Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed Oils in Rations for Broiler Chickens

ABSTRACT The effects of feeding broiler-type chickens rations containing 5 % or 15% of a low erucic acid rapeseed oil prepared commercially from the Oro variety of rapeseed (ORO), a commercially hydrogenated Oro oil (HORO) and soybean oil (SBO) on body weight, apparent digestibility of total fatty acids, weights of heart, liver and spleen, total lipid and total fatty acid content of heart and liver and fatty acid composition of heart and liver lipids were studied. The experimental diets were fed ad libitum to the chickens from day old to four weeks of age. Body weight and weights of heart and liver were not influenced significantly by the dietary treatments. Spleen weight was smallest in the group fed the 15 % ORO—containing diets. The apparent digestibilities of total fatty acids were similar for ORO and SBO (89.4 % an