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Abstract
This article reviews the factors affecting the nutritive value of canola meal (CM),
including glucosinolates, sinapine, phytic acid, tannins, dietary fiber, and electrolyte
balance. It also addresses the means of improving the nutritive value of CM throughout
seed dehulling, development of low-fiber canola, or application of feed enzymes. Over
the years, the glucosinolate content of canola has been declining steadily and is
now only about one-twelfth of that of the older high-glucosinolate rapeseed (that
is, 10 vs. 120 μmol/g). Therefore, the rations for broilers or laying hens could now
contain 20% of CM without producing any adverse effects. Tannins are of lesser importance
due to their presence in the hull fraction and thus low water solubility. Sinapine
has been implicated with the production of a "fishy" taint in brown-shelled eggs,
which results from a genetic defect among the strain of Rhode Island Red laying hens.
The White Leghorns have been reported not to be affected. Although lower in protein,
CM compares favorably with soybean meal with regard to amino acid content. Because
CM contains more methionine and cysteine but less lysine, both meals tend to complement
each other when used together in poultry diets. Canola meal is low in arginine (Arg)
which could be of importance when introducing CM to broiler diets at high inclusion
rates. The Arg content of CM is approximately two-thirds of that of soybean meal.
Chickens fail to synthesize Arg and are highly dependent on dietary sources for this
amino acid. Supplementation of Arg to CM-based diets has been shown to partly restore
the growth performance. Dietary cation-anion difference in CM is also less than optimal
due to the high sulfur and low potassium contents. Seed dehulling has not been very
successful due to excessive fineness and thus difficulties with percolation of the
miscella through the cake. Development of low-fiber, yellow-seeded canola and the
use of enzymes have proven to increase the energy utilization and the nutritive value
of CM for poultry.