FEEDING VALUE OF RAPESEED FOR LAYING HENS

Abstract
An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of feeding diets containing 0, 5, 10, and 15% ground raw rapeseed to three replicates of 14 laying hens each. Isocaloric isonitrogenous diets were fed for a 28-day experimental period and performance and egg quality parameters were measured. Egg production was depressed at the two higher levels of rapeseed inclusion but was not affected at the 5% level of inclusion. Haugh unit, albumen height, and shell deformation were not affected significantly (P > 0.05) but egg weight decreased progressively as rapeseed inclusion increased. Feed consumption was significantly depressed (P < 0.05) at the 15% level of rapeseed and slightly reduced at the other levels.