INFLUENCE OF RAPESEED PRODUCTS ON EGG QUALITY AND LAYING HEN PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Diets containing 20% rapeseed meal, 20% full-fat rapeseed, and 3 or 10% rape-seed oil were fed to White Leghorn hens to study their effects on egg quality and hen performance. The 10% rapeseed oil group and the 20% rapeseed group resulted in egg production that was significantly below that of the control corn–soya diet. Feed consumption was reduced with the 20% rapeseed and 20% rapeseed meal diet as well as with the high oil diet. Egg size was reduced by 20% full-fat rapeseed and 10% rapeseed oil. Shell deformation was significantly reduced with 20% dietary rapeseed meal or 20% full-fat rapeseed. Shell thickness, on the other hand, was improved by 3% rapeseed oil but adversely affected by 10% rapeseed oil. Haugh units were improved by 20% full-fat rapeseed or 3% rapeseed oil. A taste panel consistently gave eggs from the 10% oil group a lower score than any of the other treatment groups, but no distinct flavor or odor could be detected. Fat composition values indicated that something in rapeseed, other than the oil, was resulting in a more unsaturated egg yolk fat from hens fed this product.