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Evaluation of Commercial Rapeseed Meal and Bronowski Variety Rapeseed Meal in Calf Rations¹

Dairy Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota 57006

Commercial rapeseed meal (RSM), Bronowski variety rapeseed meal (BM) which is low in glucosinolates and soybean meal (SBM) were compared as the supplemental protein in 17% crude protein calf rations fed ad libitum to three groups of 12 Holstein calves from birth to 12 weeks of age. All rations were pelleted, complete rations containing 20% alfalfa hay. All calves received 3.64 kg milk per day during weeks 1 to 4 and 1.82 kg/day during week 5. Calves fed RSM gained only 64% (P < 0.05) as much as those fed SBM during weeks 6 to 12, and 72% (P < 0.05) as much over the entire 12-week trial. Gains by calves fed BM were 72 and 83% of the SBM group for weeks 6 to 12 and 1 to 12, respectively, which reflected a slightly lower consumption of BM (85% of SBM, weeks 6 to 12) since feed efficiency (feed/gain) was the same for BM and SBM rations. Calves consumed less (P < 0.05) RSM than SBM and the RSM consumed was also less (P < 0.05) efficiently utilized for weight gain. Digestion trials using four 3-month-old male calves/treatment showed highest apparent digestibilities for SBM, lowest for RSM and intermediate for BM. Apparent digestibilities of SBM, RSM and BM rations were: nitrogen, 80.6, 66.5 and 73.5%; dry matter, 84.1, 76.5 and 78.6%; and energy, 83.7, 77.0 and 78.6%. Results suggest that commercial RSM is less digestible and palatable than SBM, while BM is more digestible than RSM but still somewhat unpalatable to calves.

KEY WORDS: • rapeseed meal • calf rations

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station as Publication 1234 of the Journal Series.

Manuscript received 1 October 1973.