High Erucic Acid Rapeseed Research Articles

PERFORMANCE AND HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN TISSUES OF PIGS FED DIETS CONTAINING HIGH OR LOW ERUCIC ACID RAPESEED OILS OR SOYBEAN OIL

Three experiments were conducted to compare high (20.6%) or low (4.0%) erucic acid rapeseed oils with soybean oil when the oils were fed at a level of 15% of the diet for pigs from 25 to 90 kg liveweight. The low erucic acid rapeseed oil originated from Brassica campestris cv. Span. A fourth diet containing no supplemental oil served as a control. In one experiment, 48 crossbred pigs were fed ad libitum in groups of three pigs replicated four times. In a second experiment, 48 pigs were individually fed at a level of 80% of the daily caloric intake of the pigs in the first experiment. In a third experiment, 16 pigs in four groups were allowed continuous free-choice access to the four diets. Serial slaughter and digestibility data were obtained. The incorporation of high or low erucic acid rapeseed oil in the diets did not reduce pig performance when such diets were fed either ad libitum or at a restricted level. When given a choice of feed, pigs selected less of the high erucic acid rapeseed oil diet. When not given a choice of feed, pigs consumed as much of a high erucic acid rapeseed oil diet as they did of the other diets. Digestibility coefficients for energy, nitrogen and lipids were not significantly different for any of the three oil-containing diets. Histological examination of the heart, liver and spleen revealed no marked differences due to feeding any of the oil-based diets.

THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH AND LOW ERUCIC ACID RAPESEED OILS ON THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LAYING HENS AND ON THE LIPID FRACTION OF EGG YOLK

The effects of including 5 or 15% of high (regular) and low (Span) erucic acid rapeseed oils or soybean oil on productive performance, total lipid and fatty acid content of egg yolk, and distribution of fatty acids in egg yolk fat were studied. Feed intake varied according to the dietary energy content. However, 15% high erucic acid rapeseed oil decreased feed intake and egg production in comparison with 15% low erucic acid rapeseed oil or soybean oil. Hens receiving rations containing soybean oil produced larger eggs in the treatment than in the pre-treatment period. Five percent regular rapeseed oil in the diet led to a small increase in egg weight, whereas inclusion of 15% regular rapeseed oil in the diet led to a decrease in egg weight. Diets containing the Span oil gave intermediate results. Although the total lipid and total fatty acid content in egg yolk remained constant, the fatty acid composition changed significantly with the experimental diets. The concentration of saturated fatty acids in eggs produced by hens fed diets containing the regular rapeseed oil or low erucic acid rapeseed oil (Span oil) decreased only to a small extent and not in proportion to the amount of these fatty acids present in the diets; but the oleic acid concentration in eggs produced by the hens fed diets containing the rapeseed oil was high. Only 0.2% of erucic acid was found in eggs when 15% regular rapeseed oil was fed to laying hens. The laying hen seems to be able to maintain the level of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in yolk lipids in a physiological range. The results indicate that in the laying hen, a partial degradation of erucic acid to gadoleic acid and oleic acid takes place.

Effect of refining on the nutritional value of rapeseed oils for the chick and rat

AbstractExperiments were conducted to examine the effect of refining upon the energy utilisation from high erucic acid rapeseed oil, low erucic acid rapeseed oil, maize oil, soya bean oil and herring oil.When fed to chicks and rats, refined high erucic acid rapeseed oils were markedly lower in m.e. and d.e. content and gave poorer growth and feed efficiency than the corresponding crude oils. Removal of the gums present in the crude oils was partially responsible for the reduction in the available energy of the oils. Alkali refining caused a further decrease while bleaching was the major step responsible for the reduced m.e. value for the chick. Low erucic acid rapeseed oil also showed a decrease in m.e. upon refining but the decrease was relatively small as compared with high erucic acid rapeseed oils. The refining of soya bean oil, maize oil and herring oil resulted in slight increases in m.e. and thus these oils responded quite differently to rapeseed oil upon refining.