Research Summaries: Canola and Peas in Livestock Diets

Intoduction/Table of Contents

Presscake

Few studies have been conducted on presscake. Crossbred calves (4 to 5 months old) were fed RSM oil cakes as their sole protein source and DMI and ADG were 4.13 kg and 428 g/d, respectively. The RSM cakes did not affect the thyroxine concentration (Tyagi and Singhal 1993 {892}). Rapeseed meal cakes replaced SBM in increasing amounts up to 4 kg/d or 0, 25, 50 and 75% in the mixture in dairy cows rations. Performance did not differ between the two protein sources or for different levels of cake inclusion. An increase in butter quality with presscake inclusion has been reported (Christensson 1985 {1197}). Positive results were also reported by Christensen (1986 {1173}) and Frank (1981 {1258}).

Canola Hulls

Hulls make up 16% of the whole canola seed and 30% of CM (Bell 1993 {907}). Mitaru et al. (1982 {1256}) reported canola hull composition of the CM variety Tower to be 89.04% DM, 57.26% ADF and 28.87% ADL and variety Regent 89.30% DM, 51.94% ADF and 26.55% ADL. Bell (1984 {1232}) reported that hulls proximate analysis was 12-16% CP, 44% CF, 3% EE, 4-5% ash and 34% N-free extract. Canola hull GE was 4.23 Mcal/kg DM. Gupta et al. (1987 {1138}) reported a higher CP % (22.3 to 28.2%), similar ADF, 55.0 to 64% NDF and variable lignin (14.6 to 31.8%) on four different CM varieties. The chemical composition of canola hulls obtained after a front-ended dehulling procedure contained 88.3% DM, 15.4% CP, 46.7% ADF, 65.8% NDF, 4.1% Ash, 13.0% EE and 0.9% ADIN. Ammoniation or solvent extraction of the hulls increased (P < 0.05) CP, NDF and ADIN levels. Inclusion of canola hulls in alfalfa-based diets of growing lambs reduced DM intake (P < 0.002) and apparent nutrient digestibility (P < 0.05). Lambs fed 75% hulls had a reduction in DM intake of 24% in comparison to the control. Apparent protein digestibility of canola hulls for sheep was estimated at 38% and a DE value of 9.3 MJ kg-1 DM was reported. The low apparent protein digestibility indicates that a large proportion of the hull protein is unavailable to the ruminant animal. Ammoniation or ammoniation and solvent extraction did not improve the effective rumen degradability of the nutrient fractions of the hull and would not be an effective method of processing canola hulls for ruminants (McKinnon et al. 1995 {831}).

Canola Screenings

Canola screenings are the fine seed materials separated during screening of canola seeds in the cleaning procedure prior to crushing and oil extraction or export (McKinnon et al. 1988 as cited Wiesen et al. 1990 {1044}). The major components of canola screenings are lamb's quarters (23.8%), stinkweed (22.5%), canola seed (17.1%) and hoary alyssum (14.1%). The average relatively constant chemical composition is 19.6% CP, 22.5% EE 28% ADF and 92% DM (Beames et al. 1986 as cited by Mustafa 1996). As a percentage of the total fatty acid content, canola screenings contain 52.2% oleic and 24.2% linoleic fatty acids (Wiesen et al. 1990 {1044}). Feeding canola screenings up to 14% of the ration had no effect on milk yield, milk fat or protein percentage, but on milk fatty acid composition. Milk unsaturated fatty acids (oleic (28.6%) and linoleic (3.1%)) for cows consuming the canola screening-based diets were increased. Canola screenings are fairly digestible by sheep and digestibility coefficients of DM, OM and CP were 60.2, 63.9 and 77.4%, respectively (Tait et al. 1986 as cited by Mustafa 1996).

Rapeseed Silage and Forage

Total tract DM digestibility was greater (P < 0.01) for low GL forage than for the high GL-containing diet (81.5 vs. 76.9%, respectively) (Pearce et al. 1991 {984}). Conversely, Lancaster et al. (1988, {1083}; 1990 {1018}) reported that the high GL-RSM silage was more digestible and promoted faster, more efficient growth than the silage made from the low GL variety. Rate of growth (kg/d) was greater (P < 0.01) for high vs. low GL (.46 vs. .36) and for 50% or 100% inclusion in the diet DM (.52 vs. .31). The glucosinolates present in the high GL-RSM forage produced no detrimental effects on digestive function or growth of beef steers.

Conclusion

Canola meal is a different and higher quality product than RSM. Canola meal is equivalent in most rations to SBM and in some instances performance has been higher with the use of CM vs. SBM. Canola meal's ability to replace SBM and other protein supplements in most ruminant rations is evidenced throughout this literature review. The use of CM may increase human nutrition.

Endnotes

Christensen, D. A. C. Dairy Handbook.

Chilliard, Y. 1993. Dietary fat and adipose tissue metabolism in ruminants, pigs and rodents: A review. J Dairy Sci. 76:3897-3931.

Mustafa, A. F. 1996. Ph. D Thesis.

Parker, G. 1992. Canola as a Feedstuff for Animal Use.

Van Soest and Fox, 1992. Discounts for net energy and protein-5th revision. P 40-68. In proc. Cornell Nutr. Conf. Ithaca, NY.


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