Nutritive value of canola seed for young pigs

Canola seed (CS) (Brassica campestris cv. Tobin), either raw and ground or 'jet-sploded', was given to weanling pigs in isonitrogenous (20% crude protein) diets based on wheat, barley and soya bean meal (SBM). In Experiment I, 160 4-week-old weaned pigs were assigned to seven dietary treatments, a SBM diet and six diets in which 7.5, 15 or 30% ground CS was included in raw or jet-sploded form. In Experiment II, 65 4-week-old pigs were allotted to one of five diets, a SBM diet or diets supplemented with 15 or 30% ground raw or jet-sploded CS. To each of the five diets, the inert marker dysprosium chloride was incorporated for digestibility studies. In Experiment I, increasing the dietary levels of raw ground CS from 0 to 15% of the diet had no significant effect on growth rate, feed intake or feed-to-gain ratio. The inclusion of CS in jet-sploded form significantly (P < 0.05) reduced growth rate. In Experiment II, the SBM control diet was significantly superior (P < 0.05) in the digestibility of dry matter, energy, crude protein and lysine to the other four diets.