Effect of long-term feeding with graded levels of low glucosinolate rapeseed meal on endocrine status of gilts and their piglets

Determination and prediction of the amino Acid digestibility of sunflower seed meals in growing pigs

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the chemical composition and amino acid (AA) digestibility of sunflower seed meal (SFSM) and to use this data to develop prediction equations for estimating AA digestibility for growing pigs. Ten SFSM were collected from five provinces in China. Twelve barrows (38.8±4.6 kg), fitted with ileal T-cannula were allotted into two 6×6 Latin square designs. Each of six experimental periods comprised a 5-d adaption period followed by a 2-d collection of ileal digesta. The ten test diets contained 50% SFSM as the sole source of AA. Another nitrogen-free diet was used to measure the basal endogenous losses of crude protein (CP) and AA. Chromic oxide (0.3%) was used as an inert marker in each diet. There was considerable variation (CV>10%) among the ten SFSM in chemical composition (dry matter [DM]). The concentration of CP and ether extract (EE) ranged from 29.33% to 39.09% and 0.88% to 11.33%, respectively. Crude fibre (CF), neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre ranged from 21.46% to 36.42%, 38.15% to 55.40%, and 24.59% to 37.34%, respectively. There was variation among the ten SFSM in apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) for lysine and threonine, which ranged from 63.16 to 79.21 and 55.19% to 72.04% for AID and 67.03% to 82.07% and 61.97% to 77.01% for SID, respectively. The variation in CP and methionine ranged from 60.13% to 74.72% and 74.79% to 88.60% for AID and 66.70% to 79.31% and 77.16% to 90.27% for SID, respectively. Methionine was a good indicator to predict AA digestibility. These results indicate that conventional chemical composition of SFSM was variable (CV>10%) among the ten SFSM (DM). The results of AID, SID and prediction equations could be used to evaluate the digestibility of SFSM in growing pigs.

Effects of feeding 10% rapeseed meal (Brassica napus) during gestation and lactation over three reproductive cycles on the performance of hyperprolific sows and their litters

Quiniou, N., Quinsac, A., Crépon, K., Evrard, J., Peyronnet, C., Bourdillon, A., Royer, E. and Etienne, M. 2012. Effects of feeding 10% rapeseed meal (Brassica napus) during gestation and lactation over three reproductive cycles on the performance of hyperprolific sows and their litters. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 513–524. Largely due to increased production of biodiesel, there is a greater availability of solvent-extracted rapeseed meal (RM) in France, making it competitive for feeding pigs. Nevertheless, the long-term effects of dietary glucosinolates (GSL) when feeding RM on sow reproductive and litter performance are a persistent concern to feed manufacturers. Four batches of 24 hyperprolific sows were fed to evaluate the effects of including 0 or 10% RM [14.5 µmol GLS g−1dry matter (DM) basis] in the gestation and lactation diets over three reproductive cycles. Intake of dietary GLS remained below 5 mmol d−1over the gestation period and averaged 8 mmol d−1over the lactation period, corresponding to less than 2 µmol GLS g−1DM basis. Lactation feed intake, sow body weight and backfat, and the length of the weaning-to-estrus interval were not different (P>0.05) between treatment groups. Sows fed diets with 10% or no RM farrowed 43.6 and 43.8 piglets over three reproductive cycles, respectively (P>0.05). Piglet weight at birth or weaning, survival and litter weight gain were not affected (P>0.05) by dietary RM inclusion. Similar (P>0.10) plasma thyroxin levels of sows and piglets indicated that thyroid function was not altered by RM inclusion. In conclusion, feeding gestation and lactation diets including 10% RM to hyper prolific sows over three parities was safe and did not affect sow longevity, reproductive or litter performance.

Effectiveness of Rapeseed Press Cake (RPC) in Sow Feeding in Two Reproduction Cycles

The possibility of replacing soybean meal with rapeseed press cake (RPC) in feed was determined over two reproductive cycles in an experiment with 54 pregnant and lactating sows allocated to three groups with 18 gilts per group. Group I received the standard mixture, group II received RPC as the main protein source from insemination to 100 days of pregnancy, and the control diet during late pregnancy and lactation. In group III, RPC replaced all of soybean meal protein in early pregnancy and one-half of soybean meal protein during late pregnancy and lactation. Half of the sows in each group received a iodine supplement (1 mg/kg feed). Sows were weighed at mating, farrowing and weaning. Piglets were weighed at 1 and 28 days of age (weaning). Samples of milk were collected at 14 days postpartum to determine the content of protein, fat, lactose and iodine. After the first reproductive cycle sows were mated and allocated to the respective groups as in the first cycle. Neither RPC nor iodine had any effect on body weight of the sows. RPC had a beneficial effect on body weight of piglets at birth and weaning, which could be due to a higher content of fat and amino acids in sow RPC diets. RPC, especially when given throughout pregnancy and lactation significantly lowered iodine content in sow milk. Piglets grew significantly faster in the second compared to the first reproductive cycle (184 and 178 g per day, respectively). Iodine supplemented to sows reduced piglet daily weight gain from 185 to 177 g. It is concluded that rapeseed press cake can replace soybean meal in the diets for pregnant and lactating sows without a negative effect on their performance while improving piglet body weight.

Oilseed Rape

This chapter assesses the prospects for using the oilseed rape crop as a feedstock for biofuels. Oilseed rape is used principally as a feedstock for biodiesel because its oil comfortably meets the biodiesel standard (EN14214). Currently about 18% of global biodiesel production comes from oilseed rape and this uses about 11% of global oilseed rape production. If oilseed rape continues to provide a similar proportion of biodiesel, and the crop area and yield remain the same, then it is estimated between 30% and 47% of oilseed rape production will be required to meet the greater demand for biodiesel predicted by 2020. It is clear that, with limited scope to expand the cropped area, the yield of oilseed rape together with the proportion of oil in the seed must be increased if this upsurge in demand is to be met. Whilst global yields of oilseed rape have increased gradually since the 1960s, the yield increase in several European countries with the highest yields have slowed or stopped altogether. This does not necessarily mean that the yield potential has been reached for these countries since a recent analysis estimated that the yield potential of the UK (where yields have stagnated) is 6.5 t/ha compared with the current national average of 3 t/ha. It is concluded there must be a sustained effort by plant breeders, crop physiologists & pathologists, agronomists and farmers to increase crop yields towards its high potential. This must be achieved without increasing the requirement for crop inputs, especially nitrogen fertiliser, in order to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing oilseed rape.