight of 8.0 zt 0.4 kg were assigned (3 pigs/pen) on the basis of initial weight to diets supplemented with soya bean meal (SBM) (48 pigs) or 8.5% CM (24 pigs). After 14 days on test, half the pigs fed the SBM diet were switched to a diet containing 8.5% CM. The diets were fed ad libitum with and without the addition of a flavour additive (ultra sweet pignectar) from 12 to 20 kg live weight. Prior exposure to CM did not significantly influence the feed intake of pigs fed CMsupplemented diets (Table 1). There was no significant difference in feed intake, growth rate or feed to gain ratio of pigs fed diets supplemented with SBM or 8.5% CM. The addition of a feed flavour to the SBM or CM-supplemented diet did not improve feed intake or pig performance (Table 2). 1 The effects of prior exposure to canola meal on subsequent feed intake on canola meal-supplemented diets (12-20 kg) TABLE TABLE 2 Effect of feed flavour (pignector) on feed intake of young pigs fed CMsupplemented diets (12 to 20 kg) Department of Animal Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G2P5.