Antinutritional effects of the rapeseed meals, darmor and jet neuf, and progoitrin together with myrosinase, in the growing rat

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Abstract
The antinutritional effects of rapeseed meals from cvs Darmor (‘low’ glucosinolate) and Jet Neuf (‘high’ glucosinolate), both fed for 30 d, and of the purified rapeseed glucosinolate, progoitrin (fed for 23 d), have been examined in rats, with and without the glucosinolate‐degrading enzyme, myrosinase. With all of the experimental diets, feed intake was significantly reduced, the effects being more pronounced in the final period of the experiment. Both types of rapeseed meal significantly reduced live weight gain, and addition of myrosinase enhanced this effect during the second half of the experiment. Organ weights were usually increased in animals fed the experimental diets. The diet containing progoitrin and myrosinase increased liver weight by 58%. In agreement with other workers, thyroid weights were found to be greatly increased by the feeding of rapeseed meals or progoitrin together with myrosinase, although large increases in the size of this organ are also observed in the absence of this enzyme. The major antinutritional effects observed in this study became evident after 10‐15 d, explaining the lack of such effects in earlier, short‐term experiments. The results support the view that progoitrin is a major factor limiting the more extensive use of rapeseed as an animal feedingstuff.

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