Canola Meal in Diets for Market Turkeys

Canola meal was fed at 0, 10, 20, and 26 to 10% dietary levels to Large White turkey males during 0 to 19 wk of age. Feed was in meal and pelleted forms. Body weights were reduced at higher canola meal levels in mash and pelleted diets. When isocaloricity was maintained by addition of fat, 19-wk body weight was significantly greater with 20% canola meal than with the corn-soybean meal control. Differences in breast and leg yield were not significant statistically. Taste panel findings showed no preference among breast meat samples, but thigh meat from birds fed 20% canola meal was preferred over that of the control. Canola meal was an acceptable protein source in turkey diets in the present study.