Nutritional evaluation of conventional and increased-protein, reduced-fiber canola meal fed to broiler chickens.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate conventional canola meal (Conv CM) and a new increased-protein reduced-fiber CM (Test CM). The Test CM contained higher levels of all digestible amino acids than the Conv CM as determined in 2 precision-fed rooster assays wherein Single Comb White Leghorn roosters were fasted for 24 h and then tube-fed 30 g of Conv CM or Test CM. Excreta were then quantitatively collected for 48 hours. All diets in 2 broiler experiments then were formulated to be equal in AMEn and digestible amino acids based on values from precision-fed rooster assays. In Experiment 1, diets were corn and soybean meal based and contained zero, 10, 20, 30 or 40% Conv CM from 2 to 21 d of age and zero, 10, 20 or 30% Conv CM from 21 to 37 d of age. In the starter phase of Experiment 1 (2 to 21 d), there was a significant negative effect (P < 0.05) on weight gain and feed intake for CM levels in excess of 10%. In Experiment 2, both Conv CM and the new Test CM were evaluated. For the starter phase (2 to 19 d), the diets contained no CM or 8% Test CM or 8% Conv CM. For the grower phase (20 to 44 d), the chicks were fed diets that contained either no CM or 8, 16, or 24% of Test CM (Diets 2 to 4) or the same levels of Conv CM (Diets 5 to 7). The Test CM diets contained less soybean meal and less added fat than the Conv CM diets. There were no significant differences among dietary treatments for growth performance for either phase of Experiment 2. These results indicate that the new Test CM has increased levels of digestible amino acids compared to Conv CM and that up to 24% of either type of CM could be fed to broiler chickens during the grower phase with no statistical differences (P < 0.05) in performance when diets were formulated to be equal in AMEn and digestible amino acids.