Full-fat rapeseed and field beans in broiler diets

Extract

Full-fat low glucosinolate rapeseed has been included safely in, broiler diets, at 10-20% (Leeson et al., 1978), and at 20% (Lee et al., 1991). Full-fat low glucosinolate rapeseed (21 % crude protein (N X 6.25) and 39% oil), milled with field bean (26% crude protein), produce a dietary component which has good physical handling qualities, high protein content (24% CP), with a reasonable balance of amino acids, and moderate oil content (21%). We conducted an experiment to study the ability of broiler chickens to utilize the milled mixture (1:1) of rapeseed and field beans (RB), included at different dietary levels. The study considered; bird performance, nitrogen and fat utilization, pancreas and liver weights, trypsin and a-amylase in jejunal digesta and the pancreas, and plasma thyroxine concentration.