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Due to increased production of biodiesel, there is a high availability of solvent-extracted rapeseed meal (RM) in France, making it a competitive feed ingredient for pigs. Over the past three decades, some European countries have not incorporated RM in pig or sow diets, despite the high quality of its protein relatively high crude fiber and phytate concentrations. Nevertheless, the long-term effects of dietary glucosinolates (GSL) when feeding RM on sow reproductive and litter performance are a persistent concern to feed manufacturers. However, it corresponded to a RM with the highest GLS concentration currently available on the French market. In other words, the probability of using a RM with a higher GLS concentration than 16.2 mmol/g DM is likely rare nowadays. Nevertheless, this level might be overreached, especially when expeller-pressed cakes are used. The higher toxicity risks induced by feeding expeller-press cake is mitigated by lower dietary inclusion given the high residual oil content that limits inclusion in the gestation diet. In contrast, the lactation diet requires greater energy concentration and therefore would allow the possibility of increased inclusions of expeller-pressed cakes.
Four batches of 24 hyperprolific sows were fed to evaluate the effects of including 0 or 10% RM [14.5 µmol GLS/g dry matter (DM) basis] in the gestation and lactation diets over three reproductive cycles. Intake of dietary GLS remained below 5 mmol/d over the gestation period and averaged 8 mmol/d over the lactation period, corresponding to less than 2 µmol GLS/g DM basis.
Lactation feed intake, sow body weight and backfat, and the length of the weaning-to-oestrus interval were not different (P>0.05) between treatment groups. Sows fed diets with 10% or no RM farrowed 43.6 and 43.8 piglets over three reproductive cycles, respectively (P> 0.10). Piglet weight at birth or weaning, survival and litter weight gain were not affected (P>0.05) by dietary RM inclusion. Similar (P> 0.05) plasma thyroxin levels of sows and piglets indicated that thyroid function was not altered by RM inclusion.
In conclusion, feeding gestation and lactation diets including 10% RM to hyper prolific sows over three parities was safe and did not affect sow longevity, reproductive or litter performance.
Quiniou, N., Quinsac, A., Crépon, K., Evrard, J., Peyronnet, C., Bourdillon, A., Royer, E. and Etienne, M. 2012. Effects of feeding 10% rapeseed meal (Brassica napus) during gestation and lactation over three reproductive cycles on the performance of hyperprolific sows and their litters. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, 92: 513-524. doi:10.4141/CJAS2012-039