Effects of pre- and post-extraction autoclaving on the nutritional value of rapeseed meal for broiler chicks

An experiment was conducted to study the influence of autoclaving for diffe rent length of times before and after extraction of oil on the nutritional value of rapeseed meal for broiler chicks. Seeds of HG-rapeseed variety Pak cheen (glucosinolates 60.8 mu mol/g in fat free meal) were subjected to aut oclaving treatments for 15 and 30 minutes. Alternatively the oil was extrac ted from the seeds and the resultant meal was given the autoclaving treatme nts. These meals were incorporated into the diet of broiler chicks at a lev el of 10%. The experiment lasted for five weeks. Data was recorded for feed intake and weight gain of the chicks. Results indicated that different die tary treatments did not significantly influence the bird's performance. It was, however, observed that feed intake in general was better in the case o f pre-extraction autoclaving. Maximum total weight gain per chick (952.3 g) , was recorded with seed autoclaved for 30 minutes, followed by control (95 0 g). Feed to gain ratio obtained by different groups ranged from 1.94 (unt reated control) to 2.08 (Seed Autoclaved -30 minutes). Dressing percentage of different groups ranged from 51.4 (standard) to 53.49 (MA-30) (see table 2), and the differences again were not significant. It can be concluded th at this rapeseed meal at a level of 10% inclusion in a diet containing seve ral supplementary protein sources of animal and plant origin, was safe and did not adversely affect the bird's growth performance.