Rapeseed Meal

Introduction

By-product of oil manufacture, obtained by expelling and/or extraction of seeds of rape.

Rape is a Brassica grown for its "soft oil" which is high in polyunsaturates, often grown as a break crop. Recently it has been grown as a industrial crop for "enviromentally friendly" fuel oils. The oil is expelled from the seed, with further solvent extraction used to lower the oil level of the final meal.

Origin

EU, Canada, China, India.

Nutritional Information

A high protein, good energy feed used to partially replace soya bean meal, although the protein is less digestable. The meal from industrial crops is usually high in glucosinolate/erucic acid.

Colour/Texture

Brown/black/yellow friable oily meal.

Palatability

Unpalatable.

Limits on Usage

Anti-nutritional factors include erucic acid, glucosinalates, tannins and sinapine.

High erucic acid and glucosinolate levels are unpalatable and can even lead to deaths in poultry and also iodine deficiency and enlarged thyroid glands. However, these are normally low in modern varieties.

Phytic acid present can reduce mineral availability to pigs and poultry. Ruminants can easily deal with the ANF's but may find rapeseed meal slightly unpalatable. Often fed in conjunction with a "flavour enhancer" such as sugar beet or citrus pulp.

Sinapine present can cause fishy taint in eggs but steam treatment of the meal helps to reduce this.Sinapine is thought to be assosiated with iron deficiency and to supply phytic acid which may reduce nutrient availability.

Recommended Maximum Inclusion Rates %

Handling/Storage

Correct processing will produce a stable product with little ANF's.