The canola seed being hard, small and round must be
cracked to allow access by digestive enzymes. Grinding, pelleting and
extruding are all processes to do this by. For on farm processing,
grinding through a 1/8” or smaller hammermill screen along with 30 to
50% grain to avoid plugging should be done.
Use of Whole Canola Seed in Livestock and Poultry Diets
Cattle and Sheep: For ruminants the amount of whole canola seed
used in diets for beef and dairy cattle and sheep is dependent upon
the total fat or oil level in the diet. At higher concentrations
usually above 5.5 to 6% of total diet dry matter fat interferes with
fibre digestion and may reduce feed intake. However fat at lower
levels if properly formulated into the diet becomes a safe and
efficient manner in which to add energy. (One unit of fat contains
2.25 times the energy of one unit of starch). Most diets based on
prairie feedstuffs usually do not contain more than 1.5 to 2.5% fat in
total.
Feeding Beef Cows
Whole canola seed can be used to
advantage for growing and finishing animals and also for wintering
beef cows. In feedlot diets levels up to 20% of total diet dry matter
have been successfully fed providing total dietary fat dry matter % is
below 6%. This could be 10% of whole canola if the oil content is 40%
or 15% whole canola at 27% oil.
For Wintering Beef Cows
It can be fed mixed with grain at a
level that will provide a maximum of 300 to 350 grams of oil per cow
per day. In both growing and wintering beef cow diets, the added
protein provided will also provide added value and may negate and/or
reduce the need for protein supplementation.
Dairy Cattle
High production dairy diets may use some added
fat in the diet to provide additional energy in a form other than
starch. Similar rules apply to dairy with whole canola seed as for
beef cattle. Added dietary oil levels of up to 400 grams per cow per
day can be used. Because of the unsaturated fat and interference with
fibre digestibility much higher levels are not well tolerated without
lowering butterfat levels or reducing feed intake. It is unusual
though to require much more than 300 grams of added oil per cow per
day in most diets.
Sheep Diets
Use similarly as for growing finishing beef
cattle.
Swine Diets
Damaged whole canola seed can provide valuable
additions of protein (amino acids) and energy to swine diets. Total
dietary fat levels should not exceed 5.5% for grower finishing pigs to
avoid too soft a fat in the carcasses. In sow diets whole canola seed
can be used to provide the added fat commonly added up to 12% of the
sow feed. In swine diets processed canola seed also provides the added
advantage of reducing dust in the diet. Experience with pork producers
has indicated that whole canola seed is best fed to pigs greater than
25 kg of weight and that is it readily accepted at levels up to 12
-14% of the diet.
Poultry Diets
Added energy beyond barley with pigs and
wheat with poultry is necessary to get added performance. With poultry
this typically means oil or fat addition. For broilers levels of up to
10% of regular canola seed were found to be satisfactory in feeding
trials at the University of Guelph (1977). Poultry have limited
capability to handle fibre and better quality offgrade canola seed
should be used. However, value in poultry diets is higher than other
animals and can be a bargain. In general for poultry, whole canola
should not exceed 10 to 12% of the total diet.
Valuing Whole Canola Seed
If you have not guessed it by now, a feed analysis is a must to
not only feed whole seed canola, but also place a value on it. Both
protein and energy in whole canola seed give it value. The more oil
the more energy and at 20 to 22% protein it is much higher than most
feeds. In a strict definition whole canola seed just qualifies as a
protein supplement.
The value of whole canola seed for different species depends upon
the demands of the diet. As an example, with poultry, high production
dairy diets and sow diets, where oil or fat is added to increase
energy level, whole canola seed has the greatest value. While in swine
grower and finisher diets it can be used to supplement barley in place
of wheat to provide greater energy, its value is intermediate. The
following table shows the value of a whole canola seed containing
20.5% crude protein and 41% oil on an as fed basis. Feed prices per
tonne for barley $102, wheat $125, corn $165, canola meal $180,
soybean meal $335, barley silage $32, alfalfa hay $105 and tallow $510
were used.
Table 2.
August
2004 opportunity value of whole canola seed
(20.5% CP and 41% oil) in various feeding programs
|
Feeding Program |
Value
($/tonne) |
|
Broiler grower |
$405 to 415 |
|
Layer |
$380 |
|
Hog grower |
$307 |
|
Sow lactation |
$340 |
|
Dairy lactation |
$390 |
|
Beef grower |
$253 to 275 |
While these
values are maximum opportunity values, a simple deduction for
processing and transport can be used to determine a more
realistic value. |
