Evaluation of Canola and Mustard Meal as a Partial Replacement of Soybean Meal for Feeding to Broiler Chicks

To evaluate comparative chemical and feeding value of canola and mustard meal for replacing soybean meal protein, 196 day old commercial (Vencob) broiler chicks were divided into seven groups, each having two replicates of 14 chicks. They were subjected to seven different isonitrogenous and isocaloric dietary treatments. The feeding experiment of 42 days was divided into starter (0–2 wks), grower (3–4 wks) and finisher (5–6 wks) phases. Maize soybean based starter (22% CP, 2878 Kcal ME/kg), grower (20% CP, 2935 Kcal ME/kg) and finisher (18% CP, 2980 Kcal ME/kg) ration was used as a control group while in treatment groups, 10, 15 and 20% of soybean meal protein was replaced either by canola or mustard meal. The content of anti-nutritive goiterogenic factors, glucosinolate (110.10μmole/g) and erucic acid (34.05%) in mustard meal was much higher than the canola meal. The respective values for canola meal were 46.56 and 1.46. Canola meal at all the three levels have significantly (P≤0.05) improved feed intake and growth performance. However, mustard meal above 10% level have significantly (P≤ 0.05) reduced feed intake and growth performance. It was concluded from this study that canola meal had a better feeding value for broiler chicks due to its lower glucosinolate and erucic acid content and can safely be included to replace 20% of soybean meal protein compared to mustard meal, which can safely replace only 10% soybean meal protein.