The effect of feeding expeller-pressed canola meal on growth performance and diet nutrient digestibility in weaned pigs

Abstract

The effects of feeding increasing levels of expeller-pressed (EP) canola meal in substitution for soybean meal as an energy and amino acid source were evaluated in 240 weaned pigs with an initial body weight of 7.3±0.6kg. Five pelleted wheat-based diets containing 0, 50, 100, 150 or 200g EP canola meal/kg were formulated to contain 10.0MJ net energy (NE)/kg and 1.18g standardised ileal digestible (SID) lysine/MJ NE and were fed for 4wk starting 1wk after weaning at 19 days of age. Expeller-pressed canola meal was added at the expense of soybean meal and the diets were balanced for NE using canola oil and for amino acids using crystalline lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan. Increasing inclusion of EP canola meal linearly reduced (P<0.001) the apparent total tract digestibility of energy, dry matter and crude protein and the digestible energy content of diets. From 0 to 28 days on trial, increasing inclusion of EP canola meal did not affect body weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency. In conclusion, up to 200g EP canola meal/kg can replace soybean meal in diets formulated to equal NE and SID amino acid content and fed to nursery pigs starting 1wk after weaning without reducing growth performance.